December IG, 1869. ] 



JOURNAIi OF HOETICXniTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



473 



to find an abundant crop of self-sown strong plants. The 

 sitnation ia in the north-east of Scotland, 700 feet above the 

 sea level.— H. C. T. 



AMONG THE ROSES. 



EvEBY rosarian looks with much interest for details of expe- 

 riences with Koees daring the blooming season ; it is by the 

 summing-up of these results that plans can be arranged for the 

 future, certain sorts be selected for cultivation, and some be re- 

 jected ; and so the cultivator passes onwards to another season's 

 work, having, in addition to his own sum of results, the expe- 

 riences of others by which to plan, purpose, and accomplish. 



It may be asked, What have we in the way of good autumnal- 

 blooming Eoses ? for what can be more agreeable to the rosarian 

 than to be able to cut good blooms even up to that time when 



" Tho rime lies on the Cedar boughs, the hoar fvost on the eaves ?'' 



We can appreciate them at that season more calmly than when 

 our eyes were dazzled by their overpowering splendour, our 

 attention distracted by their infinite number, and we cling to 

 them fondly because so soon to leave us. 



Looking through Mr. William Paul's nurseries at Waltham 

 Cross .about the end of September, I was enabled to note the 

 following as line autumnal bloomers among the Hybrid Per- 

 petnals — viz., Alfred Colomb, bright fiery red ; -Alfred de Rouge- 

 mont, a fine dark flower, which might be described as bright 

 deep crimson shaded with purple ; La Duchesse de Morny, a 

 beautiful and delicate shade of rose colour ; La France, a fine 

 autumnal Eose, producing splendid blooms ; Le Ehone, a very 

 fine late variety, and a rich hue of colour ; Lord Maeaulay, 

 bright deep crimson, very good ; Madame Alfred de Eougemont, 

 a capital white Eose, blooming in large clusters ; Madame Victor 

 Verdier, a Eise of which, Mr. W. Paul observed, too much 

 cannot be said in praise, colour rich bright crimson ; Madame 

 Elise Vilmorin, scarlet crimson, large and very fine in the 

 autumn, but of imperfect shape ; Prince Camille de Rohan, 

 dark crimson maroon, distinct in colour and very free of bloom ; 

 Souvenir de Dr. Jamin, very dark, of a deep bluish violet hue, 

 distinct and fine ; Souvenir de William Wood, dark shaded 

 maroon, a fine autumnal-blooming variety, but apt to burn 

 in the summer, and should not be included in a list of summer 

 Eoses ; Turenne, a very pretty and pleasing hue of rosy red ; 

 and Victor Verdier, rosy carmine, but which comea much 

 deeper in colour in the autumn. 



Of the group of Bourbon Perpetnals two were especially 

 worthy of notice — viz., Madame Gnstave Bonnet, a very fine 

 and beautiful flower that comea deep flesh-coloured when it 

 first expands, but changes to ptire white as the blooms reach 

 maturity, and so profaae of bloom that the plants appear 

 covered with buds and flowers ; and Michel Bonnet, rosy peach, 

 also very free of bloom. 



One great lesson taught at Waltham Cross was, that there is 

 nothing like the Tea Eoses for autumn work, and they were 

 very beautiful, old Gloire de Dijon yielding magnificent blos- 

 soms, as if defiant of the oncoming of winter with its frosted 

 brow and sure destruction ; but as all Tea Eoses produce light 

 flowers, there is much need of the showier and darker hues of 

 the Hybrid Perpetuals to give them life and pleasant contrasts. 

 As a bedding Eose Mr. W. Paul strongly recommends Souvenir 

 de Malmaison, both as a free and continuous bloomer, and aa 

 being as fine late aa it is early ia the season. 



Of the new Eoses of 1868-69 the following small but inter- 

 esting group should be noted by cultivators : — Leopold II., 

 clear rose, slightly tinged with salmon, of fine form, large and 

 full, and of vigorous growth ; Madame Creyton, one of the very 

 best of the new Eoses of this date, the flowers having a deep 

 rose centre and an edging of rosy lilac ; flowers large, smooth, 

 and very fine, and a somewhat late-blooming variety ; Monsieur 

 Jonrneanx, a fine deep reddish crimson flower, flowers of good 

 form, plant of vigorous growth ; Marquise de Gibot, pale bright 

 rose, flowers globular and of good substance, and a constant 

 bloomer ; Marquise de Mortemart, alabaster white, tinted with 

 delicate flesh in the centre, flowers large, growth vigorous, said 

 to have been raised from Jules Margottin ; and Perfection de 

 Lyon, rose, the reverse of the petals silvery lilac, fall, good 

 shape, and to be depended on. Of the 1867-68 batch, Impera- 

 trice Charlotte, beautiful, pale rose, clear and delicate, flowers 

 large, full, and freely produced, and of abundant growth, was 

 one of the very best. All these belong to the Hybrid Perpetual 

 division. 



