482 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ December 26, 1878. 
House, Wimbledon. Another very old specimen is to be seen 
at Coombe Wood House, on which estate all Hollies grow lux- 
uriantly, a fact, we are told, which induced the late Mr. James 
Veitch to select the present site for the splendid nursery of 
hardy trees, shrubs, and Coniferee at Coombe Wood. A fine 
specimen of the common Holly growing there was left to 
adorn one of the finest avenues of Wellingtonias and Araucarias 
in the kingdom. This fine old specimen Holly is beautifully 
furnished from the top to the bottom, and is worth journeying 
a long distance to see. In the extensive specimen border of 
the nursery may be seen growing every variety of Holly in 
commerce, and as many of them are now laden with berries 
the shrubs form a fine feature in the picturesque grounds. 
Variegated Hollies occasionally produce green sports. These 
should be promptly removed, or they will soon gain supre- 
macy, and in time ruin a beautiful shrub. 
Hollies may be transplanted as well as most hardy shrubs, 
yet when the specimens are large and have not been disturbed 
for some years they should be prepared for removal by having 
the soil opened all round their balls during the previous sum- 
mer, carefully severing any roots that protrude beyond the 
trench, then fill in the soil again, and by the following autumn 
they will be found to have made large masses of white young 
feeding roots. In this manner Hollies if carefully lifted can 
be successfully planted of very large size. May and the early 
autumn months are recommended as the best times for trans- 
planting Hollies, but on light dry ground they may be re- 
moved any time during the winter when the weather is 
favourable. 
Hollies doubtless thrive in almost all soils, but they make 
more rapid growths in warm dry subsoils, and to such who 
have moderate dry soil we advise them not to neglect to add 
any really hardy and distinct Holly to their collection. By the 
time that this appears in print the Holly will have been 
employed largely for the decoration of our homes and 
churches, and will contribute much toa bright and cheerful 
Christmasitide.—J. W. MoorMAn. 
TEA ROSES. 
I HAVE read the letter of the “ HEREFORSHIRE INCUM- 
BENT” on page 256 on Tea and Noisette Roses with very 
great interest, and as nothing that concerns these lovely 
flowers can be said without receiving much attention from 
myself I hope my friend will not feel hurt if I venture to 
offer a few remarks upon his article. 
The list he gives is a most excellent one, but I am astonished 
to find that he omits one variety which he has, in my eyes at 
least, made peculiarly his own. Ido not think Lever in my 
life but once (and that was a superb bloom of Souvenir 
@ Elise) saw so splendid a specimen of a Tea Rose as the 
Comtesse de Nadaillac he showed at Hereford. I ventured 
to remark upon it at the time, and to add my doubt as to its 
robust qualities. My friend in a recent article assures me I 
am mistaken on this point, and that this Rose is as vigorous a 
grower, at least in his soil, as any other Rose, yet, strange to 
- say, he does not include it in his list of twenty-five Teas and 
Noisettes. This I am convinced is an oversight, but it will be 
well that the public should know that this is the case. 
I then come to a most strange matter. If I am wrong, then 
Ihave not only been wrong for ten years, but I have never 
had the slightest hint given me that I was m error. But 
surely Souvenir d’Elise and Souvenir d’Mlise Vardon are the 
same, just as Madame Montague and Madame Montague Re- 
mauri are the same pianists, Madame Trebelli and Madame 
Trebelli Bettini are the same vocalists, yet the “ HEREFORD- 
SHIRE INCUMBENT” boldly puts them down as two different 
Roses, each so good as to be worthy of a place in his twenty- 
five. 
I entirely agree with him asto Madame Bravy being distinct 
from Alba Rosea or Joséphine Malton, for the first-named is 
much fuller at the centre, and the petals are folded more 
closely, more like Comtesse de Chabrillant in form than the 
other ; but I think that Mesdames Bravy and Sertot are at 
least Siamese twins. Julie Mansais with me is a most lovely 
Rose ; it opens easily, and though somewhat small as a rule is 
often large enough for an exhibition stand. I do not know 
what I should have done without it this year. It is, however, 
avery poor grower. Another Rose I think highly of is Jean 
Pernet. I have cut blooms of this almost equal to Cloth of 
Gold, and I shall always grow it, if for nothing else, on 
aceount of its lovely buds. 
