November 12, 1874 .] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



419 



Leaving just at the time, I cannot Bay how this labour wae 

 performed. I have heard it was done, and that the plant suc- 

 ceeded well. I hope Mr. Oliffe will tell na through your 

 columns the height and breadth of this fine plant at the present 

 day. — A. Staddon, Gorway Gardens, Teignmouth. 



THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND ORCHIDS 



AT MESSES. J. ^^3ITC^ & SONS, ROYAL EXOTIC NURSERY, 

 KING'S ROAD, CHELSEA. 



The display of Chrysanthemums at the Royal Exotic Nursery 

 this year is much superior to that of last season, not only in 

 the quantity, but much more so in the quality of the flowers. 

 The large-flowered section is that principally represented, 

 although all the best varieties of Japanese and Pompons are 

 grown. Whatever section of horticulture or of floriculture 

 is taken up by this firm, nothing is done by halves or in a half- 

 hearted manner. Witness the Hyacinth, everybody's plant, 

 and the prince of spring flowers. Now we have the king of 

 autumn flowers, and one that is to be found in every garden. 

 During the last sixteen years I have seen the best collections 

 in England and Scotland, but nowhere have I seen so many 

 really good flowers on the same number of plants as on this 

 colleotion at Chelsea. 



When Mr. Laing, now of Messrs. Downie, Laird, & Laing, 

 had charge of the Earl of Rosslyn's Gardens at Dysart, he 

 exhibited wonderfully large flowers in the Scottish metropolis, 

 and such magnificent flowers of Golden Queen of England I 

 have not seen since. But taking them upon the whole, though 

 they were probably larger than the flowers grown in the south, 

 the climate was against him, and the same finish was not 

 apparent. Mr. Laing's system was to plant the cuttings early 

 in December, and allow them to root slowly in cold frames 

 during the winter, removing the plants to a position under a 

 south wall when danger of injury from frost was not to be 

 feared. It is still the best treatment to put in the cuttings 

 early, and allow them to root without being forced in great 

 heat ; but from experience I believe it is not so important to 

 put them in so early in the south, nor so safe, for the earliest 

 cuttings have a tendency to flower during the early summer 

 months, which spoils the autumn bloom. In the north I never 

 saw the early-rooted plants flower prematurely. 



There has also been very considerable improvement in the 

 quality of the flowers raised during the last ten years, although 

 for the last five or six nothing of sterling merit has been added 

 to the large incurved or florists' section, except from sports. 

 White Venus, a sport from the silvery lilac variety of that 

 name, and George Glenny, a primrose-coloured sport from 

 Mrs. George Bundle, will hold their own for many years to 

 come. 



Of course all the best varieties new and old are at Chelsea, 

 and a few sterling sorts that are to be seen nowhere else. A 

 very fine large incurved flower was pointed out to me as Annie 

 Salter ; now this variety I have not seen other than reflexed ; 

 whether it is a sport or whether the culture has to do with it, 

 either way it is a better flower than Golden Beverley. A few 

 of the very best are Empress of India, Gloria Mundi, Jardin 

 des Plantes, John Salter, Lady Harding, Lady Slade, Mrs. 

 George Bundle, Mrs. Haliburton, Pink Perfection, Prince Alfred, 

 Prince of Wales, Princess Beatrice, Princess of Wales, Princess 

 of Teck, and Venus. Amongst the Japanese a few of the best 

 are Elaine, Fair Maid of Guernsey, Garnet, Jane Salter, James 

 Salter, Magnum Bonum, Red Dragon, Grandiflorum, Apollo, 

 Dr. Masters, Comet, and many more with quaint and beautiful 

 flowers. Altogether this collection is well worth a visit of 

 inspection, as the flowers are remarkably early this year, and 

 will soon be over. The warm weather in the last week of 

 October exactly suited the Chrysanthemum, and the early days 

 of November have been equally favourable, so that out of 

 doors where just a little attention has been given to tying and 

 placing sticks to the plants the cottage gardens are a blaze 

 of beauty. 



Another remarkable feature at Messrs. Veitch's is the very 

 large number of the different species of Orchids at present in 

 flower. Some of them are distinguished for their extreme 

 rarity and magnificent appearance. Of such is Oncidium 

 Rogersii, which has a very large spike with twelve branches ; 

 its large golden-coloured labellum marks it as the finest of the 

 species. 0. xauthinum is an allied species, the flowers of 

 the same deep yellow, but very much smaller ; the spike is also 

 smaller. O. verrueosum is very pretty, and the small-flowered 

 delicately-scented 0. cheirophornm is also in flower. Amongst 



Cypripediums, C. insigne var. Maulei is remarkably handsome. 

