October 5, 1876. J 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



301 



The above are sufficient to show how very much altered the 

 first fifty are, tried by this test. The same standard varieties 

 head the list, and the first change noticed of any importance 

 is the elevation of that lovely Rose Francois Michelon. Dr. 

 Andry makes a still greater move, as does Souvenir d'un Ami, 

 a Rose which the nurserymen do not appear to value according 

 to its deserts. I write this in all humility, but I cannot help 

 adding that in my estimation few Roses are lovelier or more 

 conducive to the beauty of a stand as it is seen here. Com- 

 tesse de Serenyi and Marie Van Houtte materially improve 

 their position, and Mons. E. Y. Teas rushes from 75 to equal 

 38th. Such lifts in the newer Roses foreshadow a useful 

 addition to our list. Capitaine Christy makes a slight rise. 



On the other hand'.let us glance at the retrogression of some. 

 Devoniensis is considerably lowered, but this is Blight com- 

 pared to the fall of Savier Olibo from 17 to 29th, or of Dupny- 

 Jamain from 29 to equal 38th, whilst Madame Lacharme fallB 

 quite outside the table, mustering only three first-class votes 

 in her total of 29. 



The general election furnishes fresh proof of the uncertainty 

 of the new Roses and of what they may become. Anyone 

 comparing these elections annually will see how some Roses 

 that appeared to have a brilliant career before them are in a few 

 short years names almost of the past ; names which, heralded 

 with a flourish of trumpets, have appeared, like a meteor on the 

 Rose world, to disappear for ever. If we may judge from the 

 votes, President Theirs, AndrS Durand, Marquise de Morte- 

 mart, Souvenir de J. Gould Veitch, and Napoleon III. come in 

 quite at the tail of the lengthy list, some only with a solitary 

 vote, though it is equally certain that there are still a large 

 number of good Roses, that everyone with a moderate collec- 

 tion would desire to possess, outside the pale of the fifty. 



In concluding this portion of the election I desire to express 

 my warmest thanks to all who have assisted me with voting 

 papers and information, as also to those who with their lists 

 have gratefully acknowledged the utility of these papers. 

 Though personally unknown to them I value their kind ex- 

 pressions, and feel that there is something akin to friendly 

 feeling generated, even when the subject discussed is only the 

 merit of a "flower. Some, perhaps, of the lists have been 

 framed less carefully, at least I fancy. I have had to return 

 more than usual from some informality ; but with an English- 

 man's privilege we must blame the weather, for, perhaps, like 

 Punch's cabby when the demanded fare was called in question, 

 all might reply, " Well, anything you please, 'tis too hot to 

 dispute about trifles." — Joseph Hinton, Warminster. 



P.S. — Your correspondent, " Zummeezet Yokel," will be 

 pleased to find that some of his favourites, the Teas, stand 

 fairly in this general election— not, however, Cloth of Gold; 

 but then it is only here and there, very few and far between, 

 that it finds a "local habitation" congenial to itself; but 

 when it does it has no difficulty in making for itself " a name." 

 I have in " Zummerzst " seen trees of it that have had their 

 " looal habitation " for a quarter of a century. Such a tree in 

 bloom is a sight to be remembered, and, though savouring 

 somewhat more of man's work than does the Gorse, might yet 

 teach the beholder to pay a tribute of praise to the All-wise 

 Creator for the sight, as Linnasus is said to have done on his 

 first sight of Gorse in full bloom ; but these trees have a trunk 

 the size of a good large arm, and have an air of antiquity 

 about them. Doubtless he will be pleased to see Mr. Camm's 

 opinion of Marie Van Houtte. We all have our tastes, and 

 mice will lie between Souvenir d'un Ami and Catherine Mer- 

 met. I cannot say which would win, " t'other or which." 

 Whan I look at " which " I am ready to vote instantly, and 

 when I look at " t'other " lam equally ready to recall the vote. 

 These two gems are kind to us, even in these hyperborean 

 regions, where we have a continuous north-easter from the 

 downs for eight or ten weeks in the spring, capable of taking 

 off the nose of a brass monkey, and which does take the bloom 

 off the blooms of scores of our Roses, even the hardier, if less 

 beautiful, Hybrid Perpetuals. If "Zummeezet Yokel" ends 

 by giving us his list, what a Tea flavour there will be about 

 it!— J. H. 



APPLES. 



