May  4,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
trenching  is  neecled,  and  this  becomes  an  expensive  item.  At  the 
Woburn  Fruit  Farm  the  whole  of  the  land  Was  t  renclied,  and  the 
greater  23art  was  forked  afterwards,  this  being  rendered  necessary  by 
ihe  abundance  of  “  twitch  ’’  anrl  other  wced.s.  Such  a  treatment  is 
beneficial  and  desirable,  but  on  heavy  soil  it  entails  a  prelimhiary  cost 
of  over  £20  per  acre — an  example  of  the  expense  attendant  upeon 
thoroughly  organised  experimental  work. 
It  is  of  great  importance  to  also  have  a  set  of  melcorulogical 
instruments,  and  to  keep  continuous  records  of  temperature  and  rainfa'l. 
A  valuable  instrument  in  coimection  with  these  observations  is  a 
flunshine  recorder,  as  the  actual  amount  of  sunshir.e  to  which  vegeta¬ 
tion  may  be  exposed  has  a  material  influence  on  the  behaviour  of 
jdants.  Besides  the  ordinary  instruments  in  the  cases  at  the  regula¬ 
tion  height  above  the  gi'ound,  it  is  also  needful  to  have  radiation 
thermometers  on  the  ground,  and  exposed  to  the  sun,  so  that  the 
•extremes  of  temperature  may  be  registered,  while  a  thermometer  in 
the  soil  will  often  furnish  interesting  dat.a. 
The  general  regulations  of  the  work  will  depend  upon  its  nature 
iind  objects,  but  a  few  points  are  worth  keeping  in  mind,  b( cause  they 
are  applicable  to  both  large  and  small  underiakings.  All  oierations 
where  comparisons  are  to  be  instituted  between  the  crops  should  le 
performed  as  nearly  as  possible  at  the  same  time,  and  under  similar 
■conditions  as  regards  temperature  and  moisture.  This  applies  to  soil 
preparations,  planting,  seed  sowing,  and  taking  the  crops  for  records. 
Where  artificial  or  natural  manures  are  employed  it  is  desirable  to 
continue  the  application  of  one  kind  to  the  same  plot  of  land  over  as 
long  a  period  as  possible,  as  the  introduction  of  fresh  compounds 
when  there  may  be  much  of  that  previously  employed  already  in  the 
soil  may  lead  to  very  conflicting  results.  Where  trials  of  manures 
are  conducted  upon  neighbouring  plots,  as  it  is  important  they  shou'd 
be,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  clear  space  between  the  adjoining  pilots,  as 
the  more  soluble  manures  are  readily  diffused  through  the  soil,  and 
would  thus  militate  against  the  accuracy  of  the  results. 
As  large  a  number  of  plants  of  one  kind  should  be  subjected  to  the 
fame  experimental  treatment  as  possible  ;  the  risk  of  error  is  reduced 
m  proportion,  and  the  value  of  the  reeords  increased.  Very  misleading 
opinions  may  be  formed  from  observations  confined  to  a  small  number 
of  individuals. 
There  are  many  other  matters  apparently  small  which  demand 
attention  in  experimental  work,  but  thise  are  some  of  the  chief,  and 
I  have  referred  to  thim  because  throughout  their  careers  horticulturists 
are  essentially  experimentalists  in  tome  degree.  They  are  u-sudly 
men  whose  povers  of  observation  have  been  developed  by  the  very 
nature  of  their  calling.  It  is  seldom,  however,  that  the  funds  at 
their  disposal  or  the  demands  for  the  results  of  their  skill  and  labour 
will  permit  systematic  research;  consequently  their  observations  are 
not  often  recorded,  unless  it  be  in  the  pages  of  the  horticultural  press, 
<T  they  remain  in  their  own  notebooks,  where  they  may  prove  of  \mlue 
TO  the  owner  for  future  reference,  but  are  lost  to  the  great  body  of 
workers.  All  the  same,  horticulturists  shou’d  use  notebooks  freely, 
constantly,  and  systematically ;  every  man,  whethi  r  beginning  or 
.advanced  in  his  occupation,  would  do  well  to  review  each  day’s 
work  and  difificulties,  and  place  on  record  his  impressions  or  observa¬ 
tions  for  future  reference.  It  is  important,  however,  not  only  to  note 
result®,  but  to  accurately  record  the  conditions  under  which  they  have 
been  obtained.  Much  judgment  and  close  attention  are  needed  in  this 
tj)  avoid  erroneous  conclusions.  A  mind  tiiat  is  peculiarly  free  from 
b'as  or  prejulice  is  essential  in  recording  experimental  result.®,  and  the 
ignoring  or  exaggeration  of  apparently  slight  details  will  seriously 
influence  the  conclusions.  Truth  should  be  the  sole  object  of  the 
e-xperimenter,  even  though  it  be  contrary  to  preconceived  ideas. — 
B.  Lewis  Castle. 
AUTUMN-SOWN  PEAS. 
