1885. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



325 



many sets, should make use of those farther de- 

 veloped, and with liberal culture. I watched 

 anxiously to see if the larger sets used would 

 flower ere desired, and was gratified by only 20 

 out of 30,000 planted doing so. A few bloomed 

 single, whilst sets were sold me as double Pearl 

 and Italienne. Spartanburg, S. C. 



[These suggestions are undoubtedly correct. 

 Horticulturists have long since found that a small 

 onion set makes a better bulb than a large one ; 

 and the same law would apply here. But no one 

 has demonstrated this so well as Mrs. Thomson in 

 the above communication. — Ed. G. M.] 



ROSES GROWN IN GEORGIA. 



BY A. OELSCHIG. 



In the October number of the Gardeners' 

 Monthly, under " Florists' Convention Notes," 

 Mr. Charles Henderson is reported as saying, that 

 the dormant rose plants which he received from 

 Georgia last autumn did not prove satisfactory ; 

 and further as the cause, the unripe condition of 

 the wood. 



The writer of this is not master of the English, 

 and not able to reply in such a manner as he 

 could do in his native language, but he will try to 

 make himself understood by the readers of your 

 worthy paper. 



That the roses die during the winter, after being 

 potted, must be owing to some other cause than 

 unripe condition ; and if they die it must be the 

 fault of the grower, or his assistants. This will be 

 clear from the following facts. 



The time we make our cuttings is from Decem- 

 ber to the latter part of January. Plants from 

 these cuttings will be in bloom about the end of 

 April or May, according to the weather. From 

 this time they will make their second strong 

 growth to about July, which is the time the per- 

 petual bloomers are over their second flowering 

 condition. The third series of shoots they send 

 up discontinue to grow by September. The plants 

 at that time have an average of from four to eight 

 branches — some varieties as many as twelve and 

 more — and an average height of five feet. They 

 grow no more after this, and so we are sure that this 

 wood is "ripe." There can be no question about 

 this. They are absolutely at rest till the first part 

 of December, when the frost kills the leaves and 

 the shipping commences. 



The rose plant itself, however, is not done grow- 

 ing after finishing the third growth, as other 

 shoots come up from the bottom and bloom. Now 



(Oct. 4th) the plants look just as vigorous as in 

 Northern States in July. They send up new shoots 

 again, which will be in bloom the latter part of 

 this month (Oct.) ; and if we have early frost, 

 most of the wood of even the last growth will 

 reach maturity before December ; and if not, there 

 is no harm done to the plants if the whole last 

 growth is cut off. There is plenty of mature wood, 

 and the plants would be large enough for any 

 florist — in fact, too large, yet, to bring them in 

 pots, with the exception of a few kinds. 



It is to reduce bulk in packing that they are 

 trimmed, and not because of unripe wood. If any 

 ripe wood was cut out, as Mr. Chas. Henderson 

 complains, he may be sure that the grower did it 

 for cuttings, or that some of the workmen did it in 

 ignorance. 



It would be unjust to the growing industry here 

 to condemn the Georgia-grown roses after a soli- 

 tary failure, unless an undisputed reason would be 

 given. Our firm has not received a complaint yet 

 on account of unripe condition, from any quarter. 

 To settle the question we make the following 

 proposition : Next season we will send to Mr. 

 Chas. Henderson, or any competent florist who 

 may be satisfactory to him, a quantity of plants — 

 say one hundred and twenty varieties, containing 

 Hybrids, Moss and Prairies — to start them in pots 

 and give them a fair trial. The result should be 

 published in the Gardeners' Monthly, and the 

 proceeds which may be obtained through auction 

 or private sale should go to the treasury of the 

 American Florists' Association. 



We would be glad to hear about this matter in 

 the next number. Savannah, Ga. 



SEDUMS IN ORNAMENTAL GARDENING. 

 BY M. D. 



The Sedums were made for the gardener. 

 Knowing their colors and the height each attains 

 in a season's growth, he may lay out a perfect 

 garden at the start, never needing afterward to 

 approach it with shears or knife. I have frequently 

 thought that the plants of this genus were espe- 

 cially suited for growth in the near neighborhood 

 of houses of the Queen Anne type. The dull 

 colors or grays of the one would nicely blend with 

 the equally dull colors of the other. Many species 

 should be used, and they should not be formally 

 grouped, but brought together picturesquely. 



With persons recognized as possessing good 

 taste, I think the tendency is toward toned-down 

 flowers and flowering plants, as well as toward 