 There are also some very handsome Cattleyas. C. exoniensia 

 is truly grand ; all the varieties are worthy of culture in the 

 most select collections, but some of those in flower here are of 

 the most select character. One of the varieties of C. labiata 

 had flowers of immense size, and reminded one of the best 

 varieties of C. Warnerii in June. Numerous Odontoglossums 

 are represented ; 0. Roezlii in many choice varieties, some of 

 them with deep purple blotches at the base of the sepals ; 

 others have merely the usual pale yellow marking. Masde- 

 vallia tovarensis is now in full beauty. There are many fine 

 specimens. One, very large, has a profusion of its pure white 

 flowers in pairs. Their delicate transparent beauty remind 

 one of the lines — 



" Hath swept the marble where her feet 

 Gleam'd whiter than the mountain aleet. 

 Ere from the cloud that gave it birth 

 It fell, and caught one stain of earth." 



Of the Indian Crocus Pleiones, the rather rare P. Reichen- 

 bachiana is in fine flower ; also the Moth Orchids, Calanthes of 

 sorts, Sophronitis grandiflora in large clumps ; and the rare 

 Angrajcum citratum has a fine spike in an advanced state ; 

 indeed, it is seldom that one sees a larger number of species 

 and varieties of Orchids in May. — J. Douglas. 



THE GARIBALDI STRAWBERRY. 



As I supplemented Mr. Taylor's remarks on President, I may 

 venture to tack on a tail to Mr. Wrather's note on Garibaldi. 

 Mr. Frisby, of Blankney Hall, forces Garibaldi largely; it is, in 

 fact, his principal forcer, and right well it serves him with its 

 heavy crops of well-coloured fruit. Noting its autumnal bearing, 

 I may add that I have seen a border at Blankney in October, not 

 with a ripe fruit dotted here and there as a curiosity, but from 

 which quarts of ripe fruit were regularly gathered. This was 

 from plants forced in the preceding spring. Many a Straw- 

 berry lover would have rejoiced over such a crop in July. This 

 is unquestionably an early, free-bearing, and very useful variety 

 of the Keens' Seedling type, but, unlike President, does not 

 flourish so well on a light soil as on a sound generous loam. 

 In a word, it is a good Strawberry with a good Strawberry soil 

 to grow it in. 



When in this garden I put the query, "Which is the best 

 preserving Strawberry ? " The reply was very prompt. " Grove 

 End Scarlet of course," as if there could be any doubt or 

 question about it. Certainly Mr. Frisby had none, and the 

 opinion of such a hard-headed practical man, confirmed as it 

 is by that of many another of those who judge by sheer merit 

 alone, has great weight. He plants Grove End Scarlet a foot 

 apart in beds, gets quantities of fruit, and it produces a better 

 and more beautifully-coloured jam than any other variety. 

 That is the Blankney testimony, and "The Squire" Ukes 

 everything good, from racers to Strawberries. He does not 

 live in a cave if he keeps a " Hermit." — J. Weight. 



ROSES ON BRIAR STOCKS. 

 In reply to several private inquiries which I have received 

 since I communicated an article to this Journal on the above 

 subject, as to my peculiar method of rooting the Briar, I beg 

 to say that what I select for my stocks are simply the young 

 growths or offshoots of the common hedge Briar. They are 

 not suckers with some roots attached as some of my corre- 

 spondents suppose, but side shoots from the parent plant, 

 which spring from all parts of the bush— from the centre stem 

 or branches. These are pulled off wherever they occur, 

 provided they are of the right thickness, just as you would 

 take off a cutting or slip of any other plant. They are planted 

 in the usual way, will throw out roots in abundance next 

 summer, and will produce several offshoots or branches up 

 the stock, which will be in nice order for budding about July 

 or August next. Last October I put down about two hundred 

 Briars in this way, and fully 80 per cent, were fit for working 

 in. These I have all budded, and they are doing well. Last 

 week I was transplanting some of these, and they were beauti- 

 fully rooted, with an abundance of fine fibrous roots, which 

 would have pleased Mr. Prince himself, and would not blush 

 before his " Oxford seedlings." I was also raising some that 

 were put down two years ago and once transplanted. These 

 were quite as well rooted as some Manettis I was lifting at 

 the same time, which is saying a good deal. I should say that 

 Briars treated in this way throw up very few suckers, which is 



