336 



JOtrRNAI, OF HOKTICTJLTUEH AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ May 2, 1M6. 



their country, tliese manure traps constitute his first and 

 last impressions of never-ceasing horror. Boats convey 

 this produce through the inner waters, and anchor close to 

 you at night, only to remove for a consideration. One 

 Englishman, in disgust, paid thirty dollars to a fellow to 

 move on. This manurial treasure is, according to a China- 

 man's wav of thinking, too precious to be worked into the 

 ground. II is sprinlled over the leaves of the plant (italics my 

 own). Burnt haulm and straw of the Cotton-plant only are 

 delved into the soil. The Chinese transplant every root of 

 rice by hand, and each root gets its little blessing of the 

 above liquid ; ' but give an English farmer or gardener 

 ' some li'l'O acres of vegetable loam of an unexplored depth, 

 waterways, reticulation of ditto for flooding-purposes, labour 

 at id. per day, abundance of sunshine, periodical rains, large 

 markets, cheap communication by tidal creeks, and what 

 com and pot herbs he would produce, to say nothing of tea, 

 sugar, cotton, silkworms, sUk, and Mulberry leaves, oiu' 

 friend GUes would have to scratch his head a little before 

 he could start on a race to overtake these Chinamen, who 

 are 4000 years of practice a-head of him.' " Still, I continue 

 to imagine " our friend GUes " manages a good many things 

 better, albeit, those " immense pans " do bring in the China- 

 men " a great deal of money." It would almost appear 

 by the price of it, that our northcountryman must have 

 resided as a cultivator of the soil in the neighbourhood 

 of Ningpo, when he gave the following warning, " Never, 

 Sandie, never, above all things, never get into debt ; but if 

 everyou do, lei it be for mamire." I know our own country is 

 scarcely half cultivated as it ought to be, because we allow 

 the best of what is due to the land, to go to waste, and my 

 advice to people likewise is, that if they ever do allow them- 

 selves to get into debt, let it be for erecting waterproof 

 earth closets, and liquid manure tanks ; for the very good 

 and continuous interest that these will presently return, 

 will enable the debtor to pay off his creditor, and leave some- 

 thing to spare. 



I am glad to find that so able an adviser as Mr. "Wilmot 

 has taken up the subject. His pamphlet is most worthy of 

 extensive notice and circulation amongst residents in the 

 country, cottagers particularly, for it is the poorer sort that 

 we want to reach in simple words. In 1852, in a cheap 

 monthly periodical of that day, called " The Cottage Lamp," 

 I explained in a series of papers the necessity of attending 

 to these matters ; and, as the subject is exciting deserved 

 interest just now, I shall feel happy if, by what I have said, 

 it may prove a means in a stiU greater degree of directing 

 public attention to the matter, for the feature seems so 

 new, and yet the plan with myself is so old. Both in the wet 

 and in the dry state I have for thirty years been utilising 

 the excreta experimentally, and X have not arrived at my 

 present conclusions without some failures, and a great deal 

 of planning, filtering, observation, and obloquy. What we 

 should have done in the last dry season without our water 

 and sewage tanks I do not know. The wells of Woodstock can 

 bo counted on one's fingers' ends, and what the diminished 

 supply of water of our filthy little river held in suspension 

 it is difficult to say, but I am glad to state that we were not 

 •under the necessity of drinking it, for these premises are 

 now self-sustaining. The water tanks catch sufficient water 

 from the roofs of the houses and outbuildings to supply our 

 wants, and it is filtered for drinking and cooking purposes. 

 The overflow from the water tank is conducted away by the 

 old sewage drain. In the shape of sewage, all the water 

 nscd for household pui-poscs is applied to tlio garden, and 

 with what comes from the earth-closet, and other matters, it 

 is sufficient to keep the ground in a state of high cultivation. 

 Nothing ofTensive runs from here on to our neighbours' 

 premises, nor into the river ; for that I take credit to my- 

 self, and am satisfied, and the rector feels tlie satisfaction 

 in having improved the house and grounds, both for him- 

 self and for his successor. 



