Jannary 13, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



23 



would be gained, but I was disappointed ; the fruit was not 

 ripe sooner, nor was it of such good quality. 



The following varieties were planted — viz., Hybrid Cashmere, 

 Scarlet Gem, Cocoa Nut, Victoria, and Bougie's Incomparable. 

 Victoria and Cocoa Nut I would not grow again ; the Cocoa 

 Nnt is a very good Melon, and keeps long after it is ripe, but 

 it is surpassed by the others in flavour. Scarlet Gem is very 

 liable to crack if it is overgrown. I commenced to cut the 

 fruit on August 24th ; I had then three Scarlet Gem, weight 

 6 lbs. 9ozs. ; August 20th, three Cocoa Nut, 9 lbs. 8 ozs., and 

 two Hybrid Cashmere, 9 lbs. 2 ozs. ; August 27th, four Hy- 

 brid Cashmere, 17 lbs. ll^ozs., two Victoria, 5 lbs. 15 ozs., 

 one Bousie's Incomparable, 4 lbs. 3 ozs. ; August 28 th, two 

 Hybrid Cashmere, 10 lbs. 10 ozs. ; August 30th, three Bousie's 

 Incomparable, 12 lbs. 5 ozs. In the first week of September 

 all the Melons were cut, making the total weight up to 101 lbs. 

 13 ozs. from ten plants, in a house 30 feet long. The heaviest 

 Hybrid Cashmere was lbs. 5 ozs. ; the heaviest Incomparable, 

 4 lbs. 11 ozs. ; the heaviest Scarlet Gem, 3 lbs. 8JOZ5. ; the 

 heaviest Victoria, 3 lbs. 4 ozs. ; and the three fruit of Cocoa 

 Nut weighed together 9 lbs. 8 ozs. I do not publish these 

 weights because I think them anything extraordinary ; on the 

 contrary, I do not consider it a large crop, as thirty fruit only 

 were taken from the plants, or an average of three from each 

 plant. One scarlet flesh and one green flesh from one of the 

 compartments carried off the first prize in their respective 

 classes at the Edinburgh International Show in September 

 last, consequently that would be sufficient to prove that the 

 quality was good, the varieties being Bousie's Incomparable 

 and Scarlet Gem. 



In growing Melons, the worst two foes to guard against are 

 canker of the stem close to the surface of the ground, and red 

 spider. As prevention is better than cure, in planting raise a 

 small mound of earth, and on this place the Melon plant, so 

 that in watering the surface of the bed the water will not lodge 

 round the neck of the plant. If canker appear, apply dry lime 

 to the part affected. Some writers recommend sulphuring the 

 pipes once a-week, but very great care must be taken that the 

 pipes are not overheated, as the leaves are very easily injured. 

 A little guano water in the evaporating troughs is beneficial. 

 This, with a regular temperature not over G0° at night from 

 fire heat, will tend to prevent the appearance of red spider. — 

 J. Douglas. 



NOTES ON ROSES. 



As to new Roses, I think that the best of them is Duke of 

 Edinburgh. I recollect seeing a very fine-coloured bloom of this 

 in 1867 at the Crystal Palace Show, and was much struck with 

 its truly splendid colour. Last year, however, I did not notice 

 it, and thought that possibly it might be one of those flowers 

 which only come good once in a century. All doubts, however, 

 as to its being quite first-rate as a flower were dispelled at the 

 Crystal Palace Show last summer. Who that saw that glo- 

 rious bloom — I think it was in Messrs. G. Paul & Son's forty- 

 eight — will ever forget it ? I speak of this one bloom because 

 it was so superior to all the rest, but in truth this Rose was 

 shown in good form in numbers, and was very good on the 

 pot plants. Judging from my single plant of it, I fancy the 

 wood will be found rather thin and wiry, although it is a good 

 grower. It is a capital kind to get buds from, these being very 

 plump and prominent. 



I have said that I think the Duke is the best Rose of 1869, 

 but I think Mr. W. Paul's Princess Christian, to come out in 

 1870, is upon the whole quite as valuable an addition to our 

 Rose lists. It is a good robust grower, and of a colour much 

 wanted. I am much mistaken if this flower do not turn out 

 first-rate. In colour it is almost identical with Madame la 

 Baronne de Rothschild, but wood and foliage resemble Victor 

 Verdier, from which I should think it is a seedling. 



The next best new Rose at the Crystal Palace was, in my 

 opinion, Elie Morel, a truly lovely and apparently constant 

 flower. I see this is a Rose of 1868. A stand of blooms of 

 this, shown, I think, by Messrs. Paul & Son, was most beauti- 

 ful, and I noticed everybody making a note of it as to be ob- 

 tained. I hope it is a good grower, though the only plant I 

 have is weak j possibly this arises from its having been found 

 a " good thing," and consequently having been propagated to 

 death. As far as my memory serves me, it is a rosy pink 

 flower ; at any rate it is a flower in the lighter shades of pink 

 or rose like Marguerite de St. Amand. 



