December 16, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTOBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



475 



Paris, so that anyone would have to spend a considerable time 

 in attempting to see them all ; and then, even if there at the 

 time, the bashes are so out about for stock, if the kind be really 

 valuable, that the flowers are either very scarce or give a very 

 inadequate idea of their true character. As to relying on 

 the character given by the raisers, why, they are all charming, 

 magnificent, splendid, perfection, &a. 



I was not in Paris this year until August, and consequently 

 could not see any of the Roses, although the season was a very 

 late one, and heard but very little ; hut there were two of which 

 I heard a good deal, and when others than the raisers praise 

 flowers — alas ! such is human nature — we may be inclined to 

 believe that there is something in them. One of these was 

 LouU I'un lluuttf, raised by Lacharme, the raiser of Charles 

 Lefebvre, and in which, if the description be anything like it, 

 we may expect a worthy rival to that noble flower. The other 

 was Unique, a Tea Rose, raised by Guillot tils, who has already 

 given to us Madame Margottin, Adrienne Christophle, and 

 Marie Sisley, and which is described by the raiser as of an 

 entirely new character. There are already before me lists of 

 between fifty and sixty Hybrid Perpetuals, about a dozen Teas, 

 two Noisettes, three Bourbons, and a few in other classes. 

 Now who is to decide as to which are the prizes and which the 

 blanks in this long list ? I for one cannot. We all know the 

 prizes will be few. We are promised of white Roses, Blanche 

 de Mera, Elise BoL-Ue, Madame Liabaud, Perle Blanche, Reine 

 des Beautes, and Reine des Blanches, but whether they are 

 better than Virginal, Mdlle. Bounaire, Baronne de Maynard, &c., 

 is doubtful. Then the rose, cerise, satin-like rose, &c., are in 

 numbers. It would almost seem as if the French growers 

 could adapt themselves to our wants. At one time we were all 

 for crimson and dark Roses ; but at last the cry was, " Hold ! 

 Enough ! We want light-coloured and white flowers." And 

 lo ! as if by an enchanter's wand they flock in upon us, nor 

 can we say without giving us something of real merit. Monsieur 

 Neman and Baronne de Rothschild are sufficient to show us 

 that. We must look forward, then, in hope. It is our good 

 friends the nurserymen we must pity. What a perplexity they 

 must be in ! They cannot possibly order all. Which shall 

 they leave out ? — which propagate most of? — must be anxious 

 questions, and I believe private information, or even personal 

 survey, will help them very little. Happy they who are not 

 thus tortured, and calmly wait their verdict. — D., Deal. 



WINTER BEDDING PLANTS. 



{Continued from page 432.) 



It must not be inferred because common and easily-grown 

 herbaceous plants are recommended that shrubs are objected 

 to ; on the contrary, where shrubs can be obtained for winter 

 bedding there is no question that they add materially to the 

 general effect. As I have expressed an unfavourable opinion 

 as to keeping plants in pots for winter on account of the atten- 

 tion they require at a time when other things want looking 

 after, I wiU here restrict the list of plants suitable to such 

 only as transplant well ; for, be it observed, they have to 

 undergo that operation twice a-year. The better class of orna- 

 mental Hollies will not endure this treatment, and some of 

 the Cypresses are equally bad transplanters ; on the other hand, 

 the common Aucuba will bear removal any month in the year, 

 and the other plants here mentioned are also very accommo- 

 dating in this respect. 



Box.— Plants of different sizes are very useful, the tree Eos 

 being much prettier than the edging or the intermediate variety ; 

 the gold-leaved variety, so called, is not half so good as the 

 plain green, having only a sickly look at a short distance off. 

 A partially-shaded place during the summer is best, but not 

 too much so, otherwise the shoots become too tender to bear 

 the cold blasts after planting-out in October or November. 



Ikish Yew. — A few plants of this are often useful as centre 

 plants for circular beds. In general it transplants very well, 

 the thickly-mattt d roots retaining a ball of earth of sufficient 

 size to keep the plant in good health all the winter, and in 

 spring it can be taken back to its place with very little loss. 

 In some cases, however, it may be advisable not to remove it 

 again for eighteen months, missing one year. 



Abbor-vit.e. — Like the preceding, this removes very well, 

 and being faster- growing and more easily propagated, plants 

 can be had for the ordinary fiUing-in of beds, and where va- 

 riety is wanted they answer very well ; but I am not very 

 partial to it, as the plants are not of so lively a green aa Box 

 and some other shrubs, but they transplant well. 



