JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ Marcli 28, 1872. 



the flowers are examined in the hand that the difference 

 between the two varieties can be detected, and as such flowers 

 are pendant and to be looked down upon where they gr-ow, the 

 difference is not perceptible. I rather think that the smgle 

 variety is the prettier of the two, and there are many who 

 aflBrm the same in regard to the TuUp and Hyacinth; more- 

 over, the single-flowered Snowdi-op is propagated at least sis 

 times more quickly than the double. 



In all places where spring gardening forms a special feature, 

 the culture of the Snowdrop ought not to be neglected. The 

 earUest flowers of the season are of much greater importance 

 than those which succeed them, and what flower is so early as 

 the Suowdi-op? what so hardy and accommodating? When 

 planted in the way I have suggested it is also seen at a con- 

 siderable distance, which is no mean recommendation to those 

 confined iu-doors. 



I have been partly induced to draw attention to this neglected 

 plant from having seen the flower-beds in the London parks 

 gay with Crocuses, Tulips, and Hyacinths, and yet I do not 

 remember seeing the Snowdrop, which always flowers three 

 weeks or a month before any of them, nor did I notice any of 

 the Primrose family ; though no doubt there are good reasons 

 for then- not being grown ; but in private places where it is 

 important to have very early flowers, I have no hesitation in 

 giving the palm of earUness to the Primrose as a bedding 

 plant, and to the Snowdrop as a permanent one, where the con- 

 ditions are similar to those enjoyed here. All who have patches 

 of Snowdrops in neglected corners should take them up, and 

 plant them out in serpentine lines, and next year they will be 

 agreeably surprised at the result. — J. Eoeson. 



THE NEW BOSES OF 1872. 

 I HAVE received a hst of fom- Tea Eoses and thirty-two 

 Hybrid Perpetuals, said to be selected with the aid of two of 

 the most eminent Eose growers in France. The descriptions 

 are those of the raisers, whose names, I am glad to see, are 

 affixed to the Eoses. I select a few of each family which 

 appear to be desh-able. I put them at a guess in the order of 

 merit. 



TEA EOSES. 



Madame Marie Van Houtte (Ducher). — 'White, tinted with 

 yellow, large, full, of very fine form, border of the petals 

 tipped with bright rose. Growth very vigorous. 



Madame Juh'S Margottin (Levet).— Superb, delicate pink, 

 tinged with yeUow, deep red in the centre, large, fuU, of perfect 

 form ; flowers very freely. Extra fine. Growth vigorous. 



Madame Ceeile Bertlwd (GuiUot flls).— Fine sulphur yellow, 

 the reverse of the petals Ughter; very large, very full, flowers 

 abundantly ; superb. Growth vigorous. 



HYBRID PERPETUALS. 



Madame de Bidder (Margottin).— Fine, bright, amaranth 

 red, very finely formed, large, full ; flowers very freely. Growth 

 vigorous. Extra fine. 



Madame GuiUot de Mont Favet (Gonod).— Glossy white, 

 large, full, globular. Growth vigorous. Extra. 



Doeteur de Chains (Touvais). — Velvety purple, shaded with 

 blackish crimson, large, fuU, and of fine form. Growth vigorous. 



Baronne Louise U.rliull (GuiUot fils). — Superb carmine rose, 

 cupped, very large, full, and fine form ; flowers freely, and is 

 very striking. Extra fine. Growth vigorous. 



Madame Lefehrre Bernard (Levet). — Superb bright rose, 

 tipped with white on each petal, very large, fuU, imbricated ; 

 flowers freely. Extra fine. The growth is not mentioned ! 



Victor Verne (Damaizin). — Cherry red, large, fuU, and 

 perfect form ; growth very vigorous. Extra. 



