JOURNAL OF HOBTICDLTUBE AKD COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ July 21, 1873. 



time. The most fruit from a given quantity of ground I have 

 obtained this year has been from plants put in, just a foot apart 

 all ways, on the 1st of August last year. As soon as fruiting 

 is over, and in showery weather, half of these will be lifted 

 and planted, and will again do well ; but if the weather con- 

 tinue hot, they will be thrown away, and young plants again 

 depended on. Another favourite plan of mine is at every 

 2J feet, or 2h by 3 feet, to put in three stout young plants 

 in a triangle with a base of 6 inches. No one at next gather- 

 ing-time can, without very careful examination, tell these 

 from established two and three-year-old stools. In strong 

 soils thorough deep-digging and making the ground rich to 

 a depth of 15 to 18 inches, and a top-dressing of manure 

 on the surface, will be all that is really necessary. If much 

 deeper than this, and without surface-dressing, I have often ob- 

 served the plants run too much to leaf. For fruit of all kinds 

 there is nothing like surface roots, but they must be taken 

 care of. 



Strawberries like firm ground, and in a soil natm-ally light 

 and warm I can get better crops by not digging at all, either 

 at planting time or afterwards. I render acknowledgments 

 to Mr. Eadelyffe for this liiut that I have put into practice. 

 At desired distances scoop a hollow in the soil capable of hold- 

 ing two gallons of water. Soak this thoroughly with liquid 

 manure, level-up, and put three plants in each spot. The 

 manure water should be strong, and the hollow a foot in 

 diameter. I have tried different sorts of manure, and find 

 2 ozs. of guano and 1 oz. of salt to the gallon the best of all, 

 and better indeed than holes dug out 18 inches deep and fiUed- 

 iu and trodden with good manure. For a time the manured 

 roots took the lead, but after two years the liquid-manured 

 roots produced the most frnit, and best withstood the drought. 

 It is the firm soil that does it. I always surface-dress my 

 Strawberries in the autumn with half-rotted manure, or not 

 quite half-rotted, and never take it off again. This may not 

 be so necessary in districts with a heavy rainfall, but I know 

 it is good practice here. Last autumn, considering the tre- 

 mendous wet, I was for once doubtful as to the wisdom of , the 

 practice and only did a portion, but those dressed are much 

 the best, and I decide that if it is good in a wet season it must 

 be good in a dry one, at any rate where the soU is light. The 

 winter's rains clean the manure perfectly, and leave a surfacing 

 of smooth sweet straw, better packed than any hand could pack 

 it, for the fruit to rest on. Where this top-dressing is not 

 given, the best recipe to keep the fruit clean is Mr. Peach's — 

 viz.. straw cut into inch lengths. It is handy to apply and 

 snug when it is there, and is the best slug-antidote I know. I 

 have watched the hungry " varmint " in their pilgrimage to 

 the fruit, and am bound to say rejoiced in their treadmill-like 

 ■work in turning over, and instead of the straw being the 

 foundation for the slugs, the slugs were a foundation for the 

 straw, and they were glad to get out of it. This would not 

 have been the case had it not been cut into inch lengths. 



It is important that clean surfacing be applied early, and it is 

 the greatest possible mistake to defer it untU the fruit is ripen- 

 ing. No one can possibly do the work then without more or 

 less injury to the fruit-trusses. Strawberry trusses .ire as im- 

 patient of being disturbed as the haulm of young Peas, and 

 neither can be meddled with without damage. Early surfacing 

 has also another valuable point in its favour', in arresting 

 evaporation and retaining the earth's moisture. It should be 

 applied before the plants are in bloom, and it can never be done 

 60 well afterwards. A spriukUng of salt in early spring at the 

 same time and in half the quantity of that given to Asparagus 

 beds, or, to be more definite, about half an ounce to the square 

 yard, is of much value, but more will not hurt if it be kept out 

 of the crowns. By its deliquescent luitnre it keeps the ground 

 moist and cool. It is certain to do good in dry localities to 

 more things besides Strawberries. It should be applied previous 

 to the straw surfacing. By salting and sui'face-dressing in 

 autumn and early in spring I have had no occasion to water, 

 although much hot and dry weather has prevailed. But — and 

 this is important — I set aside two rows ; one had no salt, and 

 tho other was not surfaced until the fruit changed colour; 

 both these we have been compelled to water copiously, and 

 then could not get the fruit so fine as the rest, but it was 

 equally plentiful in point of numbers. Every point urged in 

 this gossip is based on actual and careful practice. 