In conclusion, I throw out the following suggestion for 

 as ranch as it is worth: — As Government advance money for 

 land draining at so much per cent., would it not also be 

 worth their while to consider whether the national purse 

 could not be made to contribute towards the abatement of 

 a great and increasing national evil, by the advance of 

 money at interest to those who, not having the means to 

 make them, yet would be glad to possess sewage-tanks and 



earth-closets ? In one case as well as the other, for the per- 

 manent welfare of the land, I tliink it is reasonable to 

 encourage men to put their shoulders to the wheel when 

 they can see that it is for their interest to do so. — TJpwaeds 

 AND Okwabds. 



THE NEW EOSES. 



The genial spring weather which has followed the long 

 and tedious winter has brought on a healthy and free growth 

 in all kinds of plants that have been dormant for a long 

 time in consequence of the continued cold. This is especi- 

 ally the case with Eoses. For many seasons past so pro- 

 mising a start has not been made as at the present time, 

 thus raising the hopes and expectations of careful culti- 

 vators in a more than usual degree. Longing as we all are 

 to see again the lovely forms of our favourites, but not 

 without apprehension on account of the various accidents 

 of weather, disease, and the attacks of insects, the desire 

 is still stronger to obtain early information on the new addi- 

 tions we are, or ought, to make to our rosery, and to know 

 what piu-chases should be made with as little delay as 

 possible, that propagation may bo proceeded with in the 

 ensuing season. 



For the purpose of satisfying myself as far as possible on 

 this subject, and to afford assistance to amateur friends, I 

 took advantage of the Easter vacation to pay a visit to Mr. 

 William Paul's nursery, at Waltham Cross. The whole 

 stock is now in fine healthy-growing condition, and rapidly 

 pushing into bloom. 



Taking them in the order of inspection : — 



Fh-st. Madame Emile Boyau is a very pretty light variety, 

 which may be described as rosy flesh, changing to blush ; of 

 good size and delightfully fragrant. It has the habit and 

 constitution of Baronne Prevost. 



Glory of Waltham is a magnificent flower, surpassing in 

 every respect its pai'eut. 



Levesou Gower. Its large, full, crimson flowers and 

 vigorous habit will render it a general favourite. One of 

 the best of the season. 



Princess Lichtenstein, as a white Hybrid Perpetual, seems 

 likely to be a great acquisition. Judging from the habit and 

 foliage, it is superior to Louise Dai-zins. There not being 

 an expanded bloom at the time of my visit I am unable to 

 offer an opinion of its merits. 



Elizabeth Vigneron is rosy pink, very lai-ge, and full, 

 resembling Ltelia, but surpassing it in form and freshness 

 of colour. The blooms shown to me w&e truly beautiful. 



Prince de Joinville, a lai'ge, showy, light crimson rose, 

 will prove a useful decorative garden Eose. 



Celine Gonod, pink, with a beautifully incurved petal ; 

 outer petals paler than the inner. Fine and perfectly 

 globular. 



Auguste Kiviere has beautiful bright reddish carmine 

 flowers. Perfectly distinct ; but as the majority of the 

 plants seemed to indicate a defective constitution, further 

 experience will be necessary to decide faii-ly on its merits or 

 otherwise. J 



Triomphe des FranQais may be considered a good Eose, ^ 

 both from its brilliant crimson flowers and vigorous habit. 

 Probably one of the best of the season. 



Michel Bonnet has bright rose flowers, largo and full ; 

 but I did not observe any superiority in this variety over 

 older kinds of similar colour and form. 



Madame Charles Verdier, on the other hand, is one of the 

 best. Its flowers are fine vermilion rose, very largo and full. 



Souvenir de Bernardin do St. Pierre (what a name for 

 our gardeners !) answers the description given of it — namely, 

 flowers varying from crimson to violet, centre red. I doubt 

 whether it will suit the prevailing English taste. 



Aehille Gonod is a seedling irom Jules Margotlin. It 

 must be good if it beat its parent, which I am not at present 

 prrpiirod to alUrm that it does. It is, however, a truly 

 Ijeruilii'ul Eose, with very fine foliage, and will be deserving 

 a trial. 



Eushton EadclyfTo bids fair to be one of the gems of the 

 season. Its bright red colour added to its bold, globulor, 

 perfect form, with imbricated petals, give it a prominence 

 in company with other kinds that attracts immediate 

 attention to it. Whether in the show-box or on the living 



