Deeember 24, 1874. ] 



JOUBKAL OF HOETICTILTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



563 



upwarda. It is also with me a decidaous tree, althongh often 

 classed as an evergreen ; but to the general observer it makes 

 no difference, for nine out of every ten who pass it would not 

 notice any foliage upon it, even in the growing season, the 

 foliage is so small and insignificant, and all but lost when seen 

 in contrast with the sturdy flattened stems, which, meeting each 

 other at right angles with rigid accuracy, form the structural 

 features of the plant, and give it importance and interest in 

 all who admire singular-looking plants. Where a collection 

 of trees and shrubs is made, thi? ought never to be omitted, 

 provided the situation be at all a dry one ; for I hardly expect 

 it to prosper in one of a contrary description. 



It is only fair to say that extraordinary hard frosts may kill 

 or at least injure it. Cue we had, and which had attained 

 some size before the hard winter of 1800-67, succumbed to the 

 severity of the frost that season, but the present one has stood 

 unprotected ever since that time, and in the past season was 

 entirely covered with its white blossoms, which look eeiually 

 well either in a bud or expanded state. I believe it originally 

 appeared as Colletia bictoniensis, but has latterly been more 

 properly called C. cruciata, and hails from that country so 

 prolific in formidable-armed plants, Mexico; and presuming 

 its growth to be in accordance with what may be expected of 

 it in its native country, it must make a fence impassable 

 either to the human race or wild animals. Its contemporary 

 C. horrida is also a touch-me-not plant, but lacks that pecu- 

 harity of structure which gives C. cruciata a feature differing 

 widely from everything else I know of growing outdoors, and 

 equalling in many respects the singular formation of many of 

 the succulent plants which inhabit our houses, which I expect 

 at some future time not far distant may again become fashion- 

 able. — J. EoBSON. 



EEPLANTING WOODLAND. 



In 1859-60 an enclosure, which had been recently cleared of ' 

 Larch trees (except a few of the finest and best-grown, which 

 were left, and are now standing), was replanted with Larch. 

 These grew vigorously up to 1868, the very dry year, when 

 many of them showed symptoms of a check. The year follow- 

 ing there was a slight improvement in the growth, but since ■ 

 and up to the present at least one-third of the trees have made 

 little or no growth, and comparatively few have made a fair 

 and healthy progress. During the period a good many Syca- 

 more, Ash, and some Oak have come up spontaneously, and 

 are healthy-growing trees. The land is of better than average 

 quahty, and would not have been originally planted with trees 

 but for a special object. The Larch which were fallen on it 

 in 1858 were generally well-grown healthy trees, some reaching 

 to from 40 to 50 feet cube. The following appeared in a con- 

 temporary a few years ago : — " I never knew a single instance 

 where a new plantation was made on ground that had been 

 previously occupied with trees that ever succeeded unless the 

 whole of the ground was trenched over as deeply as the roots 

 of the trees removed had gone, and every root as thick as a 

 person's finger got out. . . . The result is generally this : The 

 young trees for a time grow, but in two or three years they 

 begin to look sickly, and die off. On examining the roots they 

 are found to be destroyed by a fungus, which has done Nature's 

 work in assisting the decomposition of the dead roots, and, for 

 want of a further supply of food, attacks the living ones, 

 which, in turn, succumb to its encroachments. — T. Baines." 



It will be observed that in the present case the trees had 

 been planted eight years before any unhealthy symptoms 

 appeared. I should state that the ground was not trenched, 

 and the growth of the trees was much more rapid in propor- 

 tion after the first three years than before, owing to the strong 

 vegetable undergrowth they had to contend with at first. The 

 stools and large roots of Larch of the age and size of those 

 fallen would, however, be much longer than three years in 

 decaying. I should have considered the observation of Mr. 

 Baines almost conclusive as to the cause of the second crop of 

 Larch failing if I had not had some considerable experience 

 with regard to growing timber, especially Fir plantations. 



If the decaying roots of trees removed were so prejudicial as 

 would seem from his opinion, the periodical thinning of aU 

 well-managed plantations would tell injuriously upon the trees 

 left standing, the roots of the removed trees being always left 

 behind; this, however, is not the case, but on the contrary I 

 have found nothing more beneficial to the growth of planta- 

 tions than judicious and periodical thinning, and this is not 

 confined to very young trees. I am aware, as a rule, it is not 



desirable to crop land twice in succession with the same crop ; 

 but in the present instance I was induced to replant with 

 Larch, as the most useful and speedily-profitable timber. I 

 may mention that the few Larch left standing have been gradu- 

 ally showing symptoms of decline since the others were fallen, 

 but I attribute this to being subjected to exposure they had 

 not previously been habituated to. Perhaps the observation 

 and experience of some of your readers may throw light upon 

 the subject. — V. 