I have never been sufficiently careful or curious as to note 

 the relative value of the first or second roots of runners, but I 

 do know that barren plants will produce barren progeny ; 1 

 do not say invariably, but sufficiently so to make the practice 



of planting from them an unsafe one. Just another hint : I 

 cannot grow British Queen or Dr. Hogg by runners from my 

 own plants, but if I have them from a thorough strong Straw- 

 berry soil I can get fair crops. I am certain this is a point of 

 considerable value, and wiU in many gardens make all the 

 difference between Strawberries and no Strawberries. Let 

 those who grow this fruit under difficulties try, and I am very 

 sanguine they will do as I do, " try again." — J. Wmght. 



NEW KOSES. 



Ms. Keynes did a good service to rosarians on the 16th inst., 

 and he did it simjjly for their benefit, for he brought up from 

 Salisbury seventy-two blooms of twenty-four of the best Roses 

 of 1872. It was refreshing, after the dazzling repetition of 

 Zonal Pelargoniums, to be able to take a chair and sit down 

 comfortably opposite these fresh blooms and quietly examine 

 them. It was a pleasant thing, too, after one had one's notes, 

 to have them confirmed by two such authorities as Mr. Keynes 

 and Mr. Turner ; and therefore in giving my judgment, it may 

 add some little weight to it when I say that it is thus con- 

 firmed. I have always maintained that it is utterly impossible 

 to judge of the new Roses until the second year, they are only 

 then recovering from the high pressure to which they have 

 been subjected ; but I do not recollect that we have ever had 

 so good an opportunity of seeing the new Roses as on this 

 occasion. We see some of them in the classes for new Roses, 

 and oftentimes in the larger classes exhibited by nurserymen, 

 but not in such a collection as this ; and then they were so 

 fresh, so fine, so, in fact, Salisbury-like, that it was a treat of 

 no ordinary kind. 



1. Ahhc Bramercl. — A finely-coloured, ill-shaped Rose. It 

 may be tolerated in a stand, but will be, I think, more esteemed 

 as a garden Rose. I should describe it as a cross between 

 Eugene Appert and Guant des Batailles, having the intense 

 colour' of the former with the form of the latter. 



2. Bessie Johnson. — This is a sport from Abel Grand, and is 

 much lighter than that variety, and is worth adding to a col- 

 lection. 



3. Eticnne Leret. — One of the best of the whole collection. 

 The shape is beautiful, the petals large and shell-like, and the 

 colour a fresh bright carmine. 



4. Madame Bellon. — A pretty, weU-shaped, light Rose. 



•5. Madame de Farrlea. — Bright rose shaded with cai'mine, 

 but, then, said to be from Anna de Diesbach. 



6. Madame George Sehieartz. — Bright rosy pink, shading off 

 into deep rose ; fine form ; a distinct and good Rose. I have 

 always had a high opinion of this Rose, and am glad to see it 

 confirmed. 



7. President Thiers. — Fiery red ; a fine colour, but wanting 

 in quantity of i^etals. Probably will be grown for its bright 

 colour, but not a first-class flower. 



8. Madame Seij>ion Coehet. — Good form, but too thin. 



9. Louis Corljie. — A pretty soft crimson rose. I find a Louis 

 Charlin in Messrs. Paul ct Son's list ; I do not know if this be 

 the same. 



10. Baron de Bonstetten. — Deep velvety blackish crimson. 

 A grand Rose ; quite in the way of Mons. Boncenne, but larger, 

 and a good grower. 



11. Le Havre. — Rough and thin. 



12. Souvenir de General Douai. — Bright salmon rose; large 

 and full, and likely to be an effective Rose. 



13. Franeois Michelon. — A lai'ge, fine, and well-shaped im- 

 bricated Rose ; silvery rose, with a fine petal. A first-rate 

 Rose. 



1-1. Uichard Wallace. — Bright crimson rose ; full, globular 

 form , and attractive for its novelty. 



15. Madame Lefebvre Bernard. — A splendid bright Rose ; 

 fine imbricated form, reminding one of Souvenir de la Eeine 

 d'Augleterre, but more refined and regular. A grand Rose. 



16. Madame de Bidder. — Something of the colour of Beauty 

 of Waltham. Good. 



17. Souvenir de Madame Hammert. — Rough. 



18. A Ufiuste Eii/otard. — Beautiful shell-like petals, cherry red. 

 An excellent Rose. 



19. Princess Beatrice. — Rough as shown here. 



20. Madame de St. Pulget. Shows, the eye. 



21. Andre, Dunand. — Light rose, with distinct paler edge; 

 fine form, very beautiful in colour. 



22. Lijoniiais. — Light rose. Of the Charles Verdier type, 

 but to my mind too washy in colour. 



23. Souvenir de Panl Neroti (Tea). — A vei'y lovely flower. 



