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JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ Descmbar 20, 38771. 



never loet a corm from any cause whatever, and until the end 

 of November the foliage kept in a fresh healthy condition. — 

 J. C. Clarke, Gardener, Cothelstone, Taunton. 



A FEW MOKE REMARKS ABOUT ROSES. 



Although only an amateur I have for years taken great 

 interest in the cultivation of this lovely flower, and mostly 

 work my own plants. I reside in the North Biding of York- 

 shire on the verge of the Hambleton Hills, and cultivate the 

 Rose for the pure love of the flower. I have been therefore 

 much struck with the remarks of some of your correspondents 

 relative to individual varieties of this charming flower. Doubt- 

 less much is to be gained from the opinions of those who study 

 and cultivate for the intrinsic worth of the plant itself, and 

 the experience of growers situated in different parts of our fickle 

 climate with regard to certain Roses which do or not do well 

 in different districts and situations ought to be estimated as it 

 deserves. 



In your Journal of the 29th of November the Bev. W. F. 

 Badclyffe gives his advice as to what Boses he would recom- 

 mend the public to buy. After giving an excellent list, 

 selected from a former correspondent, he goes on to recom- 

 mend some Roses as an addition, and amoDgthe rest mentions 

 Edward Morren. After long experience in this part of the 

 country I cannot agree with his recommendation of this Rose ; 

 although it grows well, it obstinately refuses to open with me, 

 and I have never seen a satisfactory bloom of it in this part 

 of the country. I have therefore discarded it from my col- 

 lection. I am also much surprised to find that two other 

 favourite Boses here— viz., Marechal Niel and Marie Baumann, 

 are classed, the former as one of the " not generally recom- 

 mendable for the public," and the latter as one of the " gene- 

 rally bad growers." 



Were I asked to recommend a Base as a wall Bose in this 

 part of the country my recommendation would be, Plant 

 Marechal Niel, worked on the Dog Bose, against a south wall. 

 My opinion is that the wild Briar is the stock par excellence 

 for Marechal Niel. So vigorous is this grand Rose on tnis 

 stock here that it grows like a Willow and speedily covers a 

 large wall, and in due course beautifies it with its attractive 

 and numerous blooms. I have been the means of its extended 

 distribution in this neighbourhood, and have not found one 

 to regret having planted it. With regard to Marie Baumann, 

 the other unfortunate in your correspondent's list, it is some- 

 what singular that Mr. Witherspoon, hailing from a quarter 

 farther north than myself, should in the same number of the 

 Journal corroborate what Mr. Badclyffe says as to the bajl- 

 growing qualities of this Bose. Oa the Briar stock this is 

 the best grower and the be?t bloomer of any Bose I possess, 

 and I have numerous varieties. At the present moment I 

 have a standard of it in an open and exposed situation which 

 is a mass of half-expanded blooms, and it is one of the most 

 satisfactory Roses I possess. 



I cordially agree with the advice of Mr. Badclyffe to go and 

 see Boses in a nursery or large collection and you will be able 

 to judge for yourself. Althoogb. your correspondent says tbat 

 the election of Boses, as given from year to year in the pages 

 of the Journal, would deceive the elect, I wish to remark | 

 that I have not often been deceived by it, as I have purchased 

 varieties of Roses entirely through their position in the 

 election, and the result has been that I have seldom been 

 disappointed. — George Whitfield, Thirslc. 



SPRING GARDENING. 



The following paper, abridged from the Darlington and 

 Richmond Herald, was read in the Darlington (iardeners' 

 Institute on November 29th by Mr. Atkinson, from Messrs. 

 Fisher, Holmes, & Co. : — 



I have been requested to say a few words to-night upon 

 spring gardening. I divide my subject into four cla6Bes — first, 

 shrubs; second, annuals; third, herbaceous plants; and lastly, 

 bulbs. I fir6t mention some varieties of shrubs I think suit- 

 able, and of which a stock can be procured at any respectable 

 nurseryman's. AmoDgst the tree varieties of Ivy, Silver Queen 

 is most effective ; Gold-blotched and Regneriana are very fine. 

 There are two very pretty scarlet-berried plants — viz., Skimmia 

 oblata and japonica. Euonymus japonica variegata and radi- 

 cans variegata are useful plants, and also Gold and Silver 

 Queen Hollies. The CopresBus tribe affords good varieties, 

 such as glauca and minima v:iidF. The best golden varitty 



is undisputably Lawsonia lutea, as it retains its beautifuF 

 golden hue throughout the winter months, the absence of that 

 enduring quality being but too common amongst the golden 

 Conifers. We would also select from the Junipers chinensis 

 aurea, hispanica, and excelsa striata. Retinosporas are from 

 their graceful and compact habit of growth very useful for 

 spring gardens, and I would choose from them plumosa aurea 

 (a very beautiful plant), equarrosa, and ericoides. We would 

 also recommend Thujopsis dolabrata, laavig&ta, and Standishi.. 

