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JOUENAL OP HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ NoTcmlier 6, 1873. 



kind that is remarkable for the sweet scent of its flowers ; the 

 well-kuown deep Tiolet Jaokmanni is, I believe, still unsur- 

 passed by any of the later introductions of the same shade of 

 colour. Then we have Lady Caroline Neville, of a delicate 

 mauve shade ; Madame Van Houtte, a very fine shaded white 

 variety; lanuginosa, with pale blue flowers; and grauditlora 

 mutabilis, having the largest flowers of any kind I have seen. 

 There are many other tine seedlings in the hands of Messrs. 

 Crippg of various shades of colour, such as mauve, deep crim- 

 son, and bright blue. Turning now to the Lonioeras (Honey- 

 suckle), the sub-evergreen variety flexuosa is first, with its 

 delicious scent, and for the freedom and continuity with which 

 it flowers ; then come the white-flowered fragrantissima, the 

 scarlet sempervireus, a very distinct variety, but with a very 

 long straggling habit of gi-owth, requiring considerable care in 

 training ; the yellow-flowered flava, and the very rapid-growing 

 excellent variety brachypoda. When one or two kinds only are 

 wanted, flexuosa and brachypoda may be strongly recom- 

 mended as being of a dense branching habit, vigorous growth, 

 very free-flowering, and most hardy, thriving well upon an 

 exposed north aspect. Some plants of both funds that were 

 placed in their present position two years ago are now from 

 15 to 20 feet high. Nor is this simply the growth of a few 

 strong leading shoots, for both plants have produced " breast- 

 wood " and side shoots so freely, that frequent pruning and 

 training have been necessary. Of the Jasmines I may select 

 Jasminum officinale, a free-flowering, very sweet-scented white 

 variety ; the brilliant yellow revolutum ; and the weU-known 

 winter-flowering uudiflorum. The EscaUouias, though not 

 a large section, are a very important one. E. Ingramii and 

 E. macrantha are almost identical, both growing vigorously, 

 and yielding a profusion of pretty pink flower spikes ; the only 

 difference is in the more glossy foliage of macrantha. Escal- 

 lonia pterocladon is a very distinct and valuable climber, with 

 small foliage and white flower spikes. Of Ceanothus there 

 are azureus, with its charming panicles of pale blue flowers ; 

 and divaricatus, having a close neat growth, well clothed with 

 glossy deep green foliage. Berberidopsis corallina is another 

 fine species of the evergreen type that is worthy of especial 

 attention ; it has handsome leaves of a peculiarly deep shade 

 of green, stout in texture, and freely produced, which form a 

 fine foil to the deep crimson of its drooping clusters of rosette- 

 like flowers. Nor must I exclude the beautiful pale blue 

 Wistaria, the fine old Bignonia (Tecoma) radicans major, with 

 its bold trusses of orange and crimson flowers, and Passiflora 

 ca3rulea ; all three of these old favourites being exceedingly 

 valuable for covering a large area of wall-space quickly. Li- 

 gustrum japonicum and Berberis Uarwinii are also worthy of a 

 place ; both have handsome evergreen foliage, and the white 

 flowers of the first, and the deep orange flowers of the second, 

 are alike produced abundantly. The very compact-growing 

 Ligustrum coriaceum will, I think, prove a useful evergreen 

 for covering low walls or pillars, its singularly round glossy 

 foliage presenting a very striking and uncommon appearance. 

 Garrya elliirtica merits a corner from the beauty of its catkins 

 in winter, as does the singular Chimonauthus fragrans, which 

 produces its fragrant flowers at the same period of the year, 

 but it ought not to occupy a prominent position, as it is not 

 an ornamental plant. 



I have excluded very many kinds of different species in 

 order to present a really choice selection to your readers ; yet 

 the list grows upon my hands, and there are yet one or two 

 others which I cannot pass over. What can be more beautiful 

 at this season of the year than the Virginian Creeper (Ampe- 

 lopeis hederacea) when its foliage becomes a mass of the 

 brightest crimson, which is so beautiful that one cannot but 

 regret its being the forerunner of decay ? The more refined 

 form of this species, Ampelopsis Veitchii, is also very orna- 

 mental ; its growth is more slender than that of hederacea, 

 and its general appearance is very elegant. Of other plants 

 having fine foliage, but with insignificant flowers, the best 

 are Aristolochia Sipho, Akebia quinata, and Periploca gra;ca. 

 — Edwaed Luckhuest. 



FRANCOIS LACHARME ROSE. 



Why is Fram/ois Lacharme omitted from this year's cata- 

 logues of Roses? It is a very fine Rose in every respect, and 

 is deliciously fragrant. It should not be allowed to go out of 

 cultivation. — A Constant and Inteeested Eeader. 



