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Mike Lyle · 12-03-2010, 09:31 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

wrote:
In article ,
Mike Lyle wrote:

Even less practical use, but I wouldn't be parted from my 1935
_Tropical Planting and Gardening_, by H.F.Macmillan, once boss of
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon. Just a wonderful read, even if
you don't have much trouble with elephants, and have like me always
resisted the temptation to deal with thievish locals by the
forthright expedient of "a good thrashing". Macmillan is also a fan
of cyanide; but he deals with the safety issue as follows: "wrap the
cyanide [of potassium] in a thin paper bag and drop into the acid
and water, by means of a string passing through a trap-door and
released from outside."

I've got that, too! It's actually more useful in the UK than might
appear, because it gives a good idea of when many conservatory
plants are no-hopers except in specialist plant-houses.

Ah, that's a good point of practical usefulness: I'm glad he isn't just
a pretty page.

--
Mike.