Some of the Tea Roses mentioned by the ‘“‘ HEREFORDSHIRE 
INCUMBENT” are unknown to me, and I shall try to procure 
this autumn Comtesse Riza du Pare and Madame Camille, for 
the addition of one good Tea Rose is a great event in my life, 
and I will accept my friend’s recommendation on this point as 
being very valuable ; at the same time Iwill venture to give 
my selection. 
Alba Rosea 
Belle Lyonnaise 
Catherine Mermet 
Madame Brayy or Sertot 
Madame Berard 
Madame Hippolyte Jamain 
Comtesse de Nadaillac Maréchal Niel 
Devoniensis Marie Van Houtte 
David Pradel Moiré 
Duc de Magenta 
Elise Sauvage 
Jean Ducher 
Julie Mansais 
La Bouie @’Or 
Louise de Savoie 
Madame Jules Margottin 
Madame Margottin 
—WYLD SAVAGE. 
Perle des Jardins 
Reine de Portugal 
Rubens 
Souvenir d@’un Ami 
Souvenir d’Elise 
Souvenir de Paul Neyron. 
Céline Forestier 
Triomphe de Rennes 
CHRISTMAS DESSERT. 
Foremost place must be given at this festive season to the 
king of fruits—the 
Pine Apple, garnished as it is with leaves of its own at the 
base of the fruit, and crowned by a towering rosette of its 
distinct foliage. Smooth-leaved Cayenne, from its imposing 
appearance, is most desirable. Black Jamaica 1s less noble in 
appearance, but notwithstanding is not surpassed for quality 
at this season of the year. Queen isalso good, and so is Enville. 
Grapes come next in their rich golden and purple tints with 
blooms that proclaim them the queen of fruits. As imposing 
dishes are desirable at this season, therefore come out now 
with the Gros Guillaume, which for size of bunch has no equal 
amongst black Grapes; but Gros Colman outstrips it for 
size of berry, and altogether a more taking contour. Forget 
not quality, but put forward Madresfield Court, splendid alike 
in size, symmetry, and flayour. Lady Downe’s is the better 
for being kept until the new year, along with Mrs. Pince, that 
is apt to colour badly at the shank and shrivel at the “nose” 
unless thoroughly ripened. Alicante in its jet and West’s St. 
Peter’s in its purple lustre make their presence felt in the best 
of company. Add to the purple the gold, but do not mix 
them ; they tell best apart. Calabrian Raisin, Trebbiano, and 
Syrian have big bunches and make their mark; Waltham 
Cross, with its monster berries, is effective ; Tokay, not often 
seen now-a-days in its amber, is superb ; not forgetting to 
link the old and new year together by bunches of the most 
esteemed Grapes—viz., Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alex- 
andria. They do well together, usefulness being then com- 
bined with the highest quality. Black Grapes show best in 
“frost.” Sprays of Ice Plant, which may be kept in a pit 
from which frost is excluded, answer well for garnishing, and 
Stachys lanata sprays are little inferior. A few berries of 
Nertera depressa greatly enliven the “frost” or “hoar,” and 
so do the berries of the Snowberry and white-fruited Euonymus 
europeus, the opening capsules of which are very beautiful. 
Vine leaves are always appropriate for ornamentation ; failing 
a supply of them some of the Abutilons, as Selloyianum mar- 
moratum and 8. Thompsoni, are serviceable. Cissus leaves 
set off white Grapes advantageously with a few sprays of Ice 
Plant and a few coral berries of the Cotoneaster and Butcher’s 
Broom. 
Oranges are indispensable for Christmas dessert, having a 
peculiar charm if homegrown, large, well-ripened examples 
are displayed with their own foliage, the fruit being with a 
portion of wood. But Oranges as grown upon trees barely 
kept alive are of no use whatever for affording fruit for 
dessert. Trees for that purpose require a high temperature 
and plenty of atmospheric moisture ; indeed they require as 
high a temperature as hothouse Grapes, and instead of allow- 
ing to go cool in autumn and early winter the house should be 
kept warm, and after the fruit is well advanced for ripening 
rather dry, 55° being a minimum at that time; better 60° to 
65° by artificial means until the fruitis ripe. Foreign Oranges 
in this country at this season are not fit to be named with 
home-grown produce when the trees have proper treatment. 
The Tangierine is a delicious little fruit ; St. Michael's with its 
thin rind and the Maltese Blood are excellent, and many 
others, the Egg Orange being quite novel in form and witha 
juice sweet and refreshing. All should be displayed with 
their own foliage. 
