September  30,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
307 
high-class  fertiliser,  which  by  chemical  test  is  good  as  gold,  and  note 
the  result — not  for  one,  but  several  years.  The  chemically  worthless 
article  turns  out,  in  practice  the  most  valuable,  both  as  regards  weight 
of  crop  and  the  colour  and  quality  of  the  produce. 
'fhen  night  soil,  according  to  analysis,  is  about  the  poorest  manurial 
substance  known.  In  practice,  there  is  not  a  better  manure  for  grow¬ 
ing  (rrapsa.  Onions,  and  Rhubarb.  It  is  slow,  but  its  eifects  appear' 
in  the  green  Colouring  matter  of  leaves,  and  the  purple,  black,  an  1 
golden  amber  of  fruit.  It  is  good  for  everything  to  which  it  is 
applied,  if  given  time  to  show  itself  in  the  produce.  It  must  be 
tempered  in  some  way  and  reduced,  just  as  blood  is  made  into  a  dry 
powder  alike  for  portability  and  application. 
For  poverty  of  analysis  stable  and  larmyard  manures  come  very 
low;  indeed,  according  to  the  chemists’ standard,  there  is  very  little 
worth  having  in  either.  Farmers,  unfortunately,  let  the  stamina  run 
off  in  ditches,'and  not  many  gardeners  find  enough  liquid  in  the  tanks 
to  meet  their  requirements.  There  is  nothing  like  good  “  muck.”  It 
improves  the  staple  of  soils  as  well  as  restores  what  has  been  taken  off 
in  crops— a  combination  of  advantages  not  possessed  by  chemically 
prepared  manures.  For  grass  land  nothing  comes  near  farmyard 
manure  in  value,  whether  as  regards  hay,  milk,  butter,  beef,  or 
mutton,  and  as  regards  “  roots  ”  all  the  mixtures  put  on  by  hand 
cannot  approach  it  for  usefulness.  In  the  garden  I  have  never  seen 
too  much  of  it  in  the  properly  decayed  form  except  on  Vine  borders, 
where  it  could  not  be  said  to  be  used,  but  abused,  when  not  asso¬ 
ciated  with  a  due  apportionment  of  inorganic  matter. 
The  time  is  at  hand  when  land  will  be  cleared  of  cro^DS,  and  the 
best  time  to  use  stable  or  farmyard  manure  is  then.  All  ought  to  be 
prepared  so  that  it  can  be  readily  spread  and  turned  under.  It  will 
not  waste  in  the  land  or  even  on  it.  The  rains  of  winter  wash  nothing 
away  but  the  worthless  stuff,  for  the  soil  has  a  vice-like  grasp  on 
ammonia — holds  it  until  the  microbes  wake  up  in  the  spring,  and  then 
the  roots  of  plants  reach  out  their  hair-like  tongues  and  sip  in  the 
energising  diluted  essences.  Potash  in  like  manner  does  not  run 
away,  it  stops  along  with  the  ammonia,  ready  for  use  in  the  (Quicken¬ 
ing  of  vegetation  by  the  sun.  Magnesia  also  remains,  as  does  the 
phosphoric  acid,  for  the  soil  lays  hold  of  them  and  keeps  them  till 
wanted  by  plants,  be  these  weeds  or  useful  crops.  The  earth, 
cultivated,  is  a  store-house  of  good  things  for  plants,  only  Q)ut  them 
in  more  or  Ipss  raw  and  let  Nature  and  “  brains  ”  do  the  rest. 
But  it  may  be  said  the  action  of  old  fashioned  manure  is  slow. 
When  SQiring  comes  the  ammonia  has  to  be  made  into  nitrite  and 
nitrate.  Tue  old  gardeners  knew  that  time  was  required  for  its  action 
on  the  soil,  and  not  only  knew,  but  acted,  for  abroad  over  the  land 
went  the  soot,  held  back  during  the  winter,  or  out  came  the  Peruvian 
guano  in  the  spring  and  quickly  moved  the  crops,  outdistancing  slugs, 
and  when  the  ilush  of  these  spring  dressings  were  over  the  microbes 
kept  up  the  running  of  nitrogen  in  the  plants.  The  old  gardeners 
knew  of  the  value  of  such  practice,  and  in  some  instances  they  were 
amongst  the  first  to  lay  hold  of  the  valuable  scientific  facts  which 
chemists  brought  to  public  notice ;  but  those  gardeners  never,  and  do 
not  even  now,  let  go  the  sheet  anchor,  for  they  still  cling  to  the 
time-honoured  manure  heap,  the  loam  of  the  pasture,  and  the  leaf 
mould  of  the  woods. 
