December 28, 1871. ] 



JODENAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAitDENEK. 



505 



as well as dead speoimeng in natural history ; the branches are 

 touched with snow with beautiful effect. The aqaariam with 

 its thousands of living ocean creatures is a marvellous exhibi- 

 tion, and it alone would be worthy o£ a visit. 



SOME ROSES THAT HAVE BEEN INQUIRED 

 ABOUT. 



Mb. Peach has asked for the experience of Eose-growers of 

 some kinds named by him at page 486. I subjoin mine. 



Paul Verdier. — It was asserted some time ago by a contributor 

 to these pages, that this Bose will bloom sometimes in the 

 autumn if budded on the Briar, although it does not on the 

 Manetti. Wishing to put this to the proof, I budded two Briars 

 with it some time in the summer of 1869, and three more in 

 the summer of 1870. The first two, after yielding very 

 fine flowers in the summer following that in which they were 

 budded, also produced flower-buds late in the autumn of the 

 same year, but these did not expand, from the wet and cold 

 prevailing at the time. Last season — that is, in the present 

 year, flower-buds were again produced in the autumn much 

 earlier than last year, and expanded beautifully. Of the other 

 three, two produced fiower-buds t(0 late to open, the other 

 plant met with an accident that it will take another season to 

 repair. Paul Verdier is thus proved to be remontant, but that 

 it possesses this quality in a much less degree than most other 

 fine varieties is quite manifest. Still, that it should be so, 

 budded on the Briar, and not on the Manetti, is a phenomenon 

 beyond my power to explain. It is a magnificent Eose. 



Marie Baumann. — Its habit is not all that can be desired. 

 Here its growth is moderately vigorous, far better than such 

 Eoses as Madame Furtado or Madame Vidot, which are too 

 feeble to be grown at all on light soils. It is also worthy of 

 remaik that Marie Baumann is very constant, yielding every 

 season a full proportion of good blooms. Its drooping habit 

 is certainly objectionable, but we forget that in looking upon 

 the unrivalled beauty of the expanded flower. 



Henri Ledechaux. — Its colour, as Mr. Peach correctly de- 

 scribes it, is a true deep pink, quite brilliant when first ex- 

 panded. Its size, if not quite so largo as is now generally 

 sought after (whether rightly is quite another question), is cer- 

 tainly beyond the dimensions of what are usually considered 

 button-hole flowers. Its growth thus far is very unsatisfactory, 

 and another season must pass before its merits can be fairly de- 

 cided upon. 



Logomachy. — -This is not the name of a Eose, but a strife 

 about words. Mr. Peach will at least allow that " remontant" 

 expresses very nearly the property that the class of Eoses to 

 which it is applied possesses, while " perpetual " certainly 

 does not. I use the word remontant instead of perpetual not 

 as a final, but as a truer designation of the quaiity which is 

 generally understood to be implied. If a more appropriate 

 English word than " perpetual " can be found, let it be em- 

 ployed ; if not, there is no violation of the laws of language in 

 borrowing from another tongue a word to express what we have 

 no equivalent term for in our own. I, therefore, will be no 

 party to perpetrating so glaring an abuse of terms as that now 

 under notice. 



Election of Roses. — I give my suffrage for the following as 

 the best twelve Eoses suitable for exhibition, so far as they are 

 the best I have been able to grow in the light soil of this 

 garden. 1, Marechal Niel ; 2, Gloire de Dijon ; 3, Devoni- 

 ensis ; 4, Charles Lefebvre ; 5, Baroness de Eothschild ; 6, 

 Alfred Colomb ; 7, Marie Baumann ; 8, La France ; 9, Pierre 

 Netting ; 10, John Hopper ; 11, Madame Victor Verdier ; 12, 

 Comtesse de Chabrillant. 



Of newer kinds Marquise do Castellane promises to take a 

 first place, and another season will, doubtless, assign it such. 

 Marquise de Mortemart is unquestionably a fine variety, but 

 its growth very unsatisfactory. Perfection de Lyon was re- 

 markably good this year, Comtesse d'Oxford produced de- 

 formed flowers. 



As several others besides those named by Mr. Peach have re- 

 corded their votes, and notably Mr. W. Paul and Mr. Eadcljffe, 

 whose decisions are of much weight, the arithmetical state of 

 the poll for the best twelve might be re-declared, or if needful 

 the final close issued. — A. H. Kest. 



FRENCH HORTICULTURISTS' RELIEP FUND. 



