October 8, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



317 



hnnt Hybrid will certainly be seen higb up at tbe next election. 

 Why Abel Grand has been promoted into such a place of honour 

 by a' bit;h authority in one instance puzzles me ; nor am I quite 

 satisfied with the way in which the " Old Glory," as my gar- 

 denpr calls it, baa been treated. The once well-known owner 

 of Brockham Lodge, here, used to slug — 



" If ever condemned in the country to dwell, 

 Oh I give me the sweet shady side of Pall Mall." 



And if restricted to one Rose, I believe that many would say, 

 Give me Gloire de Dijon ! 



I must confess to disappointment at the way the summer 

 Hoses have fared. Surely Paul Ricaut has not even yet forfeited 

 his place in " the box ! " Charles Lawson is most vigorous, and 

 of a lovely colour. I have not tbe pleasure of knowing your 

 genial correspondent " D., Deal," in the flesh, but I greatly 

 admire the Rev. H. Dombrain in the Rose bed. Referring to 

 one other remark of Mr. Hinton, if he wishes to eliminate, 

 why not restrict himself to those electors who agree in some 

 certain number out of the fifty he asks for? and he might 

 classify if he liked north, south, and mid-England. Roses evi- 

 dently are very different in different localities. — Aian Cheai.es. 



I WANT to thank Mr. Hinton and the electors for providing 

 such a useful guide to small purchasers, who, like myself, can- 

 not afford to buy a lot of new sorts with perfectly gorgeous 

 descriptions, and in many instances nothing else to recommend 

 them. The six Roses at the head of the poll in 1873 are all in 

 the first fifteen of this year's election. Can anyone desire 

 better advice than this ? Does it not show that whilst there 

 will always be great differences of individual opinion, not to 

 say whimsical fancies, as to the merits of some Roses, yet the 

 best will be first if proper means be used to arrive at an un- 

 prejudiced and impartial judgment ? Let those who are about 

 to begin Rose cultivation be advised to take the first six, 

 twelve, eighteen, twenty-four, or more of the list published in 

 the Journal of September 24th, and they may depend upon 

 having, whichever number they decide on, a really unique and 

 thoroughly satisfactory collection of its kind. By the time 

 their ideas have enlarged to fifty or more varieties, enough 

 experience will have been acquired to do without assistance, 

 except in the selection of new sorts, and they may then indulge 

 in as many whims and extravagancies as the state of their 

 finances will permit. 



That there are no really good white Hybrid Perpetuals Is 

 well known, yet perhaps ifor the sake of effect it would be 

 desirable for everyone to have a plant of Boule de Neige, 

 No. 77, or Louise Darzens, not placed, but more hardy and 

 free-flowering than Boule de Neige. I will conclude with the 

 hope, which will find an echo in the hearts of all Rose lovers, 

 that we may soon have a snow-white Alfred Colomb or Charges 

 Lefebvre. — E. L. W., Yeovil. 



Mb. Hinton is quite right in recommending beginners to 

 try Mario Baumann. It is a mistake to consider this Rose a 

 weak grower ; Mr. George Paul in his last catalogue describes 

 it as vigorous. Budded on the Briar it is a good healthy 

 grower, rather strong than weak. Possibly Mr. Radclyffe has 

 grown it only on the Manetti. I found it did not succeed so 

 well on that stock, and I have of late grown it on the Briar 

 only. I have nearly a hundred plants, and I am undecided 

 whether this or La France is the best Hybrid Perpetual ever 

 yet seen ; one or the other is — at least in my estimation. The 

 only fault I can find with Marie Baumann is that the flower-stalk 

 being rather long and thin the Rose is apt to hang its head, as 

 pointed out by Mr. Hinton. I wish Mr. Radclyffe lived nearer 

 to me, and I would get him to come and see my plants of this 

 lovely Rose when in full bloom. He would be delighted, and 

 I am sure would say, "Marie Baumann for ever!" Louis 

 Van Houtte is robust here on the Briar, and Felix Genero 

 strong on the Manetti. Louis XIV. used to grow very strongly 

 with me here on the Manetti, but it was such an uncertain flower 

 that I long since discarded it. It is a splendid flower, and 

 not yet equalled in its colour when it comes in character, and 

 its perfume is exquisite. 



Madame Vidot should be worked anew every year on the 

 Briar ; the blooms on once-cut-back plants will in anything 

 like a Rose soil be found on such plants all that can be desired. 

