December  3,  19C3. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
521 
Mr.  Stanton  made  a  novel  exhibit  in  autumn  tints,  also  .skeleton 
leaves  and  fruit  on  velvet.  Lady  M.  Mackenzie’s  gardener  put 
up  4  vases  of  cut  blooms.  Mr.  Brodie  and  Mr.  G.  Wicks  .staged 
some  fine  examples  of  Grapes  and  Apples.  Mr.  T.  Ha.skett,  gr. 
to  J.  W.  Rhodes,  Esq.,  staged  a  large  collection  of  vegetables; 
also  Messrs.  Strachen  and  Wicks.  From  Mr.  Dixon  came  a  table 
of  fretwork  done  in  .spare  moments. — J.  Botley. 
Reading  Gardeners. 
The  usual  fortnightly  meeting  was  held  on  the  2oth  ult.,  the 
president,  Mr.  Leonard  Sutton,  presiding  over  a  good  attend¬ 
ance  of  members.  The  subject  for  tlie  evening  was  “  The  Seeding 
of  Chrj'.santhemums  in  England,”  and  was  introduced  by  Mr.  Pole- 
Routh,  Oakfield,  Reading.  The  paper  proved  to  be  a  very 
intere.sting  one,  and  a  good  discussion  followed,  in  which  the 
pre.sident,  Messrs.  Barnes.  Bas.sel,  Alexander,  Wilson,  Wicks, 
Dore,  Judd,  Stanton,  Neve,  Exler,  Tufnall,  and  Winsor  took 
part.  The  exhibits  were  a  feature  of  the  meeting.  Honorary  : 
Group  of  .seedling  Chrysanthemums,  several  of  the  plants  carry¬ 
ing  large  blooms,  by  Mr.  Pole-Routh  ;  seedling  Chrysanthemum 
plants  by  the  president ;  cut  blooms  of  Chrysanthemums  (24 
vases)  raised  from  .seed  sown  in  January,  1903,  by  Messrs.  Sutton 
and  Sons  ;  two  specimen  plants  of  Daphne  indica  growing  on  their 
own  roots,  and  a  vase  of  Ranunculus  by  Mr.  Harris,  The  Gardens, 
Mapledurham  House.  For  the  certificate,  24  table  plants,  by 
Mr.  Wynn,  The  Gardens  ,“  Samoa,”  Reading.  The  plants  were 
well  grown,  and  the  certificate  was  awarded. 
- - 
Manures. 
Phosphates  for  Fruit  Trees. 
To  the  old-time  gardener,  the  value  of  dung  obtained  from 
various  sources  was  usually  estimated  by  its  appearance,  and  the 
ob.servant  faculties  cf  those  thoroughly  practical  men  usually 
enabled  them  to  arrive  at  a  pretty  correct  estimate  of  the  value 
of  the  various  materials  at  command,  in  regard  to  their  suitability 
for  the  culture  cf  the  majority  of  crops.  Modern  scientific 
research  has,  however,  enabled  us  to  gain  a  far  better  knowledge 
of  the  principal  constituents  of  manures,  and  of  their  effect 
when  applied  separately,  and  the  gradual  spread  of  this  know¬ 
ledge  is  developing  more  economical  methods  of  manuring.  It 
i.s  now  generally  understood  that  nitrate  promotes  growth  and 
increased  vigour;  phosphate,  fruitfulness  and  early  ripening,  and 
the  latter  also'  ensures  firmness  of  texture  in  the  growth  of  trees 
and  crops.  Potash  increases  the  store  of  sugar,  and  therefore 
improves  the  quality  of  fruits. 
The  cultivator  whothoroughly  grasps  these  principles  is  in  a  far 
better  position  to  manure  effectively,  yet  economically,  than  one 
who  regards  manures  of  all  descriptions  as  being  so  much  material 
for  promoting  growth  of  some  kind  or  other.  This  lack  of 
definite  knowledge  was  formerly  undoubtedly  the  gi’eatest  factor 
in  causing  practical  men  to  look  upon  dung  as  being  the  best  of 
all  manures,  and  al.so  gave  rise  to  the  erroneous  idea  that  trees 
and  crops  which  grew  too  .strongly  when  dung  wasapirlied,  should 
have  manure  withheld  entirely.  Because  heavy  dressings  of 
dung  caused  young  fruit  trees  to  groTvV  too  strongly,  many  became 
imbibed  Avith  the  idea  that  fruit  trees  generally  required  no 
manure,  and  that  idea  Avas  to  a  great  extent  contributary  to  the 
])roduction  of  the  inferior  samples  of  fruit  .seen  on  starved  trees. 
