November IS, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



421 



Perpetuals. I should certainly recommend the ridge system if 

 the soil ia very thin and poor, but not, I think, in good Boil. 

 Mr. Cranston and many of our best Manetti Rose-growers never 

 earth-np theirs, but other great growers such as Mr. Keynes 

 do, and he has a wretchedly poor soil. — Wyld Savage. 



USEFUL VERONICAS. 



Veronica Blue Geji is noted in the Journal of last week as 

 a valuable autumn decorative plant. There can be no doubt 

 whatever that it i3 highly worthy of note and of cultivation, 

 and few, if any, who have seen plants, as you say, well grown, 

 can dispute their value. 



When this plant was first introduced more was claimed for 

 it than was warranted. It was announced as being a continu- 

 ous summer-flowering bedding plant. It failed to sustain that 

 character. It is not, at least in many districts, a summer- 

 flowering bedding plant; but it is, when well cultivated, an 

 autumn-flowering greenhouse plant of great usefulness. 



I kuow of no other plant in the same season — that is, from 

 October uutil January, that will give with so great certainty 

 and with so little trouble sueh a supply of flowers as elegant 

 in form as they are attractive by their sky-blue colour. The 

 flowers of this plant are always welcome for bouquets and for 

 various purposes of room decoration ; and they are produced 

 ia the greatest profusion on healthy plants, which do not 

 receive the slightest injury let them bo cut ever eo severely. 

 But not only as affording a plentiful supply of cut flowers is 

 this Veronica worthy of culture, for the plants if not cut are 

 extremely beautiful for conservatory decoration. As forming 

 a fringe for Chrysanthemums these Veronicas are distinct and 

 pleasing. They are also different in colour and habit from 

 Primulas, Geraniums, and, indeed, almost all other winter- 

 flowering plants, and hence their value. 



I have grown these plants according to both the modes 

 suggested — that is, by retaining them in the pots all the sum- 

 mer, and planting them out and potting them in October. In 

 raising a stock quickly I advise the planting-out system, hut 

 when once the plants have attained to the desired size I 

 prefer keeping them in pots. When large plants are planted 

 out they pr5duee snch a quantity of roots that they cannot 

 bs placed in pots of convenient size ; but by keeping in pots 

 the plants can be preserved in a healthy state by rich food and 

 plunging the pots in ashes. 



Another useful Veronica is the old V. speciosa. In the days 

 of my boyhood thi3 plant was more extensively cultivated and 

 more greatly valued than it is now. It is, notwithstanding, 

 just as beautiful now as then, and equally useful. Large 

 bushes in pots or tubs are extremely ornamental for the deco- 

 ration of terraces in the autumn, and the plants if placed in 

 a conservatory continue flowering far into the winter. Such 

 plants may also be cut with impunity, and their flowers are 

 always valued for the furnishing of vases, &c. A variety with 

 variegated foliage has become deservedly popular as aback-row 

 ribbon plant in flower gardens. Its variegation is very con- 

 stant, and plants of this Veronica mixed with Ageratums or 

 dark-foliaged plants are extremely effective. Yet of still 

 greater value have I found this plant when grown to a flower- 

 ing state and employed in the decoration of the conservatory, 

 where the pale blue flowers associated with the white-striped 

 foliage are peculiarly attractive. The plants if supported with 

 liquid manure continue flowering freely almost throughout 

 the winter. 



Veronica imperialis is also an extremely handsome decorative 

 plant. It is a strong grower, even stronger than V. speciosa, 

 and is perfectly distinct in colour from any of its congeners. 

 The colour of this variety is a bright amaranth-red, changing 

 to magenta, the petals, which are prominent, being pure white. 

 The plant grows and flowers with great freedom, and large 

 specimens are very ornamental throughout the summer and 

 autumn. It is highly worthy of cultivation, and should have 

 a place in most collections. 



I have still to direct attention to another useful Veronica, 

 one perfectly distinct from those above named, and of more 

 modern introduction. It is probably a French variety, its 

 name being Mdlle. Clandine Villermoz. I have not seen it in 

 any list except that of Mr. Cannell, from whom I received it. 

 I should not like to be without this Veronica, for it is almost 

 always flowering, and its colour is so rich — a deep indigo blue. 

 Plants flower profusely when in a quite young state, and con- 

 tinue producing flowers with every fresh pair of lsaves which 

 the plants make. Plants have been flowering all through the 



summer, and did not cease during the hottest weather, and 

 they are flowering still as freely as ever. It appears to be a 

 plant for any season, and is valuable for many purposes of 

 decoration. 



