56 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



upon which fell some inches of snow, but lest there should not be sufficient to keep 

 out the frost, I threw a wheel-barrow full more upon it, burying the Mar^chal in an 

 avalanche, the result of which was that not a leaf was injured by frost ; and, only to 

 show what a great protection snow is, I gathered both Violets and Primroses imme- 

 diately after the thaw that were quite uninjured. The Roses that appear to have 

 suffered most are the Noisettes, for they cover such a large space upon walls, that it 

 is almost impossible to protect more than the roots and lower parts ; but it is much 

 better to do thus much than not at all, as they cover the place a^jain in a year or so 

 if cut down. Celine Forestier, Triuraphe de Rennes, and Lamarque look rather de- 

 plorable at present, but a large tree of Solfaterre, which was moved to a west wall 

 in November, I have more hope of, as the sap had gone down so much that the 

 branches were shrivelled, and in that state much less susceptible of frost. Tiie old 

 Gloire seems little the worse for the pinch, and Madame Falcothas stood it tolerably, 

 but it is impossible to tell the extent of damage among roses until May. There are 

 many things that have received a wholesome check, if it has not been too much for 

 them, such as Clematis Jackmani, C. rubro-violacea, and C. lamigenosa, all of which 

 push out their young shoots too early in the spring, and consequently get cut down 

 in March by early frosts. There is this knowledge to be gained by the severity of 

 the winter, — the comparative hardiness of many things that have hitherto been con- 

 sidered tender, and, on the otlier hand, the protection required by some that are 

 supposed to be hardy. It is earnestly to be hoped that we shall not have a repetition 

 of the intense cold, but should it again visit us, we shall have derived some know- 

 ledge from the lesson it has taught us, and that, however we may be in the habit of 

 regarding one winter as being like another, we shall not be so easy, I think, in the 

 matter as again to be " caught napping." 



Shrewsbury, January 11th. R. T. E. 



HAEDT HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 



A WOHD WITH THE o'SHANE ON HIS SELECTION AND CEITICISM. 



TRUST the Editor of the Floral World will not consider the space 

 devoted to a discussion on our old-fashioned plants misapplied, when I 

 can assure him, from personal knowledge, tliat they are far more 

 acceptable to the public than the everlasting harping on bedding plants, 

 such as Viola cornuta, and stuff; our glorious old plants have too long 

 been in the position of " Little Jack Horner," and it is time they should come out 

 of the corner. When I had the boldness to criticise the O'Shane's list of fifty 

 herbaceous plants, 1 well remembered the lines in Hudibras — 



" Of the dangers that environ 

 The man that meddles with sharp iron,'' 



and well knew the consequence of playing with edged tools and all that; but I really 

 was not aware that I was placing myself in antagonism with a person who had "seen 

 more plants growing than any other horticulturist in existence." Well, be it so ; but 



" When you talk of what you -view. 

 Think others see as well as yon ;" 



and the O'Shane having publicly written to me, and invited me to reply, there is 

 nothing left for me but to "gird up my loins" and do it. My putting the word 

 " cultivator" was not to cast any insinuations, but simply to imply that their culti- 

 vation was with me a matter of necessity ; and while with some they were mere 

 matters of pleasure, they are to me both my pleasure and my bread. Let me assure 

 the gentleman that my data are not derived from passing a liie-time in Ormskirk; 

 I have been a little farther north than that. And now, as to my ideas of mixed 

 borders, I had no ideas at all about horders, and gave the public a list of 100 plants 

 that would look well and do well anywhere — plants that aie worthy of any position 

 and would disgrace none — plants as individualities and not as associations or con- 



