September 30, 1875. 1 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



287 



not rise too high above the other part. Thirdly, the coloar 

 should be bright and equally marked all over, the flower per- 

 fectly distinct, the Btripes regular, and the outline of the 

 flower should be round and parfoctly smooth. 



Soil. — This is a very important matter, for without good 

 soil it is in vain to expect good show flowers. Old garden 

 soil is not at all suitable, but fresh virgin loam is absolutely 

 nenessary. It must be looksd for in an upland pasture, and 

 the upper stratum, about 3 inches thick, is the best. Add to 

 this about one-fourth of two-year-old well-decomposed cow 

 dung and the same quantity of leaf mould. A small quantity 

 of finely-sifted old lime rubbish will be found useful to mix 

 with it ; this keeps the soil sweet and open. This compost 

 previously to being used should be put into a place where it 

 will gradually become moderately dry. 



Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks, in order to produce perfect 

 •flowers, must be young plants raised every year. The mode of 

 layering a Carnation is well known to every gardener, but I 

 may say that I do not approve of the old method of shorten- 

 ing the leaves, for I consider the cutting-off a portion of the 

 leaf is injurious, and hinders the layer from rooting so soon 

 as it otherwise would if the leaves were left entire. I have 

 proved this repeatedly. Trim off the lower leaves on every 

 shoot before commencing to layer, because when a layer is 

 •tongued it is easily broken off. The layers when prepared 

 should always be pegged into fresh soil and have a slight water- 

 ing, with further supplies if the weather is dry. They will be 

 rooted in about a month or six weeks. 



Propagation may also be effected by pipings where there is 

 the convenience of a gentle hotbed ; it is, however, not so 

 safe as layering. When there are more shoots than can be 

 layered, and it is desired to propagate largely, take them off 

 and cat off the lowest pair of leaves, and pass the knife just 

 through the joint. Prepare a pot by draining and filling it 

 with the proper compost up to within an inch of the top, and 

 complete with silver sand ; water it gently to make it firm, 

 and then insert the pipings all round close to the pot's sides, 

 placing them in a gentle hotbed, and shading from the sun. 

 — J. H., Gardiner to Lady C. Leggc. 



ESTIMATE OF NEW AND BECENT KOSES. 



Baronne de Bonstettin is splendid, a fine erect grower ; the 

 flower very thick in petal, and if grown with care — that is to 

 say, shaded in sunny weather — is almost unequalled amongst 

 dark Roses. Capitaine Lamure is a Piose for high-class growers. 

 It requires heavy manuring and a little guano, when it pro- 

 duces blooms most pleasing and distinct and of very fine form. 

 Dupuy-Jamaiu is a fine free-flowering garden Rose, an im- 

 provement on Madame Crapelet. Etienne Levet is the best 

 of the rose colours, being, in fact, a carmine Charles Lefebvro, 

 and cannot be too highly recommended. Franc-ois Michelon 

 is good. Louis Van Houtte is the finest (take it all round) 

 dark Rose we have ; it requires high culture and close pruning. 

 President Thiers, a crimson Victor Verdier, is very bright and 

 pleasing, but not full enough. Annie Laxtou is not particu- 

 larly good, but might be bought if the grower has plenty of 

 room. Bessie -Johnson is very middling. 



Madame Lacharme is a bad Rose. The great want is still a 

 good white Rose, and growers are tempted to buy all sorts of 

 rubbish in the hope of something turning out good. This 

 Rose has caused great disappointment. Mdlle. Marie Cointet 

 is very pretty, in the way of Marguerite de St. Amand ; it is 

 of lovely shape, but rather small. S. R. Hole is a splendid 

 Hose. This, Louis V. Houtte, and Xavier Olibo vie with one 

 another. S. Rayuolds Hole is the best grower and thickest in 

 the petal. It would, I should say, make a good climber, as it 

 seems to throw long shoots before blooming. It is very fine, 

 and must be in every collection. The Shah is a light red Duke 

 of Edinburgh, very bright, but it struck me as being rather 

 thn. 



Wilson Saunders is truly grand, being a scarlet Charles 

 Lefebvre. It looks like a cross between that variety and Lord 

 Clyde. It is a splendid grower, and one of the finest Roses 

 yet produced. Caroline Kuster is good, in the way of Celine 

 Forestier. Bdle Lyonnaise, a lemon-eoloured Gloiro de Dijon, 

 should be in every collection ; also Madame Berard, of the 

 same class, but inclining more towards Madame Faleot. 

 Cheshnnt Hybrid, a very free-blooming red Tea, is a novelty 

 and very pleasing. Madame Denis is good. Marie Van Houtte 

 is one of the most beautiful Teas we have. Catherine Mermet 

 IB also one of the finest Roses lately brought out. 