I never buy new Eoses without the raisers' names and the 

 word " vigorous." However good they may he, they will not 

 last long in this country. If you buy four Eoses take the 

 first Tea Eose and the first three Hybrid Perpetuals. I, know- 

 ing the beauty of Eugene Beauharnais (China), have long 

 looked for an amaranth red. Hence I put it first, and the 

 white second, both being desirable colours. — W. F. Eaecltfff, 



GRAFTING.— No. 6. 



CROWN GEAPTING. 



General Princijiles. — Crown grafting is well adapted to many 



different kinds of trees and shrubs. It is done in spring as 



soon as the bark rises freely from the albm-num,but cai-e must 



be taken to prepare the scions beforehand by cutting them off 



about three or four weeks before grafting. Formerly this was 

 done in the autumn, many months before the grafting season. 

 The scions are taken off in winter before the sap rises, then 

 put in earth, either in a box in a ceUar, or~under a north 

 wall, in a vertical or horizontal position, covered half their 

 length, the object being to pre- 

 vent them coming into bud, and 

 to preserve the bark from dry- 

 ing. The scion is a piece of a 

 twig or shoot from 2 to 4 or 

 5 inches long. Its upper half 

 should have two or thi-ee eyes, 

 and its lower should have a long 

 slanting cut, beginning _ opposite 

 a bud and terminating in a thin 

 point. A small notch or shoulder 

 at the upper pai-t of the cut is 

 useful, as it keeps the scion as it 

 seated on the stock. The inser- 

 tion of the scion is in the head 

 of the stock on the cut between 

 the bark and the wood, and both 

 sides of the point of the scion 

 should be cut thin to facilitate 

 its shding in, and that point is 

 often moistened between the Hps. 

 A small instrument of wood or 

 ivory, wedge-shaped at the point, 

 is used to raise the bark and to 

 facilitate the introduction of the 

 scion, which is sUppedin between 

 the bark and the wood. The in- 

 troduction of the scion is simpU- 

 fied in most cases by the circula- 

 tion of the sap, which separates 

 the bark from the albm-num. pj„ j^ 



However, it happens that scions 



of a large size threaten to tear the tissues ; to avoid this take 

 off a slice of bark from the stock corresponding with the cut 

 on the scion, and apply it. The larger a stock is, the more 

 scions will be put on the top of it. To render the union more 

 complete, a space of 2 inches should intervene between them. 

 A ligature, not too close nor too tight, is necessary after the 

 insertion of the scions. "Was or clay is appUed, and the ad- 

 herence of the wax is facilitated by wipmg off the sap issuing, 

 from the amputated parts. 



Fig. 1 represents a crown graft tied and waxed. The wax - 

 is spread on the amputated part (a) of the stock, on the 

 wound (e) at the junction of the scion with the stock, and on 

 the top of the cut scion (o). 

 The terminal bud (u) is not 

 covered, nor the embedded 

 bud (t) in the incision. 

 Crown grafting is, therefore,, 

 indispensable when operating 

 on large trees, and a great 

 number of branches can be 

 produced to correspond to the 

 nourishment supplied by the 

 roots. 



ORniNABT Ceown Geatttog. 

 — Given a stock (Jig. 2 b) 

 headed down, thi-ee scions 

 [c c' c") ai-e inserted upon it 

 in proportion to its diameter. 

 It would be diflicult to place 

 many scions without spUttuig 

 the bark at least in only on© 

 part. The tension produced 

 by the inoculation of many 

 shoots wUl end in rending 

 the cortical layers. That 

 accident can be prevented by a longitudinal incision (d), which 

 not only facilitates the sliding of the scion c' , but permits the 

 others (c and c") to be at ease, and not to threaten the splitting 

 of the bark of the stock. When tied, then wax the crown of 

 the stem, the top of the scions, and front and back on the 

 bark of the stock. — Bai.tet, VArt de Grejf'er. 



Fig. 2. 



Feuit Peospecis.— Alas ! for the blossom ! The Plums here 

 (Droitwich), are a failure this year.Jeither from overbearing or 



