Furze Plantation

Furze is an excellent food for every kind of stock. Cattle, although they may at first appear not to relish its prickly shoots, soon acquire a fondness for it. I have known several instances of herds being fed almost if not entirely on the bruised plant, and to keep in good condition. The late Professor Murphy, of Cork, stated that on the farm of Mr. Boulger, near Mallow, thirty-five cows were fed on crushed furze, which they "devoured voraciously." Each animal received daily from four to six stones of the crushed plant, to which were added a little turnip pulp and a small quantity of oats. The milk and butter yielded by these cows were considered excellent. In a letter addressed to me by a very intelligent feeder, Mr. John Walsh,[28] of Stedalt, county of Dublin, the following remarks in relation to this subject are made

Furze is seldom given to sheep or pigs, but I believe that it might with advantage enter into the dietary of those animals. Some of my friends who have lately tried it with pigs report favorably as to its effects. Horses partly fed upon this plant keep in good condition; it is usually given to them cut merely into lengths of half an inch or an inch, but it would be better to give it to them finely bruised. A horse during the night will eat a much larger quantity of coarsely cut furze than of the well bruised article, because he is obliged to expend a great deal of muscular power in bruising the furze, and must, consequently, use an additional quantity of the food to make up for the corresponding waste of tissue.

Gorse (furze or whin) is a seriously underrated plant. Its green and spiky and treated as a weed by many, burned alive by some. However, in the past it was considered a useful species, particularly by peasant farmers and smallholders. Here's some stuff about it that you may find interesting. If anyone feels inspired to trial gorse as an animal fodder, please feel free to let me know how you get on.

GROWING GORSE

Some books describe gorse as being difficult to transplant, hence it is generally started off in pots rather than in seed beds. However, both Phil Corbett and myself have found that transplanting is possible with care. I've occasionally dug up a mature plant, after first cutting it right back down to the ground, then replanted it in a gorse free area. The plant recovers quickly and can be used as a mother plant, seeding into the new area. To increase the chances of the seed getting going, I have laid out bits of carpet and cardboard around the plant early on in the year. This suppresses vegetation and can be removed in the summer as the pods ripen. This means there's a good chance of seed landing on bare soil.

The Isle of Man government have some interesting things to say about gorse; the Manx greatly valued both the low-growing native gorse (ulex gallii) and the taller imported ulex europaeus. To make traditional sod hedges more stockproof, imported gorse seeds were pushed a hand-span apart into suggane (Manx Gaelic for straw rope). This was pegged down along the hedge-top. I've not yet tried this but it sounds like an excellent technique. I would think that any organic rope, such as hemp, would work well

Its elastic seed-vessels, like those of the Broom, burst with a crackling noise in hot weather and scatter the seeds on all sides.

The Gorse has not as many uses as the Broom, nor is it of such importance medicinally.

'In France,' to quote Syme and Sowerby, British Botany, 1864, 'it is used for burning, being cut down every few years, in places where it grows naturally. In Surrey and other counties, it is used largely as fuel, especially by bakers in their ovens and is cultivated for that purpose and cut down every three years. When burned, it yields a quantity of ashes rich in alkali, which are sometimes used for washing, either in the form of a solution or lye, or mixed with clay and made into balls, as a substitute for soap. The ashes form an excellent manure and it is not uncommon where the ground is covered with Furze bushes to burn them down to improve the land and to secure a crop of young shoots, which are readily eaten by cattle. In some parts of England, it is usual to put the Furze bushes into a mill to crush the thorns and then to feed horses and cows with the branches. When finely cut or crushed, sheep will readily eat it.'

The bruised shoots form a very nutritious fodder and when well bruised are eaten with much relish by horses, and cows are said to give good milk upon this food alone. When crushed, it is necessary to use it quickly, as the mass soon ferments. The variety of Furze found in the west of England and in Ireland, called U. strictus, is the best for this purpose, its shoots being softer and more succulent. It has terminal bunches of flowers.

Professor Henslow (Uses of British Plants, 1905) states that Furze 'has also been used chopped up into small pieces and sown in drills with Peas, proving a good defence against the attack of birds and mice.'

The leaf-buds have been used as a substitute for tea and the flowers yield a beautiful yellow dye.

The seeds are said to be nutritious, but do not appear to have been used for cattle feeding, though in earlier days they were sometimes employed medicinally.

Goldsmith calls the Furze 'unprofitably gay,' but Furze is not 'unprofitable.' It is usually cut once in three years, and its ashes, after burning, yield a serviceable dressing for the land.

Gorse is frequently sown as a shelter to very young trees in plantations and as a cover for game and makes excellent hedges when kept closely cut, but is only to be recommended for this purpose in mild climates or sheltered situations, as it is always liable to be cut off by hard frost. Wherever sown, it requires to be kept free from weeds during the first year or two. Like Broom, it grows well near the sea.

