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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 34, 1370. 



see how we can reduce the plan to practice. Where Queens 

 are preferred, and have to be harried in by the beginning of 

 summer, the time can only be abridged practically and syste- 

 matically by fruiting the suckers detached at midsummer, the 

 season following, from May to October, and, in my opinion, 

 the returns gained in that time would not be satisfactory. — 

 J. Simmon, Wortley. 



NOTES ON A FEW ROSES. 

 Havino seen it repeatedly stated in this Journal that Paul 

 Verdier is not a perpetual-blooming Rose, 1 will therefore tell 

 what my Paul Verdiers achieved during the past season. 



I have three plants of the variety named, one on the Manetti 

 stock and the other two on dwarf Briars. The Manetti-stocked 

 plant proved strictly a summer Rose, having never made during 

 the autumn the slightest attempt to bloom. The two budded 

 on the Briar, however, bloomed very freely with me until the 

 Hevere frost in October stopped them ; in fact, these two plants 

 of Paul Verdier budded on the Briar were amongst my best and 

 freest-blooming autumnal Roses. I state this in the hope that 

 some other amateurs may be able to corroborate my statement, 

 as I should be sorry if it should happen that so fine and beau- 

 tiful a Rose as that in question should be unnecessarily dis- 

 carded. 



I have to recommend a Rose which has, I fancy, somehow or 

 other been too much neglected. That Rose is Kate Hausburg. 

 It is of the Baronne Pie'vost type, being very large and very 

 double, and of a most charming dark rose or light rosy crimson 

 shade of colour. It is now five or six years since this Rose 

 was introduced ; of course it may be better with me than it 

 usually is, but I do not see any reason why it should be so, as 

 there is nothing exceptionally suitable to the Rose in either our 

 soil or climate. I recommend it to your readers ; and if it 

 succeed as well with anyone who may take my advice as it has 

 done with me, I feel sure that no one will ever regret having 

 afforded it a place in his or her collection. 



I have in my collection about 180 varieties, and of these the 

 following are a few which gave me a3 much pleasure as any — 

 viz., Marie Baumann, Duke of Wellington, Rushton Radclyffe, 

 Fisher Holmes, Maurice Bernardin, Dr. Andry, and Horace 

 Vernet, which were all splendid amongst the dark varieties. 

 Charles Lefebvre, although hitherto occupying the first position, 

 was last year not so good as usual. This variety is always a 

 very ugly grower, but until last year it has never disappointed 

 me with its blooms. Alfred Colomb, also, was not equaLto what 

 I expected from the glowing descriptions which I Mfcl read. 

 Duke of Edinburgh was very good, but with me has so far 

 proved rather a weak grower. Comte Litta is a beautiful Rase 

 of the Duke of Edinburgh shade of colour. There is another, 

 which, although occupying a high position amongst Roses, 

 scarcely obtains so high a one as I think it deserves. The 

 one I allude to is Madame Derreux Donville. It is really a 

 gem, a light silvery rose colour, with a distinctly shaded edge 

 of a lighter colour on each petal. 



Two or three of the newer varieties have rather disappointed 

 me. Eugene Scribe, Napole'on III., and Black Prince do not 

 seem to be equal to their descriptions. Perhaps in other 

 localities, however, they may be better than they have been 

 with me. — G. W. Boothet. 



CORONILLA GLAUCA CULTURE. 



A very simple and at the same time successful method of 

 growing fair-sized useful specimens of this plant in a few 

 months is the following : — 



Secure cuttings in the first week in March ; select young and 

 stout short-jointed shoots about 2 inches long, trim them in 

 the usual way, and place four cuttings round the side of a 

 4-inch pot that has been well drained. For soil use finely- 

 sifted sandy loam ; if the loam is not naturally sandy make 

 it so by adding some fresh Bilver sand. Plunge the pots in a 

 gentle bottom heat ; the top heat must be mild, and not very 

 moist. 



