Much 23. 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURd AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



283 



pairs ; and what with flowers that ran and bo became nseless, 

 and those that threw out no grass, I was worse ofl at the end 

 of the season than at the beginniog. It has been stated, and 

 I suppose there is trath in it, that tlowers after beicg a number 

 of years in oaltivation, deteriorate in oonstitutiou ; and the 

 more recent varieties of Carnations seem to have a mach more 

 vigorous constitution than their relative predecessors. This 

 may be the result of youth ; and although it must be taken 

 with some exception the theory may aooount for facts whijh 

 all growers deplore. 



Into the vexed question of dressing I do not intend to enter. 

 I have had an unusual amount of abuse heaped upon me by 

 Mr. Dodwell in a contemporary for some statements made by 

 me last year in the Journal. I cannot siy I admire his style 

 of controversy, although it is a perfect matter of indifference 

 to me how abusive anyone is, for if according to the Eastern 

 proverb, " Cnrsea come home to roost," language such as he 

 has Qsed will rather injure him than me. But there is one 

 statement which I made in the Journal which has been much 

 misunderstood — viz., that wherein I said that these over- 

 dressed flowers deceived the public. I never had an idea of 

 implying anything of dishonesty in this. It is a recognised 

 principle that these flowers may be so treated, but I think 

 none the less the pablio is deceived. When Miss Tomkios's 

 respected mamma says, " My dear, there are some very unbe- 

 coming hairs growing on your chin, and I think you ought to 

 use a depilatory and get rid of them ;" and when Miss Tomkins 

 in obedience to her beloved pireut does so, and at the next 

 ball to which she goes her beautiful smooth skin is commented 

 on to the said parent, I don't think she tells her friend how 

 it is ; nor do I think she did it to deceive, but merely becana? 

 she thought it more becoming. So these flowers are dressed, 

 not to deceive the public, but because they are considered to 

 look better. None the less, however, it people think they are 

 going to grow them like this they will find their mistake. 



I will here add the names of a few varieties which did well 

 with me last year, and most of which will be found good growers. 

 I cannot give the list without referring to one whose name 

 appears in it — Mr. Norman of Woolivich, and who, I see, has 

 just passed away. I nevtr met him to my knowledge until last 

 year, when he told me ho was suffering from a painful and 

 incurable disease, and that he had been obliged to relinqui h 

 bis cultures. Hn etill took an interett in flowers, and wtiS a 

 member of the Floral Cjmtnittee of the Royal Horticultural 

 Bociety. 



CAUSATIONS. 



Scarlet Biearres. 

 Admiral Carzon lEaaom) 

 QaardsmaQ (Turaer) 

 Lord liancliffe (UoUiday) 

 Mars (Hextslll 

 Mercary (Hextall) 



Crimson Bizarres, 

 Eccentric Jack (Wood) 

 Isaac Wilkinson (Turner) 

 Jenny Lind iPoslty) 

 Lord Goderich (Oill) 



Pink and Purple Bixarrea. 

 Parity ("Wood) 

 Sarah Payne (Ward) 



Red-edged. 

 Exhibitor (Elkington) 

 J. B. Bryant Ingram) 

 Le0D(^ra (FelLjwee) 

 Mrs. H'jrcby (TurnPr) 

 Miss Turner (Taylor) 

 Mrs. Keynea iFrli >wes) 

 Mrs. Norman (Norman) 

 "William bammers (Siraonite) 



Purple-edged. 

 admiration (Turner) 

 Alliance (Fellowes) 

 Edith iFeliuwes) 

 Eftvonritd (Norman) 



Purple Flake$. 

 Ajas (Heltall) 

 Dr. Foster (Foster) 

 Mayor of Nottingham (Taylor) 

 bquire Trow (Jackson) 



Scarlet Flakes. 

 Cliristopher Sly lllsy) 

 Cradlej Pes (Wallls) 

 John Bayley (Dodwell) 

 Sportsman (Hedderley) 

 WlUiam IV. (Wilson) 



Rose Flaket. 

 James Merryweather (Wo^id) 

 Lovely Anne (Ely) 

 Mrs. F. Bumaby (Turner) 

 Rose of OaBtiU© (Headly) 



Purple-edged {continued). 

 Medina iFtUowea) 

 Mrs. Litlle (Hooper) 

 Norfolk Beauty (Fellowes) 

 Piooo (Jackson) 



Rose and Scarlet-edged. 

 AoiTiiite (Fellowee) 

 Eiiitb Dombrain (Turner) 

 Ethel (Fellowes) 

 Jdliana (Turner) 

 Mrs. Allcroft (Torner) 

 Mrs- Fordham (Turner) 

 Purity (Payne) 

 Queen Victoria (Green) 



— D., Deal. 



