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JOUENAIi OP HORTICDLTDBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t March 6, 187S. 



From Mr. Williams came a splendid gronp of Palms, Orchids, 

 and ether plants, notable amonf? which were a line Imanto- 

 phyllum miuiatum, the splendid blue Tillandsia Lindeui, Tri- 

 chopilia suavis, and Vanda insignis. Mr. Laurence, gardener to 

 Bishop Sumner, Farnham Castle, had a cultural certificate for 

 a specimen of Dendrochilum glumaceum measuring more than 

 a yard in diameter. 



Mr. William Paul, of Waltham Cross, sent a superb coUec- 

 •tion of Camellias in 5 and (j-inch pots, with large and extremely 

 beautiful flowers, and remarkably healthy foliage ; Ukewise a 

 fine gi'oup of his large pure white Primula, Waltham White, 

 which had before received a certificate. From Mr. James, of 

 Isleworth, came also a very fine group of Primulas. From Mr. 

 H. Herbst, Nurseryman, Richmond, came a small group of 

 young Palms, and the neat little white-flowered Spiraea Thun- 

 bergi ; also a group of Palms and forced shrubs, such as Lilacs, 

 Deutzias, Spirfea japonica, and Indian Azaleas, as well as a box 

 of forced LUy of the Valley, Mr. Ware, Hale Farm Nursery, 

 Tottenham, contributed an interesting gi'oup of hardy flowering 

 and ornamental fohage plants. Mr. R. Dean, Eahug and Bed- 

 font, had a first-class certificate for a very pretty hardy Primula, 

 called Violet Gem, having beautiful violet purple flowers, and a 

 like award for Primula vulgaris auricula-flora with maroon 

 crimson flowers. 



Mr. Croucher, gardener to J. Peacock, Esq., Sudbury House, 

 Hammersmith, had first-class certificates for Agave Kerchovii, 

 A. Baxterii, and A. perbella. Mr. Green, gardener to W. Wilson 

 Saunders, Esq., had a like award for a more handsome example 

 of the last-named. Messrs. Standish & Co., of Ascot, exhibited 

 a branch of Clematis indi\nsa lobata, a charming cool greenhouse 

 climber, which withstands several degrees of frost, and which 

 forms, we understand, quite a feature on the roof of one of th©ir 

 houses at Ascot. 



GLASS EOOFS. 



I PEESU5IE that other horticulturists besides myself have 

 had good reason to complain of the effects of atmospheric 

 changes on the paint and putty of their glass roofs. We have 

 12,000 feet of glass roofing, 7000 of which are painted and 

 glazed with putty on the old and unsatisfactory jjlan, and 

 5000 on the plan I am about to describe, and for which I took 

 out a patent a few years since, and which, after completing 

 my invention, I allowed to be used by the public. As it is 

 difficult to give correct ideas of this mode of glazing without 

 drawings, I will merely draw attention to the most important 

 features of this imperishable roof. The rafters are grooved 

 half an inch deep on one side and one-thh'd ou the other 

 side. This, in case of breakage, allows of a sheet of glass being 

 inserted without interfering with the other glass. After the 

 rafters have been fixed, the glass is slipped down, and lapped 

 a quarter of an inch ; in order to make each lap fit well, every 

 sheet of glass is matched on a plane board before it is slipped 

 into the grooves, then every flat sheet is matched to a flat 

 one, and every curved one to a curved one. This, if properly 

 done, will make the laps almost airtight; but if it is necessary 

 to make the work more complete, then Hoare's varnish, kept 

 liquid by hot water, may be applied to the inner part of the 

 lap, as oil is applied to the sewing machine. This causes the 

 laps to be thoronghly airtight and watertight. After the glass 

 has been inserted putty is used to till up the grooves; this 

 makes very solid work, and the putty is never affected by frost, 

 as I have proved by experience. The rafters are not painted, 

 they are prepared by placing them in a trough, where boiling 

 creosote is poured on them ; here they are allowed to remain 

 two hours, the creosote is then drawn-off and boiled again, 

 and again poured on : if it be drawn-off in about half an hour, 

 and the rafters then taken out, they will be dry in a day, and 

 fit for use. In six months afterwards they may be painted, 

 hut the brown colour of the creosoted wood has not an un- 

 pleasant appearance ; at all events you have the pleasant re- 

 flection that it will not cost you anything more for putty 

 or paint. — Observer. 



and should be kept near the glass, or the plants will be likely t© 

 damp-off. — 0. Oepet. 