HOSES SELECTED. 



I HAVE received a letter from a lady in Ireland (" M. H. B."), 

 who complains of scant information as regards Boses in The 

 Journal of IIorticcltdre, but she is certainly wrong about 

 the " Election of Roses." If she will order the number pub- 

 hshed Oct. Ist she will see there the opinions of amateurs as 

 regards the best fifty Roses, including the best twenty Kosee. 

 She wishes to know my opinion of the best Roses of the last 

 two years. I buy " infants " very rarely, as my gardens are 

 so exposed to violent winds. In the late gale 109 feet of a 

 new brick wall (south aspect) was blown down and squashed 

 eighteen of my best Peach and Nectarine trees. 



I will name a selection of Eoses, beginning with those of 

 1864, which I find to be good, of good growth, and of good 

 constitution. 



1864. — Achille Gonod, Dr. Andry, Duchesse de Caylus, Mar- 

 guerite de St. Amand. 1865. — Abel Grand, Alfred Colomb,, 

 Fisher Holmes, Mdlle. Marie Rady, Prince de Porcia. 18G6. — 

 Black Prince, FeUx Genero, Annie Wood, Princess Mary of 

 Cambridge, Madame Margottin, Tea Eose. 1S67. — Elie Morel, 

 Baroness Rothschild. 1868.— Duke of Edinburgh, Madame 

 Creyton, Thyra Hammerick, Edward Morren. 



I do not know the exact dates of the following, but I can 

 safely recommend them — namely. Baron Chaurand, M4xime 

 de la Eocheterie, Countess of Oxford, Etienne Levet, Claude 

 Levet, Vicomtesse de Vezins, and Mr. Veitch's beautiful and 

 valuable high-coloured Tea Rose the Duchess of Edinburgh. 

 The Eose is Al, and the growth excellent. I have other novel- 

 ties, but the plants are as yet weak, and the summer was very 

 trying for infants. Next season I hope to be able to speak 

 favourably of Van Moltke, Diana, Peach Blossom, and St. 

 George. 



Preceding 1864 (in 1863) there came out three Eoses which 

 it is impossible to praise too much — Pierre Netting, Madame 

 Victor Verdier, and Leopold Premier. I thank the lady for 

 her confidence in my recommendations. I never recommend 

 bad growers or reluctant bloomers, and I do not like judging 

 "infants" hastOy. — W. F. Eadclyffe. 



TILLANDSIA LINDENII. 

 In several cuts of the above-named plant that I have seen 

 it has always been represented as throwing up only one spike 

 of fiower at a time — viz., from the heart of the plant. I have 

 a plant under my charge which has produced three spikes, one 

 from the centre and two from the axils of the leaves. Is this 

 unusual ? The glowing descriptions invariably given of this 

 charmLog plant when exhibited, and the flowers being of a 

 colour (blue) so much wanting in exotics, makes me anxious 

 to become more intimately acquainted with this floral beauty. 

 The centre spike has a very strong spathe promising to open at 

 least fourteen flowers ; the other two are not sufficiently ad- 

 vanced for me to determine their number, but all are very 

 healthy-looking. I shall be exceedingly glad if any of the 

 readers of the Journal can enlighten me. — W. C. 



Soils and Subsoils. — The soils upon which the agricul- 

 turist has to operate are usually classified as sandy, sandy or 

 light loams, loams, clayey loams, heavy or retentive clays, 

 marls, calcareous loams, peaty soils, or bog earths. This clas- 

 sification has reference chiefly to composition and texture, a 

 special chemical composition (sihcious, calcareous, &c.), being 

 necessary for the profitable growth of particular crops, and a 

 certain mechanical texture (friable, porous, &c.), suiting best 

 for the permeation of rain and air, and the descent or spread- 

 ing of special roots and rootlets. Loams, consisting of fertile 

 admixtures of sand, clay, and humus or decayed vegetable 

 matter may be regarded as typical soils, which become, on the 

 one hand, light by a preponderance of sand, and on the other, 

 heavy by a preponderance of clay. But whatever their composi- 

 tion and texture, these soils, geologically speaking, are mainly of 