I see the next best Rose of the newer kinds was, according 



to my ideas, Vicomtesse de Vezins. This is a beautiful flower, 

 in the same line of colour as Elie Morel. This is not at pre- 

 sent strong with me, possibly for the reason given above. I 

 thought Reine du Midi the ntst best Rose, but I saw only one 

 bloom, and I am inclined to think from what I have since seen 

 and heard that it will not open. Madame Alice Dureau (a 

 flower of 1868), is, I see, next on my list of specials. I cannot 

 call it to mind just now, but I seo the catalogues say, " clear 

 rose." I can confidently say, however, that it was very good 

 indeed as shown, and that it is a good free grower, for I have 

 it, but whether constant or not I cannot tell at present. 



The next two Roses I particularly noticed as good were 

 Nardy Freres and Theiese Levet. I am not sure when these 

 Rose3 were brought out ; they were, as shown, very fine, and 

 worth adding to the choicest collection, if constant and good 

 growers. Abel Grand, too, I thought very good indeed, quite 

 surpassing as shown, and in some quantity too, Marguerite de 

 St. Amand and Princess Mary of Cambridge, which are in the 

 same line of colour. 



Adrienne Christophle is a nice addition to the Teas, it is so 

 distinct, and is a good grower. Margarita has flowered well 

 with me, but I cannot say much for it. Montplaisir seems 

 very like Gloire de Dijon, judging from autumn bloom3, which, 

 however, may have been much out of character. 



I hear of English seedlings being raised in various quarters, 

 and indeed I have seen two or three very promising flowers 

 from heps set last spring. I am very glad to find that English 

 raisers are coming forward. There is no reason why we should 

 not obtain what the French do not seem able to give us — viz., 

 a good white. We want a white Victor Verdier, and I am 

 convinced it can be had in two or three generations ; in fact. 

 Princess Christian is a long step in that direction ; or a white 

 Charles Lefebvre, or the last coloured like Prince Camille ! 

 The fact is there is room for vast improvement in the Rose 

 yet. We want good-formed, good-coloured, large flowers on 

 robust and hardy wood. Can we pick out three Roses that 

 fulfil these conditions ? Even the best Rose grown, Marie Ban- 

 mann, is not satisfactory to me in the wood, it is not compact 

 o stout enough.— P. 



HYGROMETERS. 



Your article in page 517 of last volume touches a subject 

 which is a great desideratum to gardeners — viz., an inexpensive 

 hygrometer, which can be read off as easily a3 a thermometer. 

 Daniell'sis objectionable, both from the trouble it involves and 

 from the necessity of using sulphuric ether, which is expensive to 

 buy and difficult to preserve. The wet-and-dry-bulb is perhaps 

 the best hitherto known. The catgut I have tried, using violin 

 A strings spliced together, but catgut is not sensitive enough. 

 After syringing the house, and also the catgut itself, a con- 

 siderable time elapses before the full amount of humidity is 

 shown. Besides this, catgut does not shorten perpendicularly, 

 but with a circular motion, turning the weight round at the 

 bottom, and impeding its being used as an index, though pos- 

 sibly this may be owing to the particular make of a violin 

 string. 



But besides the hygrometer, we want information as to the 

 natural dryness of the countries whose productions we grow 

 here. We want to know something of the atmosphere of 

 Astrachan, where, according to Humboldt, the finest Grapes in 

 the world grow, and also, according to general report, most 

 excellent Melons. Also, for Grapes, that of the Cape of Good 

 Hope and Madeira ; for Peaches, Baltimore ; for Figs, Toulouse 

 and the Greek Archipelago ; for Pines, Jamaica ; and so forth. 

 This information might be obtainable as regards English, 

 colonial, or American stations, but I fear it will be a long time 

 before we can have an observer located in Mazander on the 

 Caspian, where the Apricot is said to grow wild. — G. S. 



CHEAP PROTECTION. 

 I have saved dozens of Calceolarias, Pelargoniums, and other 

 tender plants growing in the open borders during the late very 

 severe frosts (our thermometer fell to 19°), by a very simple 

 process, but probably well known — just collecting all the large 

 flower pots, filling them lightly with dry leaves, and placing 

 them over the plant cut down ; the hole in the pot being 

 stopped, of course, with a lump of anything at hand. The 

 thermometer being at 50° this morning, I was tempted to re- 

 move the pots : the plants appear all safe, and some are already 



