Retrospective Criticism. 34,9 



destroying grubs, picking off by hand ; and for eradicating mildew, sprinkling 

 with flowers of sulphur. 



Mr. Fish considered that, by the method proposed, China roses might 

 be kept flowering all the year. He agreed in the propriety of watering 

 in the evening, but did not see the justice of the reasons assigned for it. 

 The existence of moisture on the surface, and the drops hanging on the 

 acuminated points of leaves, in the morning, were a sign of health and an 

 evidence that the plants required no syringing ; but he had seen no prejudicial 

 effects from syringing at any time, provided the glass over the plant was good, 

 and free from spots. He did not think any evidence had been adduced to 

 show that the moisture on the leaves, when not a secretion, consisted of any 

 gaseous matter, except the constituents of water ; or that the moisture was 

 absorbed into the system by the agency of the sunbeams, and not rather eva- 

 porated in the atmosphere of the house. He mentioned that beautiful edgings 

 to flower-borders might be made by China roses tied down to a low trellis. 

 He agreed that, by the system of forcing roses at once, instead of having the 

 plants previously prepared, roses would be got, but doubted much if with 

 equal success; and that, as physiology had been introduced, he could not place 

 the one system upon an equality with the other, if he took the principles of 

 that science for his guide. 



Mr. Caie drew a distinction between China and Noisette roses, showing 

 how the former ought to be pruned frequently, while the latter should be very 

 little pruned ; and mentioned how, by twisting the long shoots together, a con- 

 tinuous succession of flowers was obtained from the same shoots. He de- 

 tailed a method of growing moss and Provence roses, by obtaining plants 

 with good shoots, and laying these shoots round the sides of the pot, when there 

 was quite a mass produced of shoots and flowers. He approved of syrino-ino- 

 in the afternoon ; was confident that the leaves absorbed a great deal of 

 moisture, which he considered necessary to the health and vitality of the plant. 



Mr. Russell could not see how roses, taken up and forced at once, though 

 sometimes successful, would always be as certain as those potted for a twelve- 

 month, and properly managed : he wished to know whether the recommending 

 such a system was the result of successful practice; and illustrated his re- 

 marks by making a comparison between the vegetable and animal world, and 

 showing that, where two men had to run a long race, the one who had been 

 best prepared by previous exercise would be most likely to secure the prize, 

 and suffer least from the excessive exertion. 



Mr. Stormont did not comprehend what sort of pits would do for the 

 forcing of Noisette roses, if they were never pruned. — Mr. Adams showed that 

 taking up roses, and forcing them immediately, was contrary to nature ; that 

 allowing the top temperature to rise before the roots were made destroyed 

 the success of the whole undertaking; that syringing might be done at any- 

 time, and was very beneficial to a sickly plant, even when the sun shone; and 

 that he considered the moisture on the leaves to be chiefly evaporated, and 

 not absorbed. — Mr. Judd stated that the remarks he had made were the 

 result of practice and observation combined. 



Mr. Ayres showed that there was no analogy between the new system of 

 forcing roses and the coiling of the vine, as the nature of the roots in the two 

 cases was different ; that the tale about the new system being troublesome 

 was nonsense ; that it had answered when the other system had failed ; and 

 that, in reality, little more was necessary than plunging them in the hot-bed, 

 flowering them, planting them out into the border, pruning them, and takin" 

 them up again and potting when wanted. — R. F. 



Art. VI. Retrospective Criticism, 



The Bee-Keeper's Manual, (p. 295.) — In your notice of my little book, the 

 Bee-Keeper's Manual, you have, undesignedly, no doubt, led your readers to 