 Of course this will only suit enthusiasts. People who buy 

 their plants and " stick them in," and take no further trouble 

 with them, cannot grow Madame Vidot, a Rose which, in my 

 opinion, is not sufficiently valued. I think, however, that this 



Rose is too formal in outline to suit the tastes of many. I 

 was particularly struck last summer by the fact that several 

 times when I pointed out what I thought a splendid bloom of 

 this Rose to ladies — and ladies of taste too — that I got a very 

 reluctant assent to my remark, " There is a fine Rose !" and 

 on following the question up, I found that the Rose was " too 

 formal." The best bloom of Madame Vidot I ever saw was 

 shown by Mr. Cant several years ago at Epping. Although I 

 find it do best on the Briar, 1 understood that this bloom was 

 cut from a maiden Manetti plant. Madame Rivers, which 

 seems to be closely related, curiously enough does here much 

 better on the Manetti than on the Briar. — B. H. P. 



You will, I am sure, be pleased to hear that Capt. Christy, 

 Lacharme's new Rose, is a beauty. I cut my first bloom this 

 morning. It will gladden the hearts of exhibitors, as it is full 

 of substance, good fohage, the whole bearing of the plant 

 first-rate. 



Though rather exposed at Yatton, Somerset, I can still cut 

 really nice blooms of Fisher Holmes, Annie Wood, Vicomte 

 Vigier, La France, Dupuy-Tamain, Pitord, Ferdinand de 

 Lesseps, Capt. Lamure, Louisa Wood, John Keynes, C61ine 

 Forestier,Reinedn Midi, Boule de Neige, David Pradel, Madame 

 Bravy, Climbing Devoniensis, Paul Neron, America, and, of 

 course, Gloire de Dijon, my desk looking quite gay as I write, 

 Capt. Christy being a good centre. — J. Hobbs. 



THE PELARGONIUM SOCIETY. 



I THINK the meeting the other day at Kensington was quite 

 as successful as we could anticipate. To start a society, form 

 a committee, and be able to offer a few good prizes for next 

 year, is not a bad beginning. The offer of £8 8s. for twelve 

 plants is sure to produce competition, whilst good prizes for 

 collections of small plants wUl insure variety, and the con- 

 ditions insisted upon that the raiser's name shall be attached 

 will satisfy the amour propre of those who produce new kinds. 

 The pubhc will be sure to benefit by seeing the best sorts in 

 cultivation, whether raised here or on the Continent, and the 

 raisers will be enabled to introduce fresh blood into their 

 strains. 



It was also pointed out by Dr. Masters that the species of 

 Pelargoniums being so numerous, the stimulus of our Society 

 was very likely to result in fresh tribes of hybrids, which might 

 be quite as ornamental as the Zonals and Nosegays already 

 produced. Those who will help us ought to know that Dr. 

 Denny, of Stoke Newington, is the treasurer ; but I hope we 

 shall soon see a list of the members published, and any of us 

 will be glad to receive subscriptions : for such an object I do 

 not object to beg. The subscription of members is 21;;., but 

 any sum shall be acknowledged by me with thanks. 



i am looking out for ornamental species of Geraniums, and 

 anyone having such to dispose of which they think might be 

 useful for cross-breeding would oblige by letting me know. 

 Can any of your readers inform us of the collections there may 

 be in existence ? It is a pity any material should lie dormant 

 which might give rise to new beauties. — J. R. Peaeson, Cldlwcll. 



VALLOTA PURPUREA. 



I LATELY saw a notice of a seedling of this with a white spot 

 on one of the petals. I have known the Vallota for thirty- 

 two years, but this new variety I have not had the pleasure 

 of seeing. It is rather odd to hear this Vallota named pur- 

 purea, as it is not purple, but the late Mr. McNab, of the Edin- 

 burgh Botanic Gardens, told me that it took its name from the 

 purple colour of the leaves at the top of the bulbs ; but this 

 seems to me an odd way of naming a plant. 



I think the Vallota one of our best of bulbous-rooted plants, 

 it blooms so freely every year ; and though I used to see it 

 grown in a stove, it will do equally well in a greenhouse ; and 

 it is so accommodating that it is grown out of doors as a hardy 

 plant in Ayrshire, and at flower shows is exhibited as a hardy 

 herbaceous plant. If it can stand our winters it will become 

 a great addition to our hardy plants ; a bed of it in bloom 

 in September would be something desirable. I saw a pot plant 

 of it last week in full bloom, and there had been thirty-four 

 stems on it, but a few were cut when I saw it. It was grown 

 in a pot a size larger than a No. 1 , and was in fine health. 

 The grower told me there were several varieties ; but very 

 possibly some plants may appear a little different, according 

 as they are well or ill grown. The plant was brought from 



