December 8, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOETIOULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



447 



manipulator in the matter, that Mr. Chater by the raising 

 of Comet iirst took that foremost rank amongst Hollyhock- 

 raisers which he has ever since maintained. After some 

 years spent with Mr. Chater Mr. Ward migrated to Mr. 

 Bircham, at Hedenham, in Suffolk, then an extensive Eose- 

 grower, and there he conceived the idea of carrying out the 

 same principles of hybridisation that he had so successfully 

 adopted in the case of the HoUyhock. Many shook their 

 heads, and called him, as they will ever do, an enthusiast 

 — a term which must be borne by every man who is really 

 in earnest either for the things of time or eternity. Even 

 his old master thought him visionary. However, he felt 

 that he was right, and John Hopper has been the result of 

 his enthusiasm. But he is not contented with the past, 

 his motto is " Onward ;" and I firmly believe that he wiU 

 yet add further lam-els to those he has already won. 



It is curious with what different eyes we look at the same 

 thing. A small tree of Gloire de Dijon was nailed to the 

 front of his house. Most people would have passed it by, 

 and thought it hardly worth notice ; but to Mr. Ward and 

 the Eose-lover there was much on it to look at and speculate 

 about — viz., two well-sweUed hips hybridised with one of 

 our best daik Hybrid Perpetuals. Imagine what a sensation 

 a deep-colom-ed crimson Tea Eose would make, or a yeUow 

 Hybrid Perpetual. And why not ? It is this determination 

 to strike out of the old beaten paths and to take up original 

 notions that is a proof of genius, when common sense is 

 also allowed to have its weight. Then Mr. Ward has some 

 very promising seedlings. Of com'se, in November it was 

 too late to see them in bloom : several of them he spoke 

 most highly of, while others, which he pronounced equal to 

 the ruck of French Eoses sent over every year, he had dis- 

 carded. He will not send out a Eose until he has found by 

 careful watching that it is likely to do him credit. 



Mr. Ward's ground, as I have said, is poor — just one of 

 those grounds where the great value of the Manetti stock 

 is seen ; but imtil the present year he has also had a very 

 large stock of fine Eoses on their own roots. The dry and 

 hot summer of this year has, however, somewhat baulked 

 him, his plants being much smaller than usual. I wish I 

 could convey an accurate notion of his method of propagating 

 these. I fear I shall make but a mess of it — however, I 

 can only do my best. In one of his greenhouses he piits 

 about five hundi'ed plants, from which his cuttings are to 

 be made. His first crop of cuttings from these consists of 

 about 1500. I should say the plants are put in 16-pots, foiu: 

 in a pot. His next batch is about 4500, and his next some- 

 what lai'ger, so that fi'om these he has obtained in the 

 course of three or four months from ten to twelve thousand 

 cuttings. His propagating place is quite a model. In a 

 greenhouse he has glass cases over a tank of hot water, in 

 fact a double case, but differing in this respect from other 

 similar structures, that the fronts slide down, and conse- 

 quently the drip occasioned by lifting up and down the sashes 

 is not experienced. By this tank a heat cf 100° to 120° is 

 maintained, and great cai-e is exercised that damp does not 

 settle about the young leaves, and this he effects by fi-equent 

 and gentle syringings. In a few days a callus is formed, 

 and when rooted the young plants ai-e potted-off and put 

 into single pots, gradually inured to a colder atmosphere, 

 and then planted oiit, when they make fine plants by the 

 autumn — plants 18 inches to 2 feet in height. The beds 

 used for this purpose are sunk somewhat below the level of 

 the surface, as the soil in Mr. Ward's garden is so very 

 light that to keep them watered is in dry seasons a matter 

 of some diiSculty. By this process, he assured me, his 

 losses were not 2 per cent. 



During the progress of his experiments in hybridising 

 some curious facts have come under Mr. Ward's notice. 

 Thus he hybridised Noisette Lamarque with Prince Leon, 

 H.P. Of the produce of the cross one came perfectly single, 

 of the colour of JLamarque, most vigorous in habit, but, 

 of eoui'se, useless. Then, again, he had planted against 

 a waU E. bracteata. Fortune's Yellow, and other varieties 

 of Eoses, but he has never succeeded in his crossing yrith 

 them. His hope was to obtain an evergreen Eose about 

 the size and colova- of the Hybrid Perpetuals. Again, he 

 has found that it is never of any use hybridising semidouble 

 flowers, for these wiU not produce thoroughly double flowers. 