EOSES ON THEIR OWN EOOTS. 



As " W. G." wishes to hear the opinion of others (through 

 thp medium of the Journal), on own-root Koses,I have pleasure 

 in stating my experience on the subject, more especially as 

 the ground here is all chalk ; and knowing that Hoses do not 

 do well on such ground without being helped with something 



better, we had the ground made good with manure and other 

 soil, and planted the Roses, some on the Briar, and some on 

 the Manetti, and they have received every care and attention 

 afterwards. But I am sorry to say that they have never done 

 much good, some having died the first year. I had them 

 made-up with own-root Roses, and they seemed to do much 

 better, and that induces me to try more on their own root^. 



I put in cuttings singly in small pots in October, and plunged 

 them in a south border when the cold weather set in. I shook 

 ia some dry leaves about them, and sprinkled a little earth 

 over the leaves to prevent the wind blowing them away. I took 

 the Roses up and repotted in the same sized pots in April, 

 and then plunged them in ashes under a cold frame, and re- 

 moved the sash altogether at the end of May. I repotted 

 tbem again at the end of June in 4-inoh pots, plunged them 

 in the ground fully exposed, and planted them out ia Septem- 

 ber in ground well prepared for them, and there they have 

 remained and have done exceedingly well. They were planted 

 out in September 1872, and last year my employers told me 

 they were the finest Roses they ever had in the garden, so 

 that I thall not plant out any other but own-root Roses here- 

 after. I should like vary much to hear the opinion of others 

 on growing Roses in chalky districts. — A. W. G. 



ROYAL HORTICULTDEAL SOCIETY. 



The following circular has been forwarded to each of the 

 Fellows : — 



The Council of the Boyal Horticultural Society, being de- 

 sirous of extending a knowledge of practical horticulture, con- 

 template the foandation of lectures and demonstrations on the 

 subject. 



Their intention is to have lectures delivered by properly 

 qualified instructors, in the Society's Hall at South Kensington, 

 and to give practical instruction in the garden at Chiswiok. 



These lectures and demonstrations will be open to all Fellows 

 of the Society gratuitously ; but a charge must necessarily be 

 made for their children and friends, in order to enable the 

 Council to engage the services of competent persons. 



Before euteriog into engagements wiih instructors, and 

 makiug other requisite arrangemeats, the Council are desirous 

 of knowing what number of ladies and gentlemen will avail 

 themselves of the opportunity thus affjrded of acquiring a 

 thorough practical knowledge t.f horticulture in all its branches. 



The Council will be glad to learn as soon as poEsible whether 

 or not this proposiiion meets with your approval, and what 

 number of your family and friends is likely to join the classes. 



The great facilities afforded by the garden at Cbiawick for 

 carrying out these arrangements, make it desirable that as 

 many of these lectures as possible be delivered there. 



The garden is now very easy of access from all the stations of 

 the metropolitian and district railways to the station at Turn- 

 ham Green, which is within a few minutes' walk of the garden. 



March llth, 1876. Rodebt Hoqo, Secretary. 



Ttiirty-fonr Fellows have been elected since the commence- 

 ment of the year. Five gardeners also have been elected under 

 the clanse which admits them at half a guinea subsciiption 

 aunnaUy. 



LIBONIA FLOEIBDNDA CULTURE. 



Some good advice has been given by two correspondents as 

 to the merits, propagation, and culture, of this charming 

 winter-blooming plant. They recommend pot culture all the 

 year round, but by this method the plants never acquire that 

 bubhy healthy-looking aspect as when planted-out in the open 

 ground during the summer months. 



The plants are treated in their early stages of growth the 

 same as detailed by your correspondents, which, by the time 

 of digging the early Potatoes from a south border, have es- 

 taMished themselves in 48-pot3. After being hardened off a 

 little they are planted 18 inehcs apait in conjunction with 

 Solannms, Salvias, A'c, the border receiving a mulching of 

 frame manure. Daring the summer months the plants require 

 liberal supplies of water, and occasionally manure water, which 

 is essential, or they will never make presentable plants. 



By the middle of September they will have grown into fine 

 busby plants, with foliage as green as grass and bristling with 

 flower buds. Previously to lifting them they must be well 

 watered. Pot them into 8 or 9-inch pots, nsicg a compost of 

 three parts light loam, and the other part leaf mould and 

 decayed manure. Keep them close for a few days in a cool 

 frame, afterwards they may be wintered with Cinerarias, 

 Calceolarias, &c., with which they agree admirably. 