The name Ulex was given it by Pliny, but its signification is unknown. He states that the plant was used in the collection of gold, being laid down in water to catch any golddust brought down by the water

Several ways for ornamental flowers stay fresh

Maintaining the flowers are tricky. There are several things that must be considered to ornamental flowers always look fresh. So that you are more skilled care, consider the following tips first. The presence of flowers in a room often gives the feel of a refreshing and calming. Flowers are scented and can deliver a variety of colors to our eyes the beautiful scenery that has tired of working all day in front of the computer. But of course the freshness of interest must be maintained. There are several ways to retain its freshness before he completely wilted.
1. Common things that should be done of course is watered the flowers. Always check water levels. Do not let the flowers lack of water. Fill the vase with water up to always be full. For roses, better fill the vase with water that is lukewarm. Do not get your cut flowers wither.
2. For beroasis vase. Try to stay wet oasis so that interest could continue to absorb water from there.
3. Do not occasionally let the leaves fall and submerged in water vase. Because Bial will be easy to let the leaves rot and cause bacteria. Water that has poisoned the bacteria is not good when absorbed by the flowers. As a result it will cause flowers to wilt and mampak dull.
4. Do not place your ornamental flowers in a place exposed to direct sun or place that produces hot and dry. It can cause flowers to wither and dry. Keep the plants flower decoration in a cool place with a balanced temperature.
5. Avoid placing flowers near the fruit is ripe. Ripe fruit is usually releases ethylene gas that can accelerate the development of flowers. It could also accelerate the plants flower decoration wither and die.
6. Avoid holding the frequency of flower stalks and squeezes let alone injure the stem using blunt scissors. It can destroy tissue and make the water absorbing rate to stress. Flower care, flower decoration should be done since the first time you buy flowers. It must be remembered that the flower decoration should not be too long to live without water. When buying flowers, and if still takes a long time to reach home, you should wrap the base of the flower stems with wet paper or foam base. Now the flowers on your desk will be more beautiful and useful to relieve fatigue and stress.

Gardenia Meaning

Gardenia (Gardenia Augusta) or better known as the gardenia is widely planted as an ornamental plant in pots or as a hedge plant. Flowers fragrant aroma and distinctive. The flowers were beautiful, looks like a rose with editorials and tiered circular. The color of white and yellow flowers. The leaves are oval, thick, smooth and shiny on the upper surface of the palm leaf. 

Glass plates called Gardenia Augusta, Merr. Or Gardenia jasminoides, Ellis. Belonging to the family Rubiaceae tunbuhan. This plant is known by the name of the fried dishes, jempiring, bruek foreign minister, and the white king. This plant is estimated to come from China or Japan, but has long been grown in Indonesia. In addition to the yard, one plant is also worth planted in the yard office, parks, or on the roadside as an ornamental plant. Originally, he was the protector of plants, so do not be surprised if the gardenia is also easy to grow wild in the open. 

Now, more and more species, from a small leaf-leaves large, small-flowered large flowers, and even now there are double flowered. Initially, even until now, the color is predominantly white, but now there are also yellow. There is also the color of gardenia flowers from white to yellow. So, when young white, to yellow over time. 

 Diligent Flowers Gardenia is actually the sort of cover crops is great. No wonder if he has a decent editorial meeting. The height can reach 5 meters in the open. However, if we are planting gardenias when small, and often trimmed, gardenias can also become a kind of short shrubs, with a height of 1 to 1.5 meters. Gardenia also wonderful planted in the garden or pot because it has leaves that are lush (compact) as well as with the flowers. So, in addition to a shade tree, is also worthy planted in pots (pot plant). This single-leaved plants, with leaves elliptic-oval or elongated.
Better in Open Air Gardenia can flourish in places open and exposed to direct sunlight. Also suitable are planted in an area that is about 400-600 meters above sea level. If planted in a somewhat protected, although still alive and blooming, but the results are not as good in locations that are open. 

Gardenia from a large-leaved species only able to hold two days, when they bloom in unison, it looks very exotic and white uniform. Although only lasting 2 days, gardenias can continue to bloom one after another, even in the rainy season though. Usually, the type of plants that require full heat is not flowering in the rainy season, but not gardenias. He can still flowering in the rainy season 

Dictionary

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND HISTORY OF GERBERA (Part1)

The gerbera is a genus of south africa origin, where it grows spontaneously in shady area, away from direct light, among high vegetation and shrubs, on highlandds at an altitude between 1100 and 1700m and at latitude of 26 celcius. It is often found betwwn the steppe and the savannah, delimited by the nortern and eastern strips bordering respectively Bechuanaland and south Rhodesia and Mozambique and Natal.

The whole territory of origin is characterised by a warm-dry climate in winter and by abundant rainfall in summer, the annual average temperature is 16 celcius, with a maximum of 21 celcius (january) and minimum of 12(Juli). The average annual rainfall is 650 mm, of which about 140 mm is due to the rainfall in the month of january and 510 mm in the month of July.

