SEPX.I4MBJi.Ll. 



123 



' assert that the Gladiolus does not require water. I affirm the contrary. I 

 have already acquired the conviction that this plaut has need of watering ; and 

 I am making an experiment this year, which it appears to me will not leave 

 any doubt on the subject — in fact, I have left a certain number of plants which 

 I water regularly, and au equal number to which I. do not give any water, in 

 accordance with the recommendation of many growers. Those which are not 

 watered have already become withered without developing their flower-stem ; 

 whilst the others are full of vigour and grow marvellously. I can affirm that 

 in every case the Gladiolus requires copious waterings at the time of flowering ; 

 their stalk becomes more firm through it, and their flowers open better, aud 

 have much larger petals. It is necessary to observe that care must be taken 

 not to allow the water to be thrown on the flowers, because, in some varieties, 

 it is apt to spot them." 



This, then, let us trust, is the solution of the Gladiolus disease ; and that 

 what appears to be a threatened calamity is only a passing condition induced 

 by a want of knowledge of the requirements the plant demands. 



H. 



THE ROSE SEASON. 



The winter was favourable, but here the spring was dismal. The Manetti 

 Roses were in full bud in February ; but alas ! the succession of hoar frosts 

 and high winds from that time till June 1st, succeeded by black blight and a 

 crushing hail storm, did me great mischief. To this I owe a fine bloom now 

 (August 11), of these maltreated ones, which in most part have recovered. 

 The Briar summer Roses, which have greater powers of resistance and finer 

 constitutions, never bloomed better. I will begin by recommending some of 

 these latter, which it would be folly to give up. 



1. Summer Roses. — I name only some of the cream. Boula de Nanteuil, 

 Ohl, Kean, Paul Ricaut, Coupe d'Hebe, La Volupte, Queen of Denmark, 

 William Tell, Schismaker (choice), Napoleon, M. Audot, La Ville de Bruxelles, 

 M. Zoutman, d'Aguesseau, Transon Goubault, Adele Prevost, Cynthia, 

 Tricolore de Flandre, and Madeline. The two last are variegated and good. 

 These are all fit and useful for show purposes. They have iron constitutions, 

 and are abundant bloomers. There is this superiority of Summer Roses over 

 H.P.'s — viz., you can cut them for bouquets or show without any detriment 

 to future prospects. Paul Ricaut is, I think, the most first-rate. How very 

 few of these Roses have died, or done badly, during the demolitions of the 

 last four years ? The best place for them is where they can get heat without 

 the direct rays of the sun — i.e., 3 feet in advance of a wall facing the north. 



2. Exhibitions. — I have attended none this year ; but I am certain that, 

 from the nature of the weather, bad blooms must have been the rule and 

 good ones the exception. The best exhibition is iu the garden from 4 to 

 8 o'clock, A.M. 



3. New Roses of 1862. — The brood of this year certainly was good. I 

 never knew so many good ones come out in one year. Some of them, however, 

 might be improved by another row of petals in the centre. Till, however, we 

 get novelties on strong and suitable stocks we cannot be quite sure of their 

 greatly relative merits. I shall not err if I class them thus : — 



(1) . Extra Choice and A 1.— Maurice Bernhardin, Due de Rohan, Charles 

 Lefebvre, Prince Camille de Rohan. 



(2) . Choice and Al.— Beauty of Waltham, Madame Boutin, Marechal 

 Vaillant, Francois Lacharme. 



