74 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
January  24.  1901. 
unmanured  plot  yielded  77\  cwts.  of  Potatoes  per  acre,  the  plot 
receiving  14  tons  of  farmyard  manure  produced  85j  cwts.  per  acre,  an 
increase  of  8  cwts.  only,  while  the  plot  receiving  a  complete  artificial 
manure,  containing  both  available  nitrogen  and  available  minerals,  gave 
175 J  cwts.  per  acre,  a  gain  of  98f  cwts.  over  the  plot  without  manure, 
and  an  increase  of  90|  cwts.  over  the  plot  receiving  farmyard  manure. 
This  is  undoubtedly  a  striking  example  of  the  slow  action  of  farmyard 
manure  in  comparison  with  artificial  ingredients.  In  the  second  year 
of  the  experiments  (1877)  the  14  tons  of  farmyard  manure,  combined 
with  the  residue  left  in  the  soil  from  the  previous  year,  some  of  which 
had  by  this  time  become  available,  gave  an  increase  of  57 i  cwts.  of 
Potatoes  per  acre  over  the  plot  which  received  no  manure,  while  the 
complete  artificial  fertiliser  ^ave  an  increase  of  93^  cwts.  This  shows 
that  the  accumulated  available  plant  food  due  to  the  previous  manurial 
application  was  lees  in  the  case  of  the  readily  soluble  artificials  than  it 
was  in  the  case  of  the  slowly  acting  dung.  Other  illustrations  might  be 
given  if  space  permitted. 
In  the  second  place,  your  correspondent  says  that  experience  shows 
that  nitrogeuouely  manured  soils  give  better  crops  of  Peas  and  Beans 
than  unmanured  ground,  although  scientists  insist  on  the  uselessness 
of  giving  nitrogen  to  leguminous  plants. 
I  stated  in  my  article  (page  457)  that  every  species  of  plant, 
however  small,  required  nitrogen  in  some  form  for  its  perfect  develop¬ 
ment,  accordingly  Beans  and  Peas  cannot  be  produced  without  this 
element,  which  they  must  obtain  either  from  the  soil,  the  atmosphere, 
or  firm  the  two  combined.  When  nitrogen  exists  in  the  soil  in 
sufficient  amount  the  leguminous  plants  assimilate  a  smaller  proportion 
from  the  atmospheie. 
The  reason  Peas,  Beans,  and  other  leguminous  plants  do  not  flourish 
on  an  nnmanured  and  poor  soil  is  that  an  insufficient  supply  of 
available  mineral  ingredients,  especially  of  potash  and  lime,  exists  for 
the  plants’  use.  To  quote  anot1  er  Rothamsted  experiment,  this  time 
from  an  ordinary  four-course  rotation  of  crops— viz.,  roots,  Bailey, 
Clover,  Wheat.  This  expi  riment.  ct  mm- need  in  1848,  and  is  still  in 
progress.  One  portion  of  the  field  has  received  no  manure  duiing  the 
whole  of  this  period  ;  a  second  portion  has  received  a  mineral  manure, 
but  no  nitrogen;  a  third  portion  has  received  a  complete  manure, 
supplying  both  minerals  and  nitrogen.  These  manures  are  applied  for 
the  roots  only,  the  following  crops  have  to  rely  on  the  residue  left  in 
the  soil  by  the  root  crops.  In  lt-92  the  crop  was  Red  Clover,  and  the 
following  results  were  obtained  as  hay  per  acre  : — Without  manure, 
17  cwt. ;  with  mineral  manure,  65  cwt. ;  with  the  complete  manure, 
84  cwt. 
Here,  then,  we  see  that  the  leguminous  crop,  Clover,  was  able  to  assimi¬ 
late  but  little  atmospheric  nitiogen  on  the  nnmanur  ed  and  exhausted  soil 
because  it  lacked  the  necessary  soluble  mineral  food  to  allow  of  the 
working  of  the  appropriate  organisms;  while  the  application  of  mineral 
fertilisers,  but  without  any  nitrogen,  yielded  an  increase  of  48  cwt.  of 
Clover  hay  per  acre  over  the  plot  withrut  manure,  that  is  to  say,  there 
was  fixation  of  free  nitrogen  under  the  influence  of  lower  organisms 
either  within  the  soil  itself  or  in  symbiotic  growth  with  the  Clover 
plant  when  the  necessary  mineral  food  was  present. 