When the cuttings are rooted, which will not be long, let 

 each plant occupy a 3-inch pot, using a similar soil to that first 

 employed, with the addition of a little leaf mould. In shifting 

 the plants, the advantage of only striking four plants in a pot 

 will be twofold ; for if care be taken to have the soil in a moist 

 state, each plant may with ordinary care be separated with a 

 good ball of earth, consequently the plants are not so likely to 



fail after shifting as would otherwise be the case ; their rooting 

 in the fresh soil is also facilitated. Establish them in these 

 pots in an intermediate temperature — bottom heat is not neces- 

 sary, though it would assist them ; then shift them into larger 

 pots as required. Afterwards gradually harden them off to the 

 temperature of a cold frame or pit, which is a more natural 

 climate for these plants. 



After the first few days in the cold frame, let them have air 

 night and day if the weather will allow of it. Plenty of water 

 at the root, and a sprinkling over the foliage after a hot day 

 will assist them. In the meantime, prepare a piece of ground 

 on a border with a southern aspect by trenching in a good quan- 

 tity of rotten manure, mixing it with the soil to the depth of 

 30 inches. Should the soil be light, add one-half of heavier 

 yet rich loam. I do not find that a light or poor soil grows 

 this plant so well. If all has gone on well the plants may be 

 planted out by the end of May at 30 inches apart each way. 

 After planting water them well, and make the soil firm about 

 their roots. Give the plants every encouragement during the 

 summer by frequent waterings both at the roots and overhead, 

 and by surface-stirring the soil ; they will then increase in size 

 very fast. 



Although this plant generally assumes a compact habit of 

 growth, yet from the first potting to the last in autumn a little 

 attention to the shortening the shoots will be necessary, due 

 regard being paid to the shape the plants are intended to take, 

 which may be either that of a standard, pyramid, or bush, 

 which last form is to be preferred for this mode of culture, as 

 the intention is to grow as large a plaut as possible in the 

 shortest space of time, and the more matured shoots the plant 

 makes the more flowers it produces. 



I have now to make a few remarks on the time for taking up 

 the plants and their after-treatment. The latter part of 

 September is the time I choose for taking up, as I do not want 

 the plants to flower before the following February ; therefore, 

 twice in August and once at the beginning of September I cut 

 the roots with a spade, at a distance regulated by the size of 

 the plant ; but it must be borne in mind that the first cutting 

 must be the nearest to the plant, and the others an inch farther 

 off each time. The roots the plant has made in the intervals 

 are thus secured at taking-up time. Before taking up the 

 plants water them, and have the pots in readiness. For potting 

 U3e similar soil to that from which the plants are taken ; after 

 potting they should be placed in a cold pit or frame, and kept 

 close and shaded from sun, but at other times give them 

 plenty of light. Water them well at the roots and round the 

 pots, also over the foliage, and they will soon establish them- 

 selves. They may be kept in the pit or frame till Christmas, 

 and then bo placed in a little higher temperature with plenty 

 of light ; they will soon show flowers at the extremity of every 

 little shoot, and will in a short time produce suoh a mass of 

 blossom as will surprise even the most careless observer. — 

 Thomas Record. 



FLOWERS AND FLOWER SHOWS. 



In a recent paper in The Journal of Horticulture on 

 Floral Criticism (page 142), I referred to the setting-up of a 

 false standard from within. It was also my intention there to 

 challenge all devices practised with the view of meeting certain 

 floral canons otherwise than by the exercise of horticultural 

 skill. Such devices, which I have elsewhere combated under 

 the heading of " Floricultural Millinery," are in my judgment 

 false and deceptive, and lead to an incalculable amount of 

 mischief. The late Dr. Lindley fought long and consistently 

 against them, but they have been increasing since his day. 

 "Dressing" is now more common, and carried further than 

 ever ; and I believe this is one cause of the loss of interest in, 

 and diminution of attendance at, our flower shows. 



Mr. A , who is fond of plants and flowers, and wishes to 



have the best of everything in his garden, goes to a flower show. 

 He first encounters the Pelargoniums, and exclaims, " What 

 huge trusses of flowers ! " He selects and buys a certain num- 

 ber on account of their huge trusses, not knowing or thinking 

 at the moment that the nature of the Pelargonium is to shed 

 its early flowers before the late ones expand, and that the huge 

 trusses are due to the retention of the early flowers by the 

 artificial process of gumming. He arrives next at the out 

 Roses, and is equally struck, and again tempted, by their size, 

 not knowing that in many cases a gorged plant has been allowed 

 to produce only two or three flowers, all other buds— the beau- 

 tiful buds !— having been removed in an inoipient state. But 