Old  trees,  Avlien  bearing  goctl  crops,  are  undoubtedly  benefited 
by  heavy  dres.sings  of  farmyard  manure  ;  but  there  are  other  trees 
Avhich,  although  groAving  .strongly,  may  be  improved  and 
rendered  more  fruitful  by  the  application  cf  one  of  the  con- 
.stituents  AA  hich  gO‘  to  form  a  complete  manure.  The  great  fault  of 
dung  as  a  manure  for  fruit  trees  is  that  AA'lien  using  it  Ave  cannot 
apply  the  constituents  separately,  therefore  in-.some  cases  trees 
receive  an  additional  quantity  of  Avhat  they  have  already  had 
too  much.  This  is  especially  the  case  in  regard  to  nitrate. 
Although  there  can  be  no  growth  made  unless  the  three  plant 
foods  aboA'e  recorded  be  present  in  the  soil,  it  is  nevertheless 
po.ssiblc  for  the  presence  of  too  much  nitrate  to  cause  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  improperly  developed,  hardened  tissue;  and  then  the 
result  is  strong,  unripened  Avood. 
The  value  of  2ffio.sphatos  in  fruit  culture  has  not  received  the 
attention  from  practical  groAvers  that  it  .should,  and  a  much  freer 
use  of  some  form  of  phosphatic  manure  Avould,  I  am  convinced, 
benefit  fruit-groAA-ers  in  this  country  immen.sely.  We  must  not 
attribute  all  the  failures  this  year  to  the  spring  frosts,  for  un¬ 
ripened  Avood  Avhich  produced  imperfectly  developed  floAvers,  AAas 
also  largely  a  contributary  cause,  and  regular  efforts  should  be 
made  to  ensure  the  production  of  the  right  kind  of  Avood  in  the 
future.  Trees  have  this  year  made  a  great  amoiint  of  .strong 
groAvth  on  account  cf  the  heavy  rains  and  the  absence  of  fruit  to 
check  groAvth  :  and  although  a  thorough  thinning  of  the  branches 
at  once  may  do  something  to  assist  the  Avcod,  other  means  should 
be  taken  to  secure  the  right  type  of  groAA’th  next  year.  'Pho 
application  of  phosphates  to  trees  Avhich  have  groAvn  strongly 
AAill  do  much  good  in  this  respect. 
On  stiff  land,  basic  slag,  apjslied  at  the  rate  of  6oz  jAer  square 
yard  to  the  surface  soil  beneath  such  trees,  as  far  as  the  branches 
extend,  Avill  undoubtedly  prove  advantageous.  On  lighter  soils, 
superphosiAhate  .should  be  applied  early  in  siiring  at  the  rate  of 
4oz  to  Goz  per  yard,  this  to  be  precedetl  by  a  dressing  of  lime  or 
chalk  during  the  autumn,  because  the  “super”  makes  a  great 
demand  on  the  lime  in  the  soil.  The  tAvo  forms  of  phosphatic 
manures  are  the  most  economical  for  ordinary  purposes,  but  Avhen 
a  bone  phosphate  i.s  preferred,  steamed  bone  flour  should  be 
used. 
In  many  gardens  Avhere  the  soil  is  rich  and  deep  Red  Currants 
often  groAv  far  too  strongly  to  be  profitable,  and  I  knoAV  of  .some 
instances  in  Avhich  they  have  been  uprooted  because  of  their 
Raphiolepis  ovata. 
unfruitfulness.  If,  however,  they  are  summer  pruned,  and 
dressed  Avith  jihosphate  annually,  the  strongest  groAA’ers  may  bo 
brought  into  a  .satisfactory  condition.  ■  This  Amluable  bush  fruit 
succeeds  splendidly  in  a  strong  soil  aa  here  the  roots  can  force  their 
AA  ay  betAA'een  the  fragments  of  stones  intermixed  AA'ith  earth. 
Under  such  conditions  the  groAvth  made  is  short-jointed  and 
fruitful,  probably  OAving  to  the  large  amount  of  phosphates  .such 
soils  contain. — tl.  D. 
Raphiolepis  ovata. 
The  Indian  HaAvthorn  blooms  in  June,  and  its  floAvers  much 
resemble  a  Cratajgus.  The  foliage  is  ovate,  stiff,  and  shining ; 
indeed,  very  handsome.  The  genus  is  Chine.se,  and  not  quite 
hardy  Avith  us,  though  in  sheltered  gardens  R.  ovata  succeeds 
out  of  doors.  It  is  Avcll  Avorth  a  tiX*  , 