[Why, indeed ? Well might our fair correspondent inquire, 

 if her complaint were correct. We endorse all that she says 



as to the beauty and fragrance of Frangois Lacharme, nor do 

 we fancy that it wiU go out of cultivation ; but there is a fashion 

 even in Boses, and what is old in fashion often has its other 

 good qualities overlooked. How rarely, for instance, do we 

 see a bonnet now-a-days ; and when we do, well, how is the 

 beauty fallen ! yet we can imagine that it kept off neuralgia and 

 other evils, besides giving the wearer an expression more in 

 consonance with our old-fashioned notions. Be this as it may, 

 it is very certain that in some of the Bose catalogues we often 

 miss old friends in the rage for something new. But we do not 

 think the case of Francois Lacharme quite so hopeless, for we 

 rushed to our file of catalogues, and with a sigh of relief the 

 first /oHc we consulted all mentioned Frangois Lacharme, and, 

 moreover, gave it a good character, which we trust wOl prove 

 enduring for some years longer, for the Bose deserves it. Thus 

 fortified we looked no further, and we trust our correspondent's 

 fears will prove groundless.] 



THE ELECTION OF NEW EOSES. 



Last year's election having been on an extended scale, it 

 did not appear advisable to hold it annually ; but one of your 

 correspondents having made inquiries on the subject, I con- 

 sulted the Eevs. C. P. Peach, E. N. Pochin, and Buhner, and 

 the majority considered that a poll of the newer varieties 

 might prove interesting and also useful to those who only 

 purchase " a good article," and are indisposed to lay out much 

 on the plants that come over to us annually with such crack- 

 jaw names, and such a flourish of trumpets as to their good 

 quaUties — characters, alas ! that a year or two's trial rudely 

 dispels. The election, therefore, was purposely restricted to 

 the more recent introductions. But on the threshold I was met 

 by a difliculty : Several of the larger growers and the i-eturn- 

 ing oflleer meant two different things by the same words, and 

 in asking for 1870, 1871, and 187"i, I found I was altogether 

 in error. I believed, with several amateurs and some nursery- 

 men, that I was thus including all the Eoses from Castellane's 

 to Etieuue Levet's year, whereas by the rules of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society the age of a plant dates from the year 

 that it is introduced into commerce, and thus, although called 

 by the niu'serymen in their catalogues " new Eoses for 1873," 

 it means the 1872 Eoses. Intentionally the absolutely new 

 Eose list was omitted ; the experience of a single year is often 

 very fallacious, and not a few have been misled by it. The 

 value of this election is to assist, by a variety of opinions 

 formed in different soUs and climates thus brought together, 

 the retention of the best varieties alone. We all know that a 

 first season's impressions are often subsequently falsified. As 

 a proof of this I will simply mention, that in the general 

 election last yeai' several new Eoses of 1871 received honour- 

 able mention, notably Lyonnais and Madame BeUon ; at 

 least, these two Eoses received more votes than any others of 

 the 1871 Eoses. What has a year's further experience done 

 for them ? Has it added to their reputation ? I trow not. 

 Madame Bellon is not even mentioned by some who last year 

 thought it so promising. It is pretty, certainly, but has too 

 slight distinctness of character. Lyonnais has not much 

 improved, is somewhat loose, and apt, I fear, in the exhibition 

 tent to stare the judges out of countenance, a proceeding that 

 every well-educated and modest Eose would rigorously avoid. 

 President Thiers, Madame Lefebvre Bernard, and Etienue 

 Levet were next in order ; the two former cannot be said to 

 have advanced in estimation. Thiers appears overrated, is 

 thin and flat, and little likely to hold his own any more than 

 his namesake on the continent. Etienne Levet, on the con- 

 trary, was certainly not sufficiently esteemed. It bids fair to 

 be tlw Eose of 1871, and must be in everybody's coUectiou ; 

 indeed, its position on the poll is remarkable — second only to 

 Comtesse d'Oxford, and equalling her ladyship in first-class 

 votes. The two next best Eoses , Fran^'.ois Michelon and Madame 

 George Schwartz, were unnoticed in the election last year. 

 Franrois Michelon must run Etienne Levet hard for the pre- 

 miership of 1871 if its other qualities are as good as its looks ; 

 it is a grand Bose, and, like Etienne Levet, quite an acquisition. 

 The position of Andre Dunand has disappointed me, espe- 

 cially as au addition to our liguter Eoses ; I think it will rank 

 higher another season. Annie Laxton and Princess Beatrice 

 are possibly in a rather false position, as I do not think all 

 the voters realised that they are 1871 Eoses. In the same 

 position possibly is Edward Morren, which came out at an odd 

 time between the two years, but which some consider to be 

 1808. Of the older varieties this has retrograded ; the past 