The following list may be useful to some of your readers, 

 being the cream of the Rose world. All are first-rate. Alfred 

 Colomb, Baronne de Bonstettin, Baroness Rothschild, Camille 

 Bernardin, Capitaine Lamure, Charles Lefebvre, Countess of 

 Oxford, Dupuy-.Jamain, Dr. Andry, Duke of Edinburgh, Ed- 

 ward Morren, Etienne Levet, Francjois Louvat, Fran(;'oi8 Miche- 

 lon, General Jacqueminot, Horace Vernet, John Hopper, La 

 France, Leopold I., Lord Clyde, Louis V. Houtte, Madame C. 

 Joigueaux, Madame H. Jamain, Madame Neman, Madame 

 Vidot, Mdlle. E. Verdier ; Marie Rady, Marie Baumann, and 

 Sc'nateur Vaisse, the three best light red Roses ; Marquise de 

 Castellane, Olivier Delhomme, Paul Neron, Pierre Netting, 

 President Thiers, Prince C. de Rohan, Vicomte Vigier, Victor 

 Verdier, Xavier Olibo, Annie Laxton, Marie Cointet, Reynolds 

 Hole, The Shah, Wilson Saunders. 



Tea Rosea depend so much on situation and the care and 

 capability of the grower, that I only add a short list. All are 

 tolerably hardy, but Tea Roses require protection in the winter. 

 They do best either on the Briar or as pot Roses. Culine 

 Forestier, Maruchal Niel (south wall). Alba Rosea, Belle 

 Lyonnaise, Catherine Mermet, Devoniensis and Climbing De- 

 vouiensis, Gloire de Dijon, Madame Berard, Madame Bravy, 

 Madame Denis, Madame Faleot, Madame Margottin, Madame 

 Willermoz, Marie Van Houtte, Niphetos, President, Rubens, 

 Souvenir d'Elise, and Souvenir d'un Ami. There are several 

 others worth growing, but they are rather the rich man's fancy. 

 Any grower who will buy the above list, and take care of them, 

 need trouble his head about nothing else. — An Old Eose- 

 Geowek. 



AN OLD GAKDENEK'S ADVICE TO YOUNG 



MEN. 



Hating been forty years a gardener, and during that time 

 associating with men of every class, I will here state that I 

 have never known a wise, respectable, able gardener fail to 

 rise to a respectable position, or fail to gain the respect of his 

 employers and neighbours. Merits, like murder, will out. 

 Great talents and ability cannot be hid. Popularity is almost 

 always the reward of humble well-directed efl'orts and good 

 conduct. A passion to learn and a determination to let nothing 

 else come before a knowledge of gardening , are prime qualifica- 

 tions in beginners. 



Education is necessary to success. We know very well that 

 men can dig and plant Cabbages, make Vine borders and grow 

 Grapes, without an " Education Act " or much book culture; 

 but still, more education would help them in many ways, and 

 make them more agreeable and eligible servants. Some twenty- 

 five years ago a young man came under me as second gardener. 

 His address was not very good. He was urged to study 

 " Cobbett's Grammar." He obtained a copy of this work, and 

 during the winter nights he read it by the stokehole fires, for 

 he had no bothy. Before he finished his career as a journey- 

 man he had sent some creditable contributions to the horticul- 

 tural press. He now holds one of the highest apd most lucra- 

 tive situations that can be found in England. His own in- 

 dustry and respectability have raised him to the aristocracy 

 of gardening. 



Let me urge all young gardeners to spend the long evenings 

 of winter in the pursuit of education and a thorough know- 

 ledge of the science of gardening. A single winter of study 

 properly directed will raise young men high above their fellow 

 workmen who spend their evenings in gossip and folly. Gar- 

 deners have so much to learn that they have no time for 

 frivolity, and young men in commencing a career of gardening 

 should make themselves acquainted with the thoughts of our 

 best men who have written, and those who still write, on the 

 practice and theory of gardening, natural philosophy, vegetable 

 physiology, heat,light, chemistry, itc. Alphabets and catechitma 

 on these subjects can be bought for a few pence. Strange it is 

 that so many gardeners are content to travel at an easy pace 

 along the road to mediocrity. Let young men remember that 

 real, good, able, and accomplished gardeners are scarce. If a 

 situation worth 20s. or 24s. a-week becomes vacant, how many 

 applicants there are for it ! but if one at £100 or £120 a-year 

 presents itself, how few dare venture to apply for it ! It is a 

 great advantage to a man to possess cultured manners. Such 

 manners never disqualify men of common sense for the wear 

 and tear of rough work, and I have ever found young men of 

 good manners and education rise faster and higher than those 

 without them. 



In taking situations gardeners should resolve to serve their 