No one could, or at least should, think of going to Waltham 



Cross without inspecting the house of Tea and Noiaette Eoses 

 ere he leave. That house is always a charming sight whec 

 the plants are covered with those exquisite fragrant flowers o£ 

 so many tints of yellow. Scarcely ever without flowerg, there 

 are yet certain occasions when some kinds stand out distinctly 

 from their neighbours because of their superb beauty of deve- 

 lopment. On this occasion I saw Solfaterre, very fine ; Soc- 

 venir d'un Ami, also ; President, carrying some fine flowers ; 

 Cloth of Gold, still in bloom, but not so grandly as it oomee 

 during the summer months proper— a variety, however, that 

 must not be depended on for autumnal work ; Belle de Bonr- 

 deaux, a rose-coloured variety that makes an excellent climber ; 

 Marquise de Foucault, a nice-looking Eose in a house, but the 

 flowers are not quite double, and hang their heads so that they 

 cannot be seen to the best advantage ; Jaune d'Or, buff centre, 

 the outside petals flushed with rose ; and Climbing Devoniensis, 

 respecting which Mr. Paul says that it blooms most profusely 

 after it has been two years budded on the Dog Eose. 



And now that the chill evenings have come, and curtains sure 

 drawn, and bright fires glow, who is so happy as the Soge- 

 grower with the new catalogues before him ? And it may be 

 added in full truth, especially at that aeaaon of the year wbeE 

 festive occasions recur, and the wreaths of crimson-berrieiJ 

 Holly garland the head of Chriatmas. 



" What reeks it then that Nature's face is wreatheil in crown of sttow, 

 Or that the crimson Rose of June within her grave lies low ? 

 Are there not springing in oar hearts perennial flowers still. 

 Glad evergreens, bright eversreens, of friendship and goodwill?'* 

 — Vi.l. 



HINTS TO COTTAGE GARDENERS. 



In giving some advice to cottagers on the cultivation of t. 

 few vegetables for exhibition and other purposes, I shali 

 confine myself to a limited number, commencing with iht 

 Onion. 



It is well known that in some kiudg of ground you may grow 

 Onions to great perfection with little trouble, whilat in other 

 situations it is almost impossible to grow them, or stay the 

 sad havoc made by grubs in the early part of the season. Art 

 experienced gardener once told me it was a great advantage to 

 sow early, and in this I quite agree. All Onion beds ought to 

 be manured in the autumn, and sown, after being well trodden, 

 in February, if the weather will permit. For preventing the 

 attacks of the grub many things are advised; the most simple 

 is a good dressing of soot, which is generally advantageous, 

 but the grub that attacked the Onions during the drought of 

 1868 never flinched under scot-dressings in any quantity, and 

 this season, having had the misfortune to sow on new land, 

 which ought never to be done, the grub has been very de- 

 structive. A remedy which I have tried and can recommend 

 is to boil an armful of Tansy, and water the bed with the 

 liquor. I applied to one-half of a trial bed of six varieties another 

 valuable mixture; this consists of soft soap and sulphur, t, 

 good handful of each, and two or three handfala of soot, the 

 whole mixed in a good-sized watering pan. The half of the 

 bed to which this mixture was applied gave a fair average crop, 

 while the Onions in the other half went entirely off. 



In choosing the kinds worth growing, it cannot be too strongly 

 impressed on the grower that inferior sorts occupy the same 

 extent of ground. Nuneham Park ia a first-class Onion, and 

 has won with one exception wherever I have known it ex- 

 hibited. The exception was when a gardener, who has grown 

 it largely, set up six of the finest I had ever seen at an exhi- 

 bition ; there were thirteen competitors, and, to my surprise, 

 he only took the second prize, the first being awarded to Bed- 

 fordshire Champion, sown, I was informed by the exhibitor, in 

 the first week in Febrnary, and there was no dispute that the 

 latter well merited the honour, and from having seen it grown 

 elsewhere I have no doubt it is a great acquisition. 



Peas.— For cottagers' use I would entirely discard the 

 earliest varieties. Maclean's Advancer is a fine second early 

 that I would recommend, and, being of a branching habit, it 

 need not be sown so thickly as many cheaper varieties. 

 Wonderful well deserves its name ; it is one of the very beet 

 of croppers. Princess Eoyal is a cheap and useful sort, and 

 should you fancy one of the tall sorts, Ne Plus Ultra is a &IM 

 Pea for exhibition purposes. Commend me to Veitch's Perfec- 

 tion for flavour ; I almost faccy it stands in the first position. 

 Do not sow it as usual, but plant the Peas like Beans, not lese 

 than 3 inches apart. Take cfi all damaged pods, and cat one 

 off all double straps, and you will be surprised at the size and 

 quantity of Peas you will obtain. Sow fifteen or sixteen week« 



