484 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 7, 1S76. 



failures, is not owing to their fanlt, but to the composition of 

 the Society and to the incumbrances due to this composition. 



Of conrse the Council's object is to make the Society strong 

 and stable, and without the constant changes and dissensions 

 which have been alike the evidence and the cause of its un- 

 healthy condition ; and if we can show a sufficiently strong 

 body of the right sort of Fellows who have agreed to join on 

 the new bases, the Council will be only too glad to see a diffi- 

 cult question solved. Therefore let me say again to all good 

 horticulturists. Come in, come quickly, and make others come. 

 If anyone is willing to circulate slips like those which have been 

 distributed, and will ask for them, I shall be most glad (having 

 contracted for 100,000) to forward any quantity. While this 

 was being written the post which came in brought six letters 

 with names of would-be guinea Fellows ; two of the number, 

 one from Yorkshire, the other from Leicestershire, asked for 

 circulars to distribute ; and two of the names were those of 

 ladies.— Geoege F. Wilson, Heatherbank, Weybridge Heath, 

 Surrey. 



GARIBALDI STRAWBERRY. 



In reply to Mr. Bennett of the Rabley Nursersies I can state 

 that the man who claims the credit of raising Garibaldi is Mr. 

 Thomas Armstrong, Belah Gardens, near Carlisle. He sent a 

 few plants of it for trial to Mr. Joseph Hamilton of Botcherby, 

 Carlisle, an extensive fruit grower and market gardener, also a 

 man of much experience, and well known as the founder of the 

 Hamiltonian system of Pine-growing. I believe he considered 

 Garibaldi quite distinct and well worthy of cultivation. At that 

 time, as now, some regarded it as identical with Yicomtesse 

 Hericart de Thury, and no doubt assertions to that effect have 

 prevented its wider cultivation, more especially in the southern 

 and eastern counties, where it seems to be almost unknown ; 

 but in the northern counties, around the " merry city " where 

 it originated, and in the south of Scotland, it is extensively 

 grown and, I believe, very much esteemed, being a certain and 

 abundant cropper out of doors, and for forcing one that can 

 always be relied on for a crop. 



I have grown and forced it regularly for several years along 

 with other varieties, such as President, Keen's Seedling, Sir 

 Joseph Paxton, Sir Charles Napier, and others, but latterly 

 have given Garibaldi preference for my first ; nnd with me it 

 has been very rare indeed that any of the plants have turned 

 out non-fruiters, and therefore I regard it as a Strawberry of 

 great excellence. I have this autumn young plants of Vicom- 

 tesse Hericart de Thury, and next season I shall decide the 

 identity or otherwise of the two varieties. I may say, however, 

 that anyone adding the true Garibaldi to their collection will 

 not be disappointed. If it turn out a distinct variety, to Mr. 

 Armstrong is due the thanks of the horticultural community 

 for raising it; but I fear with that he must be satisfied, as I do 

 not believe he has hitherto reaped much benefit from it, and 

 as it is in the hands of so many dealers and private individuals 

 he cannot hope to do so now. — J. B. S. 



HOW TO GROW THE ROSE. 



I can best show my gratitude to " B. S." for affording me 

 another opportunity of drawing attention to the subject of the 

 usual ill-treatment of the Rose, by giving him a few hints as 

 to how he may best improve the condition of the Roses in his 

 own small garden. 



