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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 11, 1864. 



tion and beauty of illustration. The four Orchids described 

 and portraited are Anguloa Clowesii, Chysis Limminghii, 

 Ccelogyne cristata, and Disa grandiflora superba. The por- 

 trait of the last-named is one of the most successful we know, 

 and does justice to this splendid flower; for, as the authors 

 truly say, " Disa grandiflora superba ranks among the finest 

 of greenhouse Orchids." They add, " Our drawing was taken 

 from a very strong plant that produced with us eight blooms 

 on one spike — an unusual number, for commonly not more 

 than two, three, or four are produced. It was grown in a 

 greenhouse under Vines, but as near the glass as possible, 

 where it obtained plenty of light." 



EEECTLNG AH OECfiAED-HOUSE. 



I have been particularly interested with the communi- 

 cations in the Journal on orchard-houses, their manage- 

 ment, &c, and purpose building one, dimensions not yet de- 

 termined on ; but before commencing to build, would you 

 give me your advice on one or two matters ? First. Let me 

 tell you I shall have to manage it myself, I cannot afford to 

 employ a man regularly. Tou will understand from this 

 economy is a great consideration. As to the description of 

 house — is Sir Joseph Paxton's method of building green- 

 houses a patent ? Should I be infringing his rights, or lay 

 myself open to any pains or penalties, if I bought wood and 

 employed a country carpenter to work it up on his (Sir 

 Joseph's) principle ? 



Which is the better plan — to grow Peaches and Nectarines, 

 &c, hi pots, or to plant them out ? If grown in pots would 

 soil to the depth of 2 or 3 feet require removing, and a cer- 

 tain amount of rubble put in, and what thickness ? If this 

 turning out of soil and bringing the rubble could be dis- 

 pensed with, I think it would save a great expense. If 

 grown in pots would the trees require repotting every year, 

 or how often, and how many years do you suppose a tree 

 could be grown in a pot ? Will the trees produce as much 

 or more fruit when grown in pots as when planted out, or 

 vice verso,? and why do people always write and talk of 

 growing trees in pots — is there some great advantage in it ? 

 Nearly all the articles in your Journal and your little 

 manual on greenhouses, speak of this method as if planting- 

 out was not to be thought of. — Tebnt. 



[We do not take the responsibility of determining what 

 is, and what is not a patent ; but we feel pretty certain that 

 if resolved to adopt Sir Joseph Paxton's method of houses 

 for the million, a village blacksmith cannot make them up 

 so economically as they are advertised, as all the work is 

 cut by machinery, and put together by men used to it. If 

 economy is your object, and the place is your own, a fixed 

 roof will be the cheapest and best. In Sir Joseph's system, 

 to which you refer, sashes are made in the usual way ; but 

 there is a raised cap between every two sashes some 8 to 

 12 inches wide, glazed, and this by means of a lever is raised 

 to its full width, or for as little as half an inch. By means 

 of nuts the lever might raise a third, a half, or the whole of 

 the length of this ventilating cap. 



We would rather you decided yourself as to whether you 

 would grow in pots, or plant out the trees. Tou will find the 

 matter temperately stated in "Doings of the Last Week," 

 and in a late short article by " R. F." Both systems have 

 their advantages and disadvantages. The pot system enables 

 you to have more variety in little room, gives you more 

 command over the size of your plants, and enables you to do 

 all the root-pruning required very easily, and will give you 

 good fruit if you thin sufficiently ; but the plants will require 

 much more attention, and especially in the way of watering. 

 The fruit may be as numerous as you like, but unless well 

 thinned they will not be so fine as from trees planted out. 

 On the other hand, trees planted out are apt to grow too 

 luxuriant, and will demand root-pruning as well as frequent 

 pinching of the shoots, but you will be more independent of 

 the water pail and continued attention. In your case, 

 absent during the day, and with little help, if great variety 

 were not your object, your simplest and best plan would be 

 to plant the trees and train to a trellis 15 inches from the 

 glass, and cultivate temporary plants in pots until the per- 

 manent trees filled the house, and then if you give air early 

 in the morning the trees would pretty well look after them- 



selves. The pot sys'eni must have labour and frequent 

 waterings. 