The  experimental  evidence  at  Rothamsted  goes  to  show  that  the 
proportion  of  nitrogen  due  to  fixation  from  the  atmosphere  will  be  less 
in  the  richer  soils  and  greater  in  the  soils  that  are  poor  in  combined 
nitrogen,  and  which  are  open  and  porous. 
Scientists  do  not  insist  on  the  uselessness  of  giving  nitrogenous 
manures  to  leguminous  plants,  but  it  is  very  questionable  whether  it  is 
economical  to  apply  heavy  dressings  of  such  manures  to  Beans,  Peas, 
and  oiber  leguminous  plants  which  possess  6uch  a  grand  power  of 
obtaining  this  expensive  element  (uitrogen)  free  of  cost  to  the  gardener, 
provided  he  supplies  them  with  the  cheaper  materials  of  potash,  lime, 
and  phosphoric  acid.— J.  J.  Willis,  Harpenden. 
Horticultural  Catalogues. 
At  this  season  of  tbe  year  the  sumptuously  produced  catalogues, 
as  well  as  the  modeBt  lists  of  seeds,  roots,  and  plants,  are  being 
circulated  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  tf  the  land,  so  that 
owners  and  cultivators  of  every  degree  may  “read,  mark,  learn,  and 
inwardly  digest  ”  the  well  set  out  contents.  A  perusal  of  these  prints 
leads  us  to  infer  that  the  taste  for  cultivating  plants,  flowers,  and 
vegetables  is  on  the  increase,  or  it  would  not  be  a  profitable  under¬ 
taking  to  issue  such  vast  numbtrs  as  in  the  aggregate  there  must  be 
circulated.  Tbe  cost  of  pnntirg  and  postmg  in  many  cases  is  very 
great.  The  catalogues  are  intended  to  be  attractive  and  instructive 
in  character,  though  the  descriptions  of  the  quality  and  productiveness 
of  certain  things  may  sometimes  be  overdrawn.  Upon  the  whole, 
however,  tbe  information  is  to  be  relied  upon. 
The  illustrations  of  the  modern  catalogues  since  the  general  adoption 
of  photography  in  embellishing  the  pages  are  more  in  accord  with 
actual  reality.  The  highly  coloured,  exaggerated  illustrations  have 
had  their  day,  and  the  catalogue  compilers  are  to  be  commended  on  a 
stricter  adherence  to  Nature  by  recording  the  achievements  of 
cultivators  just  as  they  find  them.  In  a  catalogue  photograph,  say 
of  Potatoes,  everyone  knows  that  though  the  best  samples  may  have 
been  brought  together  tor  the  purposes  of  the  picture  there  is  really 
nothing  beyond  the  cultivator’s  ability.  The  photo  gives  an  excellent 
idea  of  the  size,  shape,  and  general  appearance  as  far  as  is  possible 
with  any  picture,  and  this  is  all  that  can  be  expected.  It  is  the 
same  with  other  things. 
Seedsmen’s  catalogues  are  the  medium  by  which  the  general  mass 
of  cultivators  are  kept  up  to  date  in  the  best  varieties  of  everything. 
The  importance  of  consulting  them  is  apparent,  as  the  majority  of  the 
leading  lists  contain  much  interesting  and  valuable  information  which 
may  be  pondered  over  during  the  long  winter  evenings  ready  for 
adoption  when  a  convenient  time  allows. 
The  various  lists  are  issued  early  so  that  they  may  be  perused  at 
leisure.  It  is,  however,  to  be  feaied  that,  attractiw  though  they  may 
be,  the  fate  of  being  forgotten  for  many  weeks  lies  before  them.  This 
is  very  olten  greatly  to  the  seedsman’s  disadvantage,  not  because  he 
may  miss  an  order,  but  owing  to  it  coming  in  the  height  of  the  busy 
season.  When  this  does  happen  the  sender  also  experiences  a 
disadvantage,  berause  orders  being  treated  in  rotation,  as  they  should 
be,  a  period  ot  waiting  must  follow.  Seeds,  dry  roots,  and  bulbs  do 
not  spoil  by  keepii  g  a  few  weeks  in  early  spring,  if  due  precautions 
are  taken  to  insure  tin  m  being  dry  and  cool.  Therefore  early  orders 
should  be  the  rule  and  not  the  exception.  The  seedsmen  appreciate 
it.  The  cultivator  appreciates  it  aft<  r  he  has  experienced  the 
chagrin  and  annoyance  of  having  everything  ready  for  the  seeds,  hut 
unfortunately  they  are  lying  in  the  seedsman’s  safe-keeping  when 
they  ought  to  be  in  his  own  drawers,  where  he  could  put  his  hands 
upon  them  at  the  exact  moment  required. 