Ladrustinus. — It need hardly be said this plant does not 

 like to be twice removed in one season, but it will bear the 

 ordeal once very well, and young plants loaded with flowers 

 look well in a mild winter like last one, when even Camellias 

 were in excellent bloom out of doors in December and January; 

 but in exposed situations it is not desirable. 



Santolisa incana (Lavender Cotton). — This plant is not 

 so much used as it deserves to be ; its silvery foliage fits it 

 especially for winter, but around shrubs we have permanent 

 edgings of it which are much admired ; they are cut-in rather 

 severely in August, and make fresh foliage, and look well all 

 winter. For plants intended for the winter garden a number 

 of cuttings put in, say, about September, root during the winter 

 and early in spring, when they may be planted out in some 

 poor piece of ground well exposed to the sun, and by autumn 

 they form neat stocky plants. This plant is one of my favour- 

 ites for the winter garden. 



Retinospora ericoides. — The beautiful violet tint which 

 this plant assumes in autumn and winter entitles it to more 

 notice than it often receives, and the impression that it only 

 thrives in a peaty soil is certainly an erroneous one, for here 

 it does well in a soil exactly the reverse ; and having a number 

 of plants of it not all wanted for permanent positions, I have 

 for several winters had some taken up in autumn for the 

 winter beds, and with a successful result ; at the same time I 

 cannot say they have all done so well when removed again in 



March. . .... 



Stachys lanata.— " A summer plant," some will say, but it 

 is, nevertheless, a winter one also, and does good service with 

 very little trouble. In most places some plants of this will be 

 found in the shrubbery or some out-of-the-way spot; these 

 being palled to pieces not too small, each with sufficient root 

 at the layer-like stalk end, may be planted in separate patches, 

 and they look tolerably well, but certainly not so well as the 

 variegated Arabis mentioned in my previous article, but being 

 a plant easily obtained it may be tried with advantage. 



Saxifraga hypnoides. — I am not sure that this plant is so 

 well adapted for winter as for a permanent position on some 

 shady rockwork, but in an emergency it may be tried. It is a 

 low mossy-looking plant, of an intense green, and looks well in 

 wintGr 



Saxifraga eothndifolia.— I am not exactly sure whether 

 I have given the true botanical name to this plant, but it can 

 never be confounded with the first-named species, as this has 

 foliage as large as that of a full-grown Beet, but of a bright 

 green hue. Its flowers are pink, forming a large spike some- 

 times a foot long. Occasionally I have used this plant, but 

 severe weather injares it very much, and I would hardly ad- 

 vise its use excepting where variety is wanted. 



Sedge.— Yes, the common Sedge of the ditches, which, 

 with the exception of Helleborus fcetidus and Arabis albida 

 variegata first mentioned, I believe we patronise more exten- 

 sively than any other plant, and at a little distance it is easily 

 mistaken for Tritoma, or something of that kind. As a 

 plant it may be said to cost nothing; nevertheless a httle 

 attention is due to it, and in the summer, say about the be- 

 ginning of August, it is well to look round the ditches to which 

 cattle have not access, and out off the the tops of a number of 

 plants; the after-growth will be shorter-leaved, and more 

 suited to the purpose. The fine spreading habit of this plant 

 well suits it for winter bedding, while in the sun its foliage 

 shines beautifully. I need hardly say it transplants well, and 

 until the dry winds of March set in its foliage seems unimpaired, 

 provided bushy short-leaved plants have been selected. The 

 longer-leaved ones are equally hardy, and look as well at first, 

 but heavy showers break them down. The common Sedge is 

 one of the most useful plants I know for winter decoration, and 

 I have used it for many years. 



Sedusi glaucum.— This small, low-growing, compact little 

 plant can only be used to advantage as an edging, or in very 

 small beds, where it may be worked into any fanciful figure that 

 may be desired. It is quite hardy, and any overgrown edging 

 (and this plant spreads very fast), may be appropriated for the 

 purpose with advantage. Its pale grey hue is on the whole 

 pleasing. , , _ 



Iris.— A variegated variety of the evergreen class can be 

 worked in very advantageously where the situation is suitable ; 

 but it is not so hardy as some of the plants named above, stiU 

 I have in past years had recourse to this plant._ 



Golden Feather Pteethrcm.— My experience with thia 

 only dates back to last winter, in which it survived and looked 

 well, bat it wants going over from time to time, aa it pre- 