If you decide on pots, you have no occasion to have a, 

 rubble-bottomed border. A little fresh soil beneath the 

 bottom of the pots will be quite sufficient, and half or three- 

 parts plunging the pots will be advisable, chiefly for saving 

 watering and keeping the roots in a more equable condition 

 as respects temperature. 



If grown in pots, and the pots are from 15 inches and 

 larger in diameter, the trees will do well for several years in 

 the same pots with the help of fresh top-dressings every 

 year. We have seen trees in 20-inch pots that had borne 

 well for ten years, and showed no signs of falling off. Smaller- 

 sized pots would be better to be shifted, and that should be 

 done as soon as the fruit is gathered. For instance : a small 

 tree in a ten-inch pot should get one from 12 to 15 inches in 

 diameter. 



If you tell us what sort of house you resolve on, and 

 what is the mode of growth you decide upon, and want more 

 definite information, we shall be glad to help to the utmost 

 of our ability, as we fully sympathise with all circumstanced 

 like yourself. We must not forget that one charm of the 

 pot system is that the trees willafford you nice exercise in 

 pinching and watering night ana morning. If you would 

 rather escape these pleasures, then plant out and train to a, 

 trellis.] 



WHITE PERPETUAL EOSES. 



The request of a correspondent (J. Broughton), to know 

 what are the best white and light-coloured varieties of Hybrid 

 Perpetual Roses of the present and past few years, induces 

 me to say a word on the point. There is no doubt that this 

 is a direction in which the skill and energies of hybridisers 

 ought to be exerted, for it is a class in which we are very 

 deficient. There are times when Madame Vidot and Mrs. 

 Rivers, especially the latter, appear nearly white, and then 

 they are most beautiful ; but why have we had nothing; 

 approaching that style for some years ? The run has been 

 all on the crimsons and roses, and even the latter have been 

 comparatively little thought of when darker and brighter- 

 flowers were to be had ; and however much we may admire 

 the bright and gorgeous colouring of this style of flower, we 

 still want something of a lighter character for contrast, and 

 hence are obliged to go to the Teas and Noisettes for them ; 

 indeed, those white flowers which have been produced during 

 the past few years can hardly be called Hybrid Perpetuals, 

 the character of their growth and style of flower alike pro- 

 claim them to be Hybrid Noisettes. The best of them, how- 

 ever, I still conceive to be Mdlle. Bonnaire and Virginal; 

 but perhaps I shall best satisfy your correspondent's wishes 

 by giving descriptions of each of them as they occur to me. 



Mademoiselle Bonnaire (1S61). — Pale* flesh, nearly white, 

 and in bud most exquisite. One of the prettiest of the 

 class. Wood very green and thorny. A good grower, though 

 not robust. 



Virginal (1860). — Very similar to the above, although, 

 perhaps, not quite so full, and more white — i.e., with less of. 

 the flesh tint in it ; flowers of a fair size. Blooms exhibited 

 by Messrs. Paul & Son and Mr. Keynes might be even called 

 large. 



Louise Darzins (1S62). — Quite white, but small. Habit of 

 plant very dwarf' and altogether with very much of the 

 Noisette character in it. Blooms profusely. 



Mademoiselle EugJnie Verdier (1861). — Nearly white, with 

 pale flesh centre in the style of Virginal. I' have seen some 

 very beautiful blooms of it. The habit of the plant is mode- 

 rately vigorous. 



Madame Alfred de Rougemont (1S63). — This I saw exhibited 

 very well early in this year. It is not a pure white, but 

 slightly shaded with rose ; may prove an acquisition. 



Madame Freeman (1S63).— Pale flesh, changing to white. 

 I have not seen enough of this, but it seems to be delicate. 



Sceur des Anges (1863). — Large, pale blush, but very much 

 inclined to crack and come defective, so that I fear it will 

 never be of much service. 



Louise Damaiein (1864). — This I have not seen, but it is 

 described as a virgin white. 



Of these I should be contented with Mademoiselle Bon- 

 naire, Virginal, and Madame Alfred de Rougemont. 