Thus  the  horticultural  ship  rides  safely  because  the  anchorage  is 
sound,  and  observant  scientists,  having  been  taught  by  successful 
workers,  now  advise  the  use  of  fertilisers  in  the  autumn — a  jrractice 
they  once  disavowed.  Bone  manure,  even  superphosphate  (not 
mineral),  with  potassic  manures  (not  in  nitrate  form),  are  advised 
to  be  used  in  the  autumn  or  very  early  spring.  This  is  the 
practical  and  right  way.  The  old  gardeners  led  the  way  in  using 
liquid  manure  in  winter  (the  value  of  the  applications  being  first 
made  known  through  the.se  columns)  instead  of  letting  it  run  to 
waste,  and  growers  of  produce  for  market  lose  nothing  they  can 
obtain  in  the  sha])e  of  manure  at  any  time  and  from  any  source. 
Scarcely  any  material  comes  amiss,  for  i)ut  on  something  they  must 
and  will,  but  always  with  judgment,  well  knowing  the  ditference 
between  the  food  that  has  to  be  made  ready  in  the  soil  before  it 
can  be  appropriated  by  plants,  and  that  which  is  quickly  available. 
From  such  j)ractice  and  investments  they  obtain  Qtrofit,  or  they  would 
not,  and  could  not,  be  pursued  generation  after  generation. 
Finally,  the  artificial  manure  manufacturer,  who  possesses  both 
practical  and  scientific  knowledge,  does  the  mixing  in  far  different 
form  than  formerly.  The  “flash  in  the  pan”  custom  has  given  way 
to  a  rational  blending  of  organic  with  inorganic  materials,  a  (Quickly 
actine,  and  at  the  same  time  steadily  suQrQwrting  dietary  being  pro¬ 
vided.  Artificial  manures  have  helped  wonderfully  in  horticulture, 
simply  because  they  have  been  used  as  supQ)lementary  to  sound  staple 
in  soils,  the  judicious  use  of  other  substances  affording  humus  and 
high-class  cultural  jeractice.  Many,  if  not  most,  successful  vendors 
of  special  manures  are,  or  have  been,  cultivators  themselves — old 
gardeners  or  farmers,  or  both,  who  have  Qeroved  the  value  of  their 
preparations,  kept  in  touch  with  their  customers’  requirements,  and 
also  abreast  of  the  times  in  which  they  live. — Gr.  Abbey, 
DECORATIVE  WORK. 
{Continued from  page 
Where  a  gardener  fails  tq  some  extent  to  do  justice  in  the  decora¬ 
tion  of  a  large  hall  or  other  public  building,  or  a  ballroom,  any  of 
which  under  the  varying  circumstances  of  life  he  may  be  called  upon 
to  Qjerform,  may  be  rather  from  a  want  of  daring  than  from  a  paucity 
of  ideas,  or  even  a  deficiency  of  material  at  hand.  One  whom  I  knew 
who  was  called  upon  somewhat  suddenly  to  execute  the  decorations 
for  a  hunt  ball  to  be  held  in  the  most  country  of  country  towns, 
sought  some  advice  upon  the  matter  from  a  friend  whose  experience  of 
this  work  was  more  extensive.  Together  they  discussed  the  matter 
upon  the  scene  of  the  intended  festivities,  which  was  a  large  bare 
building,  offering  a  fair  field  for  adornment.  Good  advice  was  given, 
and  various  suggestions  made,  which  were  in  a  way  of  great  service, 
but  in  a  way  only,  as  our  decorator  was  expected  to  give  a  maximum 
of  display  at  a  minimum  of  expense.  He  was,  in  fact,  told  that  with 
his  staff  and  such  material  as  the  shrubberies  afforded  in  the  way  of 
evergreens,  ample  means  were  at  hand,  hence  flags  or  other  purchased 
or  hired  material  was  out  of  the  question,  and  flags,  his  adviser  had 
insisted  upon  as  a  necessity.  However,  our  gardening  head  devised 
and  carried  out  what  meriteci  and  obtained  unqualified  praise. 
Flags  were  a  &ine  qua  non,  so  home-made  ones  filled  the  breach. 