The  practice  of  sowing  Peas  in  autumn  is  not  nearly  so  often  carried 
out  as  formerly  ;  indeed  it  is  only  occasionally  that  one  finds  cases  where 
it  is  done  at  all.  The  greater  accommodation  afforded  by  pits,  heated  or 
cold,  which  cheap  glass  furnish  in  the  present  da}’,  does  away  to  a  largo 
extent  with  the  necessity  and  risk  of  autumn  sowing. 
Last  autumn  I  made  a  sowing  on  a  sheltered  border  as  a  chance  or 
probable  catch  crop,  and  for  a  time  everything  went  well  with  the  plants, 
and  to  some  visitors  unaccustomed  to  find  thriving  Pea  rows  in  winter  they 
proved  interesting,  and  raised  many  speculations  as  to  the  ultimate  result. 
The  severe  spell  of  wintry  weather  that  followed  the  abnormally  mild  and 
wet  period  proved  too  much  for  them,  notwithstanding  that  they  were 
protected  at  night  with  evergreen  boughs.  Those  which  escaped  fatal 
injury  from  the  January  frost  succumbed  (o  that  in  March,  and  the 
ground  is  now  occupied  with  another  crop. 
The  total  collapse  of  the  autumn  sowing  is  attributable  mainly  to  the 
sodden  condition  of  the  soil  at  the  time  of  the  cold  frost  spell,  and  the 
soft  nature  of  their  growth  as  a  consequence.  Those  who  cannot  devote 
glass  space  to  the  raising  of  Peas  in  boxes  need  not  abandon  autumn 
sowing  because  of  their  failure  this  spring,  for  with  better  weather  results 
WLuld  be  more  favourable. — W. 
361 
A  CACTUS  HUNT  IN  MOUNTAIN  AND  DESERT. 
At  the  last  bi-moathly  meeting  of  the  spring  session  of  (he  Birming¬ 
ham  Gardeners'  Association,  Mr.  F.  A.  Walton,  Ilandsworth  Wood, 
Birmingham,  made  the  alove  the  title  of  an  excellent  discourse.  Th<* 
lecturer  is  a  large  importer  of  Cacti  and  other  succulent  plants,  and  his 
extensive  collection  ot  Cacti  at  the 'Chrysanthemum  Show  last  year  in 
Bingley  Hall  attracted  much  attention.  Mr.  Walton  has  recently  returned 
from  America  after  a  three  months  tour.  The  subject  was  illustrated 
by  a  scries  of  photographs  representing  Cacti  and  other  suaculents  growing 
in  their  native  habitat. 
The  deciiption  (J  his  travels  and  adventures  in  collecting  Cacti 
in  California,  Texas,  and  Mexico,  was  delivered  in  a  lucid,  interesting, 
and  humorous  manner.  He  remarked  that  one  of  the  peculiarities  of  the 
Cactus  family  is  that  few  species,  or  even  varieties,  are  found  in  any  one 
neighbourhood,  therefore  it  is  necessary  to  travel  over  great  distances  to 
see  any  considerable  assertment. 
Knowing  this,  and  wishing  to  see  and  study  as  many  kinds  of  C*jb- 
fornian  Cacti  as  possible,  he  made  arrangements  with  Dr.  C.  A.  Purpus 
(who  was  staying  at  San  Diego,  California)  to  join  him  upon  a  botanical 
expedition  across  the  mountains  and  down  to  the  Colorado  desert.  The 
start  was  made  from  San  Diego  one  foggy  February  morning  at  8,30  A.M. 
in  a  miniature  train,  consisting  of  an  engine,  one  truck,  and  one  carriage, 
by  the  Cuymaca  line  (pronounced  Queermacker),  passing  through  s'lmn 
fine  fruit  growing  country,  the  track  winding  about  considerably  so  as  to 
avoid  heavy  gradients,  then  passing  over  a  ridge  some  800  feet  high, 
again  going  down  into  the  El  Cajon  valley  (pronounced  Elkaheon),  which 
is  practically  a  fros  less  district,  where  Oranges,  Lemons,  and  Grapes 
grow  to  perfection.  After  a  time  the  sun  shone  through  the  fog,  and 
everything  looked  splendidly  bright  and  clear,  with  a  pleasant  breeze  that 
previ  n'ed  oppressive  heat.  The  hills  all  round  were  some  3000  feet  high, 
and  the  valley,  which  is  about  500  feet  abuve  sea  level,  is  splendidly 
sheltered  from  all  rough  winds.  The  train  passed  along  very  slowlv,  calling 
at  a  number  of  small  stations  for  fruit,  or  to  return  packages  from  San 
D;ego.  the  market  of  this  district.  The  hills  terminate  at  “Foster,”  about 
twenty  miles  from  San  Diego.  Foster  is  the  one  man  there.  He  keeps 
the  hotel,  is  station  master,  runs  the  stage  coach,  or  rather  carriage, 
which  was  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  train,  to  take  the  passengers  to 
their  destination. 