There are three courses open to him. I will mention each 

 in its order of merit. (1), I would recommend him to devote 

 one small bed, or a portion of a larger one, entirely to the 

 Roses. A space 6 feet by 4 feet will be of sufficient size 

 to give the requisite amount of room. Let the ground in 

 the first instance be trenched to the depth of 2 feet and well 

 manured. Should the subsoil not be sufficiently good the ad- 

 dition of a little turfy loam will be desirable. This addition 

 need not, however, be regarded as altogether indispensable, 

 for I know that rich loam of this character is in some lo- 

 calities difficult to procure. Previous to replanting the Roses 

 their roots will be all the better for a Blight trimming, 

 and any suckers that may have formed amongBt them will 

 have to be carefully removed. If the Roses are on the Manetti 

 they Bhould be planted 6 inches, and if on the Briar 3 inches 

 deep. Care should be taken that the soil be well trodden down 

 round the stems after planting. Secure the stocks, if stan- 

 dards, to firmly planted stakes, and attach permanent labels 

 to those varieties the names of which are known. These per- 



manent labels may be quickly made out of thin strips of deal 

 smeared over with white paint, and written on afterwards with 

 an ordinary lead pencil. (2), Should " B. S." prefer to retain 

 hiB Boses in the same places they now occupy, he has only to 

 dig them up and replant them in accordance with the foregoing 

 directions. (3), Or he may transfer some of them to a small 

 grass plot, should he possess one, in a similar manner. In 

 the two latter cases it is all-important that no plant or grass 

 should at any time be allowed to grow within 18 inches of the 

 stems of these Bose trees, and that the roots of the removed 

 Boses should not be exposed to the influence of the sun and 

 air longer than is absolutely necessary. Now is the time of 

 year to carry out these simple operations. 



I would willingly add some instructions as to pruning when 

 the long-looked-for spring arrives ; but as I do not know the 

 names of the varieties in question can only advise a clean 

 cutting-out of all decayed, weak, and superfluous wood, and 

 that the shortening of the remainder be left to the knife of 

 some kind and experienced Rose-loving neighbour. 



I infer from " B. S.'s " remarks that his own Boses are 

 situated in the midst of a crowd of other flowers, and that his 

 garden is very limited in size. But even Bhould these infer- 

 ences prove altogether wide of the mark I do not think the 

 suggestions I have given will be thrown away ; for only a few 

 months since might be seen, in every other garden throughout 

 the length and breadth of Rose-growing England, half-famished 

 Roses casting hungry and envious glances across the inter- 

 vening fences at those more fortunate members of their race 

 who, to all appearances, were in the enjoyment of the most 

 ruddy and blooming health, and living literally upon the very 

 fat of the land. 



It is for hundreds of thousands of " miserable starvelings," 

 as Mr. Luckhurst would call them, like these that I again 

 venture to plead ; and all I aBk for them is a little more toe 

 room and a rather more generous dietary. — E. M., Croydon. 



FLOWER SHOWS AND THE PUBLIC. 



It will be very cheering for those of your readers who are 

 earnest supporters of horticultural exhibitions to see that it is 

 not impossible to revive the apparent declining taste for flower 

 shows. The Newcastle-on-Tyne Botanical and Horticultural 

 Society has been in a very low state for the last few years, and 

 had it been in some localities it would have expired before now. 

 It has apparently taken a fresh " lease," and much credit is 

 certainly due to Mr. Taylor and his colleagues for their energy 

 and the Buccess which has crowned their efforts. 



It is a pity that Mr. Taylor did not give your readers the 

 secret of success, as it might have proved of much value to 

 men who may unfortunately be similarly situated with other 

 societies. A few weeks ago I saw a circular issued by this 

 Society, but which I unfortunately have not by me, but from 

 what I can remember their new scheme (if it is new) is a 

 similar one to that now being energetically advocated by Mr. 

 G. F. Wilson for the reorganisation of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society, only differing in the amount of subscription. This 

 Newcastle Society gives to every member who subscribes 5s. 

 a pass which will admit him to all shows held by the Society, 

 and a ticket to admit a Iriend to one of these. The Society 

 purposes holding three shows during 1877, of two days each, 

 so that each subscriber gets for his 5s. tickets to the value of 

 12s. — that is, supposing his pass to be used for both days of 

 each show, the other ticket being worth 2s. on the first day of 

 either show. As I write from memory I hope I may be excused 

 if I make any mistake. And thiB is just what Mr. G. F. 

 Wilson wishes to do for the Royal Horticultural Society by 

 introducing guinea Fellows, and I think the surprising success 

 that has been achieved at Newcastle augurs well for the suc- 

 cess of the Bame scheme with the Royal Horticultural Sooiety. 

 I hope it may be equally satisfactory. 



There is one matter wherein I think the Newcastle Sooiety 

 makes a mistake — viz., allowing an exhibitor to set up as 

 many stands as he chooses for one prize. Take a few example's 

 which I observed at their autumn show. For the best sis 

 stove and greenhouse plants A was first and third, B second. 

 C and D, finding no chance of a place there, set their plants 

 up as six miscellaneous plants. B now had first place, A se- 

 cond, and either C or D again thrown out of a place. Here 

 you see A had three stands suitable for entering for the pre- 

 mier prizes, and had not an opponent turned up with a stand 

 which waB certain to throw him out of one of the three prizes 

 he would have set up three stands and won first, second, and 



