234 



TEE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[August, 



act as sides to the tent, and they together with 

 the carpet of grass add greatly to the relief 

 and advantageous display of this wealth of flow- 

 ers. I 



Amongst them are also a few Indian Azaleas 

 in bloom and some only in bud and a specimen 

 of Rhynchospernnmi jasminoides that would do 

 credit to the stages of the Crystal Palace or 

 .the terraces of Regent's Park. The finer and 

 more tender Rhododendrons are wintered in a 

 large cellar purposely constructed for their ac- 

 commodation, and, judging from their appear- 

 ance, — well they seem to have enjoyed their 

 quarters. The heavy mulching around the roots 

 of those permanently out-of-doors bespeak the 

 care evinced for them. Some of the most promi- 

 nent sorts were Atrosanguinenm, very deep, dark 

 red, trusses and blooms large and substantial, 

 a very hardy and fine-leaved kind ; H. W. Sar- 

 gent, dark crimson, large truss and substantial 

 foliage, a splendid Rhododendron ; Mrs. Milner, 

 fine dark red; Prince Albert, deep lilac red; 

 Stella, one of the best and freest bloomers, rosy 

 lilac with chocolate blotch ; Lady Armstrong, 

 spotted rose ; Scipio, dark rose, very fine, grown 

 as a standard ; James Bateman, dark rosy red, 

 blooms of fine form ; Brayanum, dark rosy 

 scarlet, paler in the middle ; Giganteum, a very 

 long trusser, blooms rose-colored ; and Purity, 

 one of the prettiest of whites. It is curious to 

 note that all these, the cream of Mr. H.'s exhibi- 

 tion, were raised by Waterer of England. We 

 must not omit, however, The Queen, one of the 

 ihost lovely of whites, with sometimes a tinge of 

 pink. 



Throughout the pleasure grounds, which are 

 uncommonly extensive, there are nooks and 

 banks all a-blaze with the rose tree, but they are 

 not alone in their glory, this, too, being the hey- 

 day of the hardy Azaleas, of which there are 

 dense and gorgeous masses. The open and 

 sweeping lawns, the clumps of pines, spruces, 

 purple beeches, maples, magnolias, and other 

 trees, and the natural location are excellent 

 featurSs of this princely domain. Tropical and 

 semi-tropical plants from the greenhouses are 

 much used in the out-door embellishment of 

 rockeries, flower gardens and borders. In the 

 greenhouses are some very fine Dracaenas, Alo- 

 casias, Crotons (including the fine new C. Dis- 

 raeli), and many other specimens of the finer 

 tropical subjects. Here, too, we notice an Alla- 

 manda Schottii with stem and spread of branches 

 like an old Wisteria and densely bloomed. The 



conservatory, we believe, is particularly grand and 

 well furnished with fine foliages and floriferous 

 plants, but from it visitors are debarred. In the 

 fruit houses are grapes ripe and being cut, and 

 others in every stage of advancement — peaches, 

 plums and apricots. 



Three days after we were there the Emperor 

 of Brazil and suite visited these gardens and 

 were entertained by Mr. H. 



FORCING ROSES. 



BY BEXJ.A^MIX GREY, GARDENER TO E. S. RAND, JR., 

 DEDHAM, MASS. 



Although much has been written on this sub- 

 ject, still as there are so many failures made 

 yearly, in what is really an easy matter, I ven- 

 ture to offer a few suggestions. Many growers 

 prefer a three-quarter, or hip-roofed housci 

 facing south, hut in my experience I find a 

 span-roofed house, facing about east and west, 

 better. With such a house we get the sun early 

 and late, and keep the temperature moderate in 

 the middle of the day with less ventilation, 

 thereby lessening the risk of mildewing the roses 

 by the cold draught, which it ia almost impossi- 

 ble to avoid with the other style of house. 



It is an imi)ortant matter to have the border 

 properly made ; the drainage should be perfect ; 

 if this is not attended to the soil soon becomes 

 soured. Roses require frequent syringing to 

 keep down the " red spider," and plenty of water 

 at the roots when growing, but it must have a 

 chance to pass off' quickly. If the subsoil is 

 gravel or sand nothing more is needed but to 

 make the soil, which should be good turfy loam, 

 of the depth of about fifteen inches, adding two 

 or three inches of well-rotted stable manure, and 

 thoroughly mixing it with the loam. With a clayey 

 subsoil it would be necessary to strip off" the top 

 soil and form a drainage of rough stones or other 

 material at hand answering the same purpose, 

 covering it with straw, or better, sods with the 

 grass side down, after which proceed as above. 



The application of a large quantity of green 

 manure before the plants are established Is 

 probably one of the most fruitful sources of fail- 

 ure, and the use of a greater quantity than that 

 before mentioned I would not advise. 



For planting, bushes which have grown in 

 eight or ten inch pots are preferable, the extra 

 co.st of such plants being amply repaid by having 

 stronger l)ushes. If these are not to be had 

 plants will do which have been propagated in 

 rel>ruary or March and kept growing until they 