During the period August-December (characterised by a strong dryness) the plant loses the whole leaf apparatus and survives solely by virtue of the rhizomatos root apparatus, rich in reserve substances (storage).

The name is derived from the German botanist Traugot Gerber who lived in the XVIII century. The first plants of gerbera were discovered and picked by Robert Jameson, a Scotman who worked for a company of goldmine exploration near Barbeton, in south Africa.

Jameson sent these “new plants” to John Medley Wood of the Botanical Garden in Cambridge, manager and administrator of the garden. After a brief study, he sent specimens to Harry Bolus who subsequently suggested calling the new plants Gerbera jamesonii.

During the first twenty year after its introduction in Europe, important results were obtained from genetic improvements like: more rigid stems, bigger and closed petals, and a greater range of colours. In fact, while the first native plants had only red orange flowers, in this period, among intersections (cross- fertilization) with the Gerbera viridifolia and spontaneous mutations of the plants from the places of origin, there were white, pink and violet flowers, as well as obtaining the first plants with “double flowers”.

Therefore, cultivars on the market do not originated, as is usually read, from the G. Jamesonii, but they are the result of cross-fertilization between thes and the G. Viridifolia, that have produced the actual G. Jamesonii Hybrida.

Nursery of gerbera (gerbera jamesonii)

Requirements Seeds: Plants propagated by generative and vegetative. Selected seeds from seed germination or that have the power to grow tall and dressed pithy. If the seeds purchased from the store, note the expiration date.


Vegetative propagation using tissue culture / puppies. Tissue culture material using lateral buds from the tree or plant stem gerberas are healthy and of a superior kind. Seedling obtained from a Gerbera plant clumps anakannya lot, its parent prolific flowering, the growth of normal, healthy and superior types derived from plants. Purposes of seedling to be planted in open fields 1 ha around 80000-90000 when the spacing of 25 x 40 cm.

Preparation of Seeds: Seeds from seed sown before dipindahtanamkan to the field. Seeding can be done in tanks or seeding pots and small pots with a diameter large enough. Seedling media should be given a plastic lid to humidity and air temperature remains stable and protected from direct sun. Seeds obtained from the tissue culture of buds taken from the kind of superior immediately inserted into a container containing a material that is Clorax 30% sterilization. Perform sterilization for 20 minutes.

After sterilization with Clorax immediately re-sterilized with 20% HgCl2 for 5 minutes, then rinse with sterile water aquades 5 X. Seeds are separated from the clump of saplings that have been cleaned Gerbera from the ground, some of the old leaf stalks and roots discarded. Each part of at least one seedling.

Seed Seeding Technique:
Seeding in the nursery tanks: Select the location where the seedlings that gets morning sun or in a room that gets 40 watt/m2 artificial light. Prepare a mixture of media seedlings fine soil, sand and manure that has been cooked in the ratio 1:1:1. Give a thin white plastic lid so that the humidity reached 98%. Before placing a layer of media seedling insert broken bricks or tiles approximately 1 / 3 tub nursery. Then fill in 90% seedling media. Seeding Gerbera seeds evenly. After 5-7 days, the lid is opened for 1 hour in the morning. From 7-10 days after seedling lid is opened for 3 hours / day, kemudain the top of the lid is opened to 20 cm from the top to get a humidity of 90%. At the age of seedlings reached 21 days, in the afternoon lifted the lid.

Seeding in tissue culture: Prepare the basic medium of Murashige Skoog medium plus sugar 30 grams / liter, vitamin B and plant growth regulators kinetin plus IAA 5 mg 0.5 mg / liter. PH before heated arranged around pH 5.7 by adding NaOH or HCl 0.1 N Made of solid medium with Difco Bacto Agar (DBA) as much as 7.5 grams / liter. Plant the lateral buds, at the age of 45 days buds begin to form a compound. Results of tissue culture seedlings transferred to nursery and kept sterile until quite large. The next regular nursery seedlings moving into the same medium with the composition of the seed nurseries.

Seeding with saplings: Plant seedlings or seeds that have been cleaned of soil, the roots of old leaves also invested in land nursery with a distance of 5 x 10 Cm. Maintenance nurseries / nursery: Flush every day 1 or 2 times depending on the weather. Fertilization is done 3 weeks after seedling. Fertilizer solution consisting of 50-10 grams of NPK in a solution of 10 liters of water, while the leaf fertilizer concentration is adjusted with the recommendation. Spacing after the age of 5-6 weeks.

Displacement Seeds: Seeds are ready moved derived seed after 3-5 strands of leafy plants. Seedlings derived from tissue culture ready for planting when the size is quite large, while the seeds are planted from seedlings ready to be moved after the seedlings are strong enough.