76 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 



Saturday, February 23, 1878. 



A meeting for discussion was liolden at 11 o'clock, President 

 Gray in the cliair. Before tlie subject of Fertilizers, which was 

 the special assignment for the meeting, was taken up, W. C. Strong, 

 Chairman of the Committee on Discussion, remarked that discus- 

 sions which elicited interestiug and valuable information had often 

 been suggested by the articles presented for exhibition, and called 

 on James Comley to say something of some fine new roses exhibi- 

 ted by him. 



Mr. Comley spoke particularly of the Souvenir d' Arthur de Sansal 

 rose, the plant of which was grafted in August, 18.76, and put in 

 the greenhouse on the 24th of December. He had used a solution 

 of saltpetre for watering both the roots and foliage of his roses ; 

 dissolving a piece as large as a walnut in four gallons of water. 

 He thought this the best fertilizer he had ever used for watering 

 roses, and it obviates, to a great extent, the necessity of smoking, 

 which takes the color out of roses. He thought water should be 

 of the same temperature as the air of the house ; he believed that 

 more roses were killed by cold water than in any other way. He 

 would not give much water for three weeks after bringing into the 

 house. Growers are too apt to neglect their plants after forcing ; 

 care should be given, as with a grapevine, that the wood becomes 

 hard and well ripened. If single specimen flowers are wanted they 

 should be pruned long ; if clusters are desired they should be 

 pruned closel}'. Mr. Comley said that while man}- growers thought 

 only of the mone}^ to be made on their roses, he cultivated them 

 partly from the love of them. Many roses that are ver}^ beautiful 

 are not profitable. Many of the new French roses are not as good 

 as the English varieties. Some of the new kinds will surpass the 

 old ones in freeness of flowering, which is a most important point, 

 and in color. He would first see to the growth of the plants, and 

 make them grow as much as he could before the first of June, and 

 after that would plunge them out of doors. He thought as good 

 roses could be produced in eight weeks after bringing the plants 

 into the house, as in a longer time. He has a plant of Sir Garnet 