Lobelia pumil.^ graxdifloe.^. — I used this Lobelia last season 

 for beddiug-out, and I can most strongly recommend it for 

 small beds. It does not come true from seed, but it is easily 

 propagated by cuttings. I obtained a small plant in the month 

 of June, from whic^h I took about a hundred cuttings, and put 

 them in a cold frame. They made nice plants by tlae autumn. 

 I let them remain in the cutting-pans until the following 

 spring, then divided them, and had enough and to spare. I 

 gave some to my neighbours, and they were delighted with it. 

 It will do best in a warm place through the winter moutbs^^ 



POLYANTHUS CULTUEE. 



I SEND you the method by which I grow my PolyanthusGB 

 in beds. I take the soil out of the bed 18 inches deep, and I 

 put a thick layer of old horse dung at the bottom. Then I 

 mix the soil from the bed with old turf, leaf mould, and good 

 sharp sand, well mixed together in equal proportions, and I 

 put it on the horse dung on the bed where the plants are to 

 flower. I put the horse dung at the bottom of the bed, be- 

 cause I find the plants always strike down to it, and they 

 flower much stronger. The situation that I always find the 

 best is a shady border under a hedge, where they are screened 

 from the hot sun. The Polyanthus is often killed by red 

 spider : to avoid which, as soon as possible, 1 lift them from' 

 the frame with a good ball of earth, and take care not to break 

 the young roots off them. I plant them 10 inches apart. 

 When in flower I shade them from the hot sun, and the 

 flowers consequently keep fresh much longer. Crossing for 

 seed should be done from twelve to two o'clock. Impregnation 

 is more effectual when done at this time. The plants that I 

 save seed from are those that I bloom in pote in a frame, and 

 from which bees are kept. The best-marked flowers, with the 

 best tubes — such as Lord Lincoln, Beauty, George IV., King- 

 fisher, C. Allsebrook, and President — are good to breed from, 

 as they seed freely. I am sure if any of my Polyanthus friends 

 will try those sorts, they will find them excellent. I have my- 

 self two thousand plants of seedlings to flower this spring, and 

 something like forty kinds to plant out to try again, that were 

 very promising last spring. Some of them I expect to be fine. 



To raise a good stock I make up a hotbed in my large frame,, 

 and put C inches of leaf mould in it. Twelve days after, when the- 

 heat has subsided, I take my plants up and ilivide them. The 

 latter end of July is the best time for this operation. Take 

 care that there are no old roots left to them, as they are often 

 cankered, and do the plants no good. It does not matter if 

 there be no roots to them at all, as they soon make new roots 

 when put in heat. I give them a good soaking with water,, 

 and keep them close for about twelve or fourteen days ; then 

 I give a little air for a few days, afterwards I take the lights 

 off altogether till the end of September, and then put the 

 lights on for the winter. I generally sow my seed the first 

 week of March in well-drained pans. Fill the pan with leaf 

 mould and turf, and a little sand on the top. In this I sow 

 my seed, just covering it over, and give it a good watering, 

 and put it in the frame till it comes up. As soon as the young 

 plants form rough leaves, I put them out of doors till the latter 

 end of June, then I plant them in beds, where they remain 

 till they flower. Inferior sorts I pull up as they flower. If 

 any of my Polyanthus friends will send to me in -Vpril, I shall 

 be glad to send them a box of flowers of named kinds, and 

 some of my seedlings to look at. — Willia.m Aelseeeook (ju 

 I'lie Gardener.) 



THE SELECTION OF EOSES. 

 The letters by Mr. K. W. Beachey are a perfect delight, tar 

 he puts so clearly and forcibly the exact sentiments of real 

 Eose-growing amateurs, and I, as well as many others, have 

 had to pay much to find out what ho so admirably tells. In 

 the absence of some such table of different cpialities as he sets 

 forth, most of the lists sent in are short of their greatest 

 value ; if they had those different qualities appended, each 

 grower might select Roses for the exact qualities he most pre- 

 fers. The Rose merchants themselves would be the most 

 benefited, I believe, by such unmistakeable and well-defined 

 qualities being clearly set forth, for then all would get what 

 they wish, and many would be saved the disappointment that 

 leads to their giving up growing Roses at all. I speak from 

 costly experience, and am confident this is the truth, and hope 

 you will work this matter to an issue a.s pointed out by Mr. 

 Beachey ; for this course would certainly lead to a very large 

 additional growth and demand for the queen of flowers. — 

 S. S. 



CHAJLEEOPS FOETUNEI. 



YorR correspondent Mr. J. Robson, in writing upon the non- 

 advisability of planting this Palm in the open air, does not, I 

 think, make out a case against either the hardiness or tho 