Dirrc  ly  after  leaving  “Foster’s”  the  road  became  very  rugged  and 
steep.  They  had  for  some  time  passed  beside  the  San  Diego  rive-,  which, 
said  the  lecturer,  should  hive  been  called  the  Sandy  river,  as  there  was 
no  water  visible,  and  after  crossing  they  entered  a  magnificent  canon  (all 
narrow  val'eys  are  called  canons  in  California^.  The  road  wissom'- 
times  cut  into  the  rocky  sides  of  tke  mountain,  at  others  it  was  near  the 
river  bed,  and  sometimes  hundreds  of  feet  up  the  cliff,  where  a  false  step 
of  oi'.e  of  the  mules,  or  a  bump  over  an  extra  large  stone,  looked  as  if  it 
would  precipitate  us  into  the  rocks  below.  This  kind  of  scenery  continued 
for  about  seven  miles,  where  they  emerged  on  a  splendidly  breezy 
plain  or  ta'^hland,  of  about  1600  feet  elevation.  After  passing  across 
about  five  miles  of  this,  they  arrived  at  Ramond,  the  p  ace  he  had  agreed 
to  meet  Dr.  L’urpus. 
The  only  Cacti  he  had  seen  so  far  were  Opuntia  tur.a,  O.  Fngelraanni, 
in  several  varietii  s,  0,  prolife»a  and  O.  serpentina,  none  of  which  were  at 
all  remarkable.  Next  morning  at  eight  o’clock  Dr.  Furpus  arrived,  with  a 
strong  spring  waggon  and  team  of  two  strong  mules.  The  driver,  Mr. 
Alfred  Stockton,  a  young  Californian,  had  made  several  botanical  excur¬ 
sions  with  Mr.  T.  S,  Baudegee  of  San  Diego,  and  Professor  Anthony, 
two  of  the  most  noted  explorers  and  botanists  in  the  State  of  California. 
The  waggon  was  filled  with  provisions  for  themselves  and  the  mules, 
enough  °  to  last  a  considerable  time.  After  crossing  several  fine 
valleys,  each  at  a  greater  elevation  than  the  last,  they  at  length  reached 
Julian,  and  where  even  at  the  lev«  1  of  5000  feet  they  found  several  varieties 
cf  Opuntias,  although  they  say  that  they  have  frost  every  month  of  the 
year — and  the  snow  was  quite  thick  upon  the  ground  in  places. 
Leaving  Ju'iai  they  descended  rapidly  through  a  most  picturesque 
canon  to  the  small  but  thriving  mining  town  of  Banner.  The  road 
passes  down  the  course  of  the  stream,  over  boulders,  and  through 
pools  of  water  — down,  down,  always  descending,  nearly  2000  feet  in  seven 
miles.  Soon  after  passing  Banner  they  saw  the  first  of  what  they 
considered  rare  Cacti— viz ,  Echinocereus  Engelmanni  and  Opuntia 
basilaris,  but  they  decided  not  to  get  any  specimens  until  the  return 
journey.  At  length,  after  another  eight  mile.-,  they  reached  their 
camp'ng  ground  for  the  night.  The  mules  had  travelled  about  forty-five 
miles,  having  started  some  eight  miles  from  Romona  to  their  camp, 
which  wa®  about  4000  feet  elevation. 
Among  the  various  fine  specimens  of  Cacti  secured  by  Mr.  Walton 
was  a  huge  one  of  Echinocnctus  cylindraceus,  and  which  took  several 
ais’s‘ants*to  lift  from  the  ground.  Being  anxious  to  investigate  the  root 
action  of  the  immense  Cereus  giganteusin  its  native  habitat,  he  negotiated 
a  specimen  about  30  feet  high,  growing  on  a  high  elevation,  with  all 
the  manual  force  he  could  command,  and  eventually  toppled  it  over,  but 
was  surprised  to  find,  considering  its  size,  the  comparatively  small  root 
anchorage  it  possessed,  though  probably  about  a  century  old. 
In  concluding  further  pertinent  remarks  appertaining  to  the  Cacti 
and  other  flora  of  the  States  visited,  he  humorously  remarked  that  a 
“Klondyko”  is  in  store  for  the  person  who  could  cultivate  such  Cacti 
without  spines  as  food  for  the  oxen,  sheep,  and  goats  during  a  scarcity  of 
other  vegetable  food. — W .  G. 