Laths,  some  6  feet  long,  surmounted  with  zinc  cut  into  the  form  of 
lanceheads  and  painted  with  gold  paint,  answered  that  QDart  of  the 
purpose  admirably,  whilst  some  yards  of  red,  green,  and  yellow  art 
muslin  a  yard  wide  (of  the  cheapest  quality),  and  in  self  colours,  com¬ 
posed  the  flag  portion ;  about  3  yards  of  the  muslin  being  tacked  on 
to  each  lath  and  made  to  hang  in  graceful  folds  by  being  caught  up 
with  a  tack  at  the  bottom.  A  bold  trophy  of  these  flags  was 
arranged  fan  fashion  on  the  end  wall  of  the  building,  small  trophies 
being  disposed  between  the  windows  on  either  side  above  a  dado  which 
is  worthy  of  description.  This  consisted  of  2-inch  mesh  wire  netting 
3  feet  high  run  along  the  wall  on  either  side,  into  which  was  closely 
interlaced  sprays  of  common  Laurel,  a  screen  of  the  same  height  being 
stretched  across  the  front  of  an  improvised  orchestra  which  Avas 
dressed  Avith  small  sprays  of  Portugal  Laurel,  into  Avhich,  at  intervals, 
the  initial  letter  of  the  Hunt  Club  was  boldly  interwoven  Avith  twigs 
of  variegated  Box,  sufficiently  distinct  in  its  colour  to  stand  out  clear 
on  the  groundwork.  Some  well-made  wreaths  outlined  the  Avindows 
and  entwined  the  gas-brackets,  Avhilst  roughly  made  latticeAvork 
upon  which  evergreens  were  securfed  completed  the  furnishing  of  the 
end  Avail,  Avhere  the  trophy  of  flags  Avas  the  central  feature.  The 
Avhole  arrangement  of  this  hunt  ball  decoration,  simQ)le  as  it  Avas, 
afforded  the  maximum  of  effect  at  a  minimum  of  expense,  Avhilst  the 
labour,  princiQAally  consisting  of  inserting  the  Laurel  cuttings,  Avas 
rapidly  acconiQAlished  by  the  nimble  hands  of  a  few  lads  directed  by 
the  older  “  Head.” 
In  a  roomy  hall  of  this  kind  a  central  gas  Qjendant  or  chandelier 
offers  temptations  as  a  holding  from  Avhich  Avreaths  may  be  festooned 
to  the  side  or  end  walls.  With  some  little  discretion  resQiecting  the 
weight  put  upon  this  structure  an  excellent  effect  may,  under  some 
conditions,  be  gained  ;  but  in  one  case  under  notice  the  strain  imposed 
brought  a  gas  leak,  and  that  confusion  at  the  last  moment.  On  bare 
Avails  where  Aviudows  do  not  intervene  to  break  the  line,  or  to  form  a 
continuous  line  above  them,  the  employment  of  a  substantial  wreath 
caught  up  at  regular  intervals  to  the  Avall-jilate  from  Avhich  the  roof 
springs  Aviil  generally  exhibit  good  taste.  This  Avreath  hanging  in 
graceful  festoons  is  more  decided  in  character  if  a  substantial  rosette 
made  of  bright  Qiink  tissue  QAaper  is  fastened  on  to  the  Avreath  at 
those  Qioints  Avhence  it  deQAends.  Good  decorators  generally  do  not 
favour  the  use  of  QAaQAer  presentments  of  flowers,  or  indeed  the  intro¬ 
duction  of  coloured  QAaper,  wrinkled  or  crinkled,  in  any  phase  of 
decoration;  but  it  is,  in  this  or  similar  cases,  quite  admissible,  for 
distance  lends  enchantment  to  the  vieAV,  and  that  view  is  by  artificial 
light.  Freshness,  brightness,  and  novelty  are  the  desiderata  not 
difficult  to  obtain  during  the  (fuller  periods  of  the  year. 
Now  and  again  similar  work  is  required  during  the  summer  months 
Avhen  the  bulk  of  our  evergreens,  in  the  soft  and  tender  groAving  stage, 
are  totally  unfitted  for  the  QAurpose,  yet  have  I  seen  them  thus  used 
Avithout  any  discrimination  as  to  their  lasting  proQAerties.  At  a 
military  ball  contributions  in  the  form  of  some  Avaggonloads  of  this 
unsuitable  material  were  sent  in  tAVO  days  prior  to  the  event,  and  one 
could  only  regard  the  use  of  it  as  a  waste  of  labour,  even  Avorse,  for  it 
is  futile  to  exQAect  any  satisfaction  from  foliage  flagging  as  soon  as  cut; 
nor  is  it  easy  to  find  substitutes.  However,  much  can  be  done  in 
other  directions.  Trailing  Ivy  from  the  woods,  growing  under  trees  in 
preference  to  that  growing  upon  them,  if  procurable  in  quantity,  and 
tied  in  bundles  with  the  ends  placed  in  Avater  until  absolutely  required, 
is  very  helpful  in  the  way  of  greenery.  In  using,  five  or  six  long 
sprays  tied  together  in  a  handful  of  damp  moss  can  be  fastened  at 
discretion  to  long  narrow  laths  for  wall  drapery,  or  to  a  mantleboard 
lor  ornamentation  of  a  fireplace.  Upon  these  particular  occasions 
heavy  effects  are  neither  necessary  nor  desirable,  and  the  fresh  green 