The following succeed well at Lynewood, Hants, as we are 

 informed by Mr. W. Gain, an experienced gardener : — Dessert 

 Apples : May Queen, Joanneting, Devonshire Quarrenden, 

 Early Margaret, Court-Pendu-Plat, Cox's Orange Pippin, Early 

 Harvest, Oslin, Golden Pippin, Nonpareil, Northern Spy, Peach 



Apple, Hubbard's Pearmain, Ribston Pippin, Boston Russet, 

 Sam Young, and Winter Strawberry. Kitchen Apples : Chis- 

 wick Codlin, Hawthornden (English and American). The 

 English is earlier than the other (the American), and pre- 

 ferable. Lord Nelson, Blenheim Orange, Emperor Alexander, 

 Lord Suffield, Norfolk Beefing, Scotch Greening, Warner's 

 King, Yorkshire Greening, and French Crab. 



TUBEROUS-ROOTED BEGONIAS. 



They have this year proved a very attractive feature in the 

 Mesembryanthemum and Heath house at Kew, and earlier in 

 the season scarcely a day passed without inquiries being 

 made as to where they could be obtained. Flowering com- 

 menced in early summer, and is still far from being over. 

 To the majority of visitors they do not seem at all familiar. 

 Although with common attention to the well-known principles 

 of horticulture they can easily be grown, it may still be of 

 service to detail a system of treatment found to give a good 

 measure of sucobbs, especially as they are indispensable in 

 every well-appointed garden. 



In order that they may start with the greatest amount of 

 health and vigour it is essential to have them properly cared 

 for during the season of rest. The best position would be found 

 in a house where only slight fire heat is used — sufficient to 

 keep out frost, or a little more, and, if possible, they should 

 stand on a bed of soil or ashes, where occasionally they can 

 have a slight sprinkle of water if required. This is not un- 

 important, because if too dry they are reduced to a condition 

 similar to the chalky state of wrongly-treated Caladiums. 

 The Bap iB easily compelled to evaporate, and even if the roots 

 are not killed they may become tough and flabby. The resting 

 of plants is a rock on which there are many wrecks, and often 

 because of excessive dryness. 

 "It is, perhaps, best to let the tubers remain in the old soil 

 until they show signs of growth, which will be about the end 

 of March or April. They may then be shaken out, and should 

 be put into pots just large enough to admit the fingers round the 

 tuber easily. Good drainage is very necessary, because water 

 must be given liberally, especially when growth is rapid. The 

 compost should be rioh, and so porous that the roots oan easily 

 penetrate it. Fibrous loam may constitute one half, the other 

 half may be peat and leaf soil, and then some sand and dung 

 should be added. It is not, however, necessary to be so very 

 precise, since the mechanical condition is perhaps of most 

 importance, though on no account must the soil be poor. 



In a collection of several varieties it will be found that all do 

 not start at the same time, so that more than once going over 

 will be neoessary. One shift after the first potting may often 

 be found sufficient, though it is highly beneficial to give 

 another shift just as the plants are coming well into flower. 

 This will feed the flowers and produce them of good size ; it 

 will also enable the plant to continue growth, without which 

 future flowers oannot be borne. Manure water is of great 

 value when the pots begin to fill with roots. Careful watering 

 is of importance, as they should never be quite dry at this 

 period of their growth. Every evening is by far the best time 

 to water, because they will absorb during the night, and be 

 prepared for a day's sun on the morrow. It is very trying 

 for these and other plants to stand dry during the night and 

 commence the next day nearly exhausted. The female flowers 

 should be picked off when past their best, unless, of course, 

 seeds are required. 



To propagate a stock it is of little use to sow seeds, because 

 they do not come true, and only a small proportion are worth 

 saving. Cuttings are easily struck, but they should be taken 

 early so that good tubers may be formed. They may be treated 

 much in the same way as Dahlias ; but to put cuttings in now 

 would amount to about the same thing. It must not be for- 

 gotten how very fine these Begonias are when planted on rock- 

 work, and it may also be suggested that they would make 

 beautiful beds. 



The varieties found most effective in the Royal Gardens are 

 Vesuvius, Dr. Masters, Sedeni, Chelsoni, Prince of Wales, 

 Intermedia, Rosella, Rosseflora, and Charles Van Eckhaute. 

 Sedeni has had larger flowers than before seen by the firm who 

 sent it out. This was one of the first hybrids, and from its 

 distinct colour and qualities in general it is still one of the 

 best. Dr. Masters is of a rich crimson, and similar in form to 

 Boliviensis. Vesuvius is a flower of immense size, and is in- 

 clined towards orange. Chelsoni is desirable for its great pro- 

 fusion of bloom and freely branching habit. Prince of Wales 