These shrubby Veronicas strike readily from cuttings of the 

 young shoots inserted in sandy soil and placed in heat. The 

 plants grow luxuriantly if planted out ia the summer, and 

 freely if grown in pots plunged iu ashes after the manner of 

 Chrysanthemums. If it is desired to keep the plants as dwarf 

 and compact as possible they should be partially dried after 

 flowering, cutting them down early in the spring, and when 

 they commence growing shaking them out, reducing the roois, 

 and repotting after the manner of Pelargoniums. They require 

 a Eunny position and plenty of water. They are seldom 

 attacked by insects other than green fly occasionally, and these 

 are easily extirpatod by syringing with a solution of soft soap 

 and tobacco water. 



Veronicas are a very extensive and varied genus of plants, 

 and probably other cultivators may be able to add to this short 

 list some others which are useful for some purpose of decora- 

 tion in or out of doors. — A Sueeey Gabdenee. 



THE EOSE ELECTION. 



If any proof ia wanting of the wide-spread circulation of 

 " our Journal," it may bo found in the following incident. 

 A day or two since I received a note from Mr. Ellwanger of 

 Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, replying to my request for 

 names of raisers and age of Roses, and giving me the needful 

 information about several. I add it here, that those interested 

 may fill it in in the poll list. It was not till I looked at the 

 direction to reply to my kind informer that I found the letter 

 was from a rosarian in America, at Rochester, who thus 

 through "our Journal" give a kindly greeting across the 

 Atlantic. I confess to being gratified by the kind trouble 

 taken by one so distant, proving that though so many miles 

 separate us, yet " our Journal " is a bond of union and brotherly 

 feeling wherever it circulates, which is pleasant indeed. 



In appending the list I am sure I may add the thanks of 

 many Rose-growers in England to my own to Mr. Ellwanger 

 for his trouble in helping to complete the list. 



Senatenr Vaisse 



1859 



Guillot, pere 



Gloire de Dijon 



1653 



Jacotot. 



Yietor Yerdier 



1859 



Lacharmc. 



Souvenir d'Elise 



185i 



Marest. 



Souvenir de la Malmaisou 



1843 



Beluge. 



Mdlle. Marie Finger 



1873 



Kainbaud. 



Beauty ol Waltham 



1832 



Paul. 



General Jacqueminot 



1853 



Roupelet. 



Madame Charles Crapelet 



1859 



Fontaine. 



Jules Margotiin 



1853 



Hargottin. 



Comtessa de Chabrillant 



1S59 



Marest. 



Marccbal Vaillant 



1861 



Lecomte. 



Celine Forestier 



1S59 



Leroy. 



Hinton, Warminster. 







AMATEUR GBAPE-GBOWING. 

 When in the neighbourhood of Rothbury in September I 

 visited a few of the gardens in that locality. One of them I 

 should like to mention, as an account of it may bo interesting 

 to some amateur readers of the Journal, and may stimulate 

 to further efforts in Grape-growing. The place I allude to 

 is Give House near Alnwick, the residence of D. P. Bell, Esq. 

 Immediately on arriving Mr. Bell conducted me to his vineries. 

 The principal houses are three span-roofs ; one 40 feet, one 

 6G feet, and one 80 feet in length, all 18 feet wide with sides 

 3 feet 6 inches high, the height to the apex of the roof being 

 14 feet. They are ventilated in the usual way — top and 

 bottom. These houses were erected in the early part of 1871, 

 and the Vines were planted in April of that year, and for the 

 last three years they have borne heavy crops. The two 

 smallest houses are planted with Black Hamburghs, and the 

 largest with late sorts — Lady Downe's, Mrs. Pince, Alicante, 

 Syrian, Black Morocco, Muscat Hamburgh, and a Black seed- 

 ling of great promise. Besides this there is a half- span house 

 planted entirely with Lady Downe's, which are now beariDg a 

 magnificent crop of fine fruit, the weights of the bunches vary- 

 ing from 1 to 3J and 4 lbs. This house is 35 feet long and 

 14 feet wide, and was planted thirteen years ago. The only 

 other glass erection is a curvilinear house 32 feet long, answer- 

 ing the double purpose of a vinery and greenhouse, and was 

 put up seventeen years ago. With this house Mr. Bell com- 

 menced his first experiences as an amateur Grape-grower, and 



