a finished growth or from lowness of temperature, but little
water would be needed, and but little benefit from the mulch, except
such as undoubtedly arises from the ammonia itself in the manure
permeating the atmosphere, which again, however, would be the most
active when heavy watering was necessary, simply because of the high and
humid temperature.

For obvious reasons the votaries of window gardening will use those
giving off little or no unpleasant odors. Others again make the soil so
rich in the first instance that much less of what may be called
artificial manures are required during growth. But without some skill in
this matter it is not safe, for if much of the material is not
thoroughly decayed (which, however, has then lost most of its volatile
ingredients) it is, in the common vernacular of the gardener, too rank
to give good growth and results, whether it be in fruits, flowers, or
foliage. For example, in Henderson's horticulture he recommends, as the
best soil for potting, loam and hops. He says, "Not the least simple of
these operations is the preparation of our potting soil. We have, we may
say, only one heap--a big one it is--but it contains only two
ingredients, rotted sods, from a loamy pasture, and rotted refuse hops
from the breweries, in about the proportion of two of the sods to one of
hop. One-year-old rotted manure, if the hops cannot be obtained." It is
evident upon its face that so large a proportion as one-third of a fresh
manure or hops would be disastrous; but well rotted, and with care
otherwise in temperature and other desiderata, it would be a highly
stimulating soil. This was in 1869. We well recollect the commotion the
hop business caused in the horticultural world at the time, as Henderson
recommended it for plunging pots in, setting pots on mulching outdoors,
and almost every purpose. And did he not grow the best of stuff and
himself practice what he preached. Spent hops in this city were eagerly
sought after and used, apparently with great success, in almost every
florist's establishment as well as market garden. What before was a
nuisance to the breweries was eagerly sought after; like most things,
however, it had its day, and is now seldom seen again. We might,
however, say that its decline undoubtedly arose from its unpleasant
features, as it drew myriads of insects in its train and often emitted a
very unpleasant odor. Its great value consists in that it is the seed of
the hop p