There  is  another  matter  which  is  often  overlooked.  The  proper 
making  up  of  a  seed  order  is  no  light  busimsa  ;  it  requires  a  consider- 
anle  amount  ot  judgment  and  care  in  order  to  do  it  economically  and 
obtain  everything  in  due  proportion  to  the  demands  of  the  garden. 
All  gardetis  are  different  in  their  requin  ments.  The  facilities  for 
raising,  giowing,  and  attention  to  be  given  vary,  as  well  as  soils  and 
situations.  The  uses  to  be  made  of  crops,  profitable  or  otherwise,  must 
be  considered  ;  in  lact  the  garden  must  be  studied,  its  capabilities 
gauged  as  regards  fertility  and  bringing  crops  to  perfection.  Nothing 
should  be  grown  that  is  not  of  some  use,  practical  or  ornamental. 
Make  the  garden  useful  as  well  as  pleasurable,  and  do  not  overcrowd. 
The  cu  tivator  is  able  to  make  the-most  of  things  when  he  can  begin 
early  in  the  season  sowing  and  planting  at  the  right  time.  A  stress 
of  work  is  thereby  avoided  to  some  extent  when  a  number  of  things 
call  for  immediate  attention. 
As  a  general  rule  the  high  quality  of  seeds  is  unquestioned,  hut 
whtn  hasty  and  indifferent  sowing  is  n  sorted  to,  because  the  operation 
has  been  driven  late,  failures  sometimes  result.  Then  the  seed  and 
the  seed.-men  may  he  condemned,  whereas  the  fault  lies  in  bad  practice 
brought  about  by  mismanagement,  such  as  buryii  g  the  seeds  too  deeply, 
non-pulverisation  of  the  soil,  or  neglect  in  protecting  the  seeds  when 
Cummit  ed  to  the  soil  from  depredations  by  various  enemies. 
These  are  some  of  the  thoughts  which  occur  in  perusing  the 
season’s  catah  gues.  They  are  stoiehousts  of  things  required  for  the 
garden.  Those  who  do  not  feel  capable  of  making  up  their  own  seed 
order  can  utilise  the  collections  wmch  are  offered.  Though  the 
quantities  of  some  items  may  be  too  great  and  others  too  small,  and 
some  things  not  required  at  all,  these  collections  seive  to  show  the 
amateur  what  are  the  main  or  principal  crops,  and  may  prove  a 
valuable  lesson  in  the  requirements  of  a  garden.  The  lists  of  novelties 
is  an  attiaciive  feature,  which  may  he  misleading,  inducing 
cultivators  to  try  them  instead  of  the  reliable  stan  ard  varieties.  A 
few  should  be  tried  every  season  if  practicable,  not,  however,  discarding 
the  old  ones  until  the  y  cm  be  superseded  with  safety. 
In  sowing  grass  seeds  it  is  e  conomical  as  well  as  satisfactory  to  employ 
the  special  mixturt s  of  grasses  for  the  purpose.  The  lists  of  shading 
and  protecting  materials  always  include  something  specially  adapted 
to  the  nteds  of  every  garden. 
A  good  seed  list  is  not  considered  complete  without  a  great  variety 
of  garden  requisites  and  implements  are  offered.  As  something  is 
always  breaking,  wearing  or  rusting  out,  a  complete  overhauling  of 
tools  and  neces>aries  should  be  made,  so  that  missing  or  broken  articles 
may  be  ordered  and  replaced.  Insecticides,  manures,  and  fertilisers 
aie  indispensable  in  a  well  kept  garden,  hence  a  stock  of  each  should 
be  procured  along  with  other  requisites. 
The  discarded  catalogues  of  previous  years  should  not  be  destroyed. 
If  they  are  of  no  lurther  use  to  the  possessor  give  them  to  someone 
else,  to  whom  they  may  be  of  interest  and  value.  Perhaps  they  will 
be  U6eiul  to  them  as  books  of  reference ;  indeed,  it  is  Lever  known 
when  an  old  catalogue  may  be  found  serviceable  for  the  moment, 
verifying  the  information  afterwards  by  a  standard  work  of  reference. 
— E.  D.  S. 