 There can be but little doubt that a vast number of the 



Hybrid Pei-petuals which have come to us from France are 

 seedlings of General Jacqueminot, by far the freest seeder 

 that we have. Due de Gazes, Vulcain, Princesse Mathilde, 

 Praire de Terre Noii'e, &c. — Eoses which cannot have a 

 permanent place in oiu- lists, however they may please for 

 a year or two, betray their military origin. Mr. Ward 

 avoids this by only using double vaiieties, and by saving 

 only impregnated hips. These latter he has found, he 

 fancies, to be much finer and larger than those which are 

 naturally impregnated. 



Amongst the results of his labours I may mention that 

 he has a fine seedling which he intends to let out next year, 

 and which I hope to see and report upon in due time. He 

 has called it Mrs. Berners, and I trust it may be a worthy 

 successor of John Hopper. He feels that he has a character 

 to sustain, and he wUl not lightly forfeit it. Then he has 

 another under trial, which he pronounces to be the most 

 perfectly double Eose he ever saw, and a bud which he 

 showed me seemed to confirm this opinion; but as to its 

 merits we must wait some time before we decide. 



Such, then, are a few imperfect notes concerning the 

 whereabouts of John Hopper and its raiser ; and now a word 

 as to the Eose itself. It has, I believe, this season disap- 

 pointed a good many. This I can well understand: it is 

 one of those peculiai-ly tinted Eoses that reqmre a cool 

 summer to develope their beauties, and the past summer 

 has been not a cool but a very hot one. To this cause, and 

 this alone, is to be attributed any disappointment that may 

 have been felt concerning it, and I feel convinced that it 

 will yet fully maintain the high character given to it ; and 

 if its raiser will only give us a few more in different styles 

 as good as this, or, stiU better, give us a crimson Tea or 

 yeUow Hybrid Perpetual Eose, he wiU be gi-atefuUy remem- 

 bered as one of the greatest benefactors of the Eose-growing 

 race, and then- name is Legion. — D., Deal. 



LEAJST-TO GEOUND CUEATES' VINEEIES. 



In the " Cm-ates' Vineries," which from time to time have 

 been noticed in yom- columns, what is the object in having 

 the glass framework ridge-shaped, thus — ^V? Woidd there 

 be any objection to putting another row or two of bricks and 

 having the fr-amework flat ? With the framework flat there 

 would be a considerable saving in cost. Of course, one end, 

 say the north, must be a little higher than the other in order 

 to throw off the rain ; but there would be no difficulty in 

 this, especially in situations where the ground lay on the 

 incline. — B. 



[The ridge-shaped roof is to throw off the water, and also 

 to offer two favourable angles to the sun. Another or even 

 two more rows of bricks may be added if height is required ; 

 but they must be placed so as to leave pigeon-holes for ven- 

 tilation. A lean-to ground vinery with a one-inch board 

 for the back would do very well, but it should be placed on 

 bricks so as to be properly" ventilated, and the sloping glass 

 roof should be facing the south or south-west — in fact, such 

 a sti-ucture would be very cheap, more easily made, and 

 quite as efScient as the ridge-shaped roof. The back wall 

 or board of such a vinery should be 18 or 20 inches high, its 

 fi-ont from 6 to 8 inches. Grapes would ripen well in such 

 structm-es, and for ground on the incline they would be more 

 convenient than ridge ground vineries.] 



GEAFTING VINES. 

 As an answer to " T. E. 0.," and other inquii-ers, we reply 

 that if old Vines are in a good border and strong it woidd 

 not be advisable to root them out, inasmuch as you will get 

 the sorts you want to introduce into a full bearing state 

 sooner on established stocks than if planted in the usual 

 way. If your established Vines are not in good condition 

 then root them out by all means, and introduce yoxir new 

 varieties by making a good border and planting young 

 healthy Vines in the usual way. The Bai-barossa is, in 

 some cases, a rather shy fruiter ; and it is more than likely 

 that its being put on to a less vigorous-gi-owing sort, like the 

 Black Frontignan, might have a beneficial effect on it in this 

 respect. If you mean the Canon Hall Muscat and Muscat 



