36 



THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



previously seen is inferior to a good 0. Vexillarium ; 

 and yet both have their high value, founded on their 

 being exceedingly rare. When exhibited in the rooms 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society, where two forms 

 were shown, no award was made. Mr. Bull states, 

 that he imported his plants from the Eastern Archi- 

 pelago, under the name of P. intermedia. It is some- 

 what curious that at the present time the true P. inter- 

 media (which is the same with P. Portei), from the 

 Philippines, is now in magnificent condition in the 

 collection of Lord Londesborough