 Amongst Yews, elegantissima, pyramidalis variegata, and the 

 Golden Irish. In green varieties, epacrioides and japonica. 

 Box. minima, argentea nova, chinensis, and the Handsworth, a 

 broad-leaved variety, distinct and fine. The Berberis. a grace- 

 ful type of shrubs, give us Hookeri, japonica, and Fortunei. 

 Ynccas are very effective in the centre of Bhrubs, and plicata, 

 recurva, and stricta are hardy, cheap, and remain a long time 

 at a manageable Bize. Many other plants of a kindred nature 

 might be added, but I think the varieties already enumerated 

 are sufficient for most gardens, and, combined with the classes 

 of plants I am about to mention, give a warmth and appear- 

 ance to the spring garden it would be difficult to attain with- 

 out them. 



I now come to the hardy annuals, a class within the reach 

 of the humblest cultivator, aud suitable for the smallest 

 garden. The following, which are of easy cultivation, will be 

 found effective, especially when judiciously arranged as to 

 colour and height: — Silena pendula compacta, pink and also- 

 white; Myosotis sylvatica, sylvatica alba, azorica and palns- 

 tris, the last being the most valued in the south of England ;. 

 Limnanthes Douglassi, yellow ; Siponaria calabrica, white and 

 also pink ; and for edging Nemophila insignis, beautiful blue. 

 The Nemophila forms a charming edging to the other annuals. 

 In addition to the annuals I have already named I would 

 recommend a few biennials, such as the Brompton Stocks and 

 the Belvoir Castle red and dwarf yellow Wallflowers. 



I will now deal with the third division — viz., herbaceous 

 plants, such as Ajuga reptanF, Arabis lurida variegata and 

 albida, Aubrietia graeca and variegata, Iberis gibraltarica. 

 Primulas in both siogle and double varieties. Polyanthuses .. 

 Saxifrages, aDd Daisies are useful and pretty ; among the 

 latter Victoria, white, dwarf red, large-6triped, and aucubasfolia- 

 are good — the last especially for edging. TheDactylis glomerata 

 variegata is a most useful Grass. I now draw your attention 

 to those most useful spring bedders the Violas and Pansies. 

 The Great Eastern and Golden Badder Pansies have proved 

 themselves best for that purpose. In Violas, Mulberry Queen.. 

 The Tory, Admiration, and Sensation are conspicuous for 

 their beauty and free blooming among a long list of otners. 



Our last division is that most esteemed and brilliant tribe 

 the bulb, which comprises lhe most beautiful flowers that : 

 adorn the spring parterre, the showy Tulip, the stately 

 Hyacinth and Narcissus, and the Crocus being moBt used- 

 There are also the several varieties of Scillas, Anemones.. 

 Jonquils, Snowdrops, and Ranunculuses. 



I will now describe a bed that I saw last spring at an esta- 

 blishment where spring gardening is much fostered, as it 

 affords an useful hint on arrangement. It was a circle 'ZO feetr 

 wide, and the centre plant was a splendid specimen of Reti- 

 nospora plumosa 2 feet high. The first circle which sur- 

 rounded it was composed of Cupressus minima glauca. Between, 

 each plant was a double scarlet Van Thol Tulip. Next came 

 dark blue Hyacinths, followed by a circle of scarlet ones. 

 Then came Silver Queen Ivy, with a groundwork of single Van 

 Thol Tulips. Between this line and the centre the bed was 

 covered thickly with Myosotis palustris in beautiful bloom. 

 Next outside came Charles Dickens Hyacinth, porcelain, 

 followed by Sultan's Blush, surrounded by a row of white 

 Hyacinths. The next circle was Euonymus radicans variegata.. 

 alternately with single Van Thol Tulips, carpeted with Oolden' 

 Thyme. Following were separate circles of Mauve Queen- 

 Viola, Ajuga reptans, Golden Badder Pansy, and Saponaria. 

 calabrica. The outer line was composed of tbe Aucuba-leaved 

 Daisy, the whole forming as charming a combination of Bpring 

 gardening as I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. 



DECEMBER FLOWERS AT VEITCH'S. 

 Having recently had a day at my disposal for visiting a* 

 London nursery I elected to have a look round Veitch's. My 

 object was to ascertain what plants were "in" at this dull 

 period of the year when the Chrysanthemums are fading, 

 when Camellias, Azaleas, and forced shrubs are yet flowerlese.. 