As the accotmt is now about to be closed, it is requested that 



any nurseryman or seedsman who undertook to receive sub- 



scriptions will be kind enough, if they have received any, to 

 forward them to the Treasurer, George F. Wilson, Esq., care of 

 J. Eichards, Esq., Eoyal Horticultural Society, South Kensing- 

 ton, or to the Hon. Secretary, the Eev. H. Honeywood Dom- 

 brain, Westwell Vicarage, Ashford, Kent. Sum not previously 

 acknowledged, collected by Eev. W. Middleton, Heybridge, 

 Devon, £2 6s. 



CULTURE OF THE FUCHSIA. 



Peehaps there are few flowers so universally cultivated, or 

 more generally useful for decorative purposes, than the culti- 

 vated varieties of the Fuchsia. It is grown by the cottager, and 

 is one of the very best window plants, as it yields its pendant 

 and graceful clusters of scarlet and white drops under very un- 

 favourable circumstances. Indispensable as a window plant, 

 it is never out of place in any garden, however large or limited 

 in extent, whether planted out as a border plant, or grown in 

 pots for greenhouES and conservatory decoration. The Fuchsia 

 is neither so universally nor to well grown as it used to be 

 fifteen years ago. More recently introduced plants receive 

 more attention, and hordes of "bedding stuff" occupy the 

 available space once devoted to this plant. Amongst hardy 

 varieties useful as border plants, Thomsonii, Eiccartonii, and 

 globosa have long been favourites in old-fashioned gardens. 

 The two first-named sorts are hardy enough to stand our 

 severest winters without protection. The old shoots are gene- 

 rally killed to the ground in winter, a fresh lot being thrown up 

 from the stool, which branch out freely and flower abundantly 

 during the summer and autumn months. Globosa is a very 

 distinct and comparatively hardy sort ; the flower-buds previous 

 to the opening of the flower are nearly globular. 



These hardy sorts are easily cultivated, and form an interest- 

 ing feature in the best-arranged flower gardens. They are pro- 

 pagated by division end from cuttings. In Spring, when the 

 young shoots have grown 3 or 4 inches, lift the plant and 

 divide it with a trowel, but if a large increase of the stock is 

 desu-ed, the shoots must be slipped cS and inserted as cuttings, 

 a dozen of them in a 6-inch pot. A bed composed entirely of 

 the variety Thomsonii, or of the more robust Eiccartonii, is a 

 very beautiful feature in the flower garden. The plants should 

 stand 2 feet apart each way ; they require very little attention, 

 and being of sturdy growth seldom require sticks. When tha 

 shoots are cut down by frost the bed should have a dressing 

 of rotted frame manure, as in the event of severe frost it will 

 keep all right, and act as a fertiliser at the same time. I have 

 also seen the above varieties introduced in positions in the 

 front row of shrubbery borders, where they have been left in 

 the same position for a decade at least without being disturbed. 



The pot culture of the Fuchsia is very generally understood 

 amongst gardeners, but to many readers of the Journal a few 

 practical hints may be useful. The Fuchsia is a gross feeder, 

 and grows rapidly, so that handsome specimens may be formed 

 from cuttings struck the same season. The very large speci- 

 mens seen at exhibitions are formed from old plants. At the 

 present time all the plants should be at rest. When all the 

 leaves have fallen, and the plants are quite dry at the roots, 

 they shotild be pruned, cutting them in rather close. About 

 the first or second week in January the plants should be 

 placed in heat — not a very high temperature, as it wotUd cause 

 the plants to break irregularly ; 45° at night will be sufficient, 

 with a slight rise by day. I generally contrive to introduce 

 them to a vinery started at that time, as the same treatment 

 required for the Vines is that best adapted for the Fuchsias. 

 They should be syringed overhead twice a-day, and will soon 

 start into growth. 



When the young shoots are an inch long take cfi as many 

 as are required for cuttings. These may be inserted in 5-incli 

 pots, a dozen in a pot, in a compost of equal parts loam, leaf 

 mould, and sand. The pots should be plunged in a gentle 

 bottom heat, and the temperature of the house should be a few 

 degrees higher than that in which the plants were growing. 

 If the atmosphere of the house or pit be dry, place a bell-glass 

 over them. Under proper treatment they will soon form roots, 

 and as soon as they commence to grow pot them off singly 

 into 3-inch pots, still keeping the plants in a growing tempe- 

 rature—So" at night will be best at this time; indeed, the 

 whole secret of success consists in maintaining a moist atmo- 

 sphere with a night temperature of from 55° to 60°, with a rise 

 of 10° by day from sun heat, and repotting the plants as they 

 require it. The size of pots should be in the following ratio — 

 5, 7, 9, and ll^-inch, and the plants will require repotting at 

 intervals of a month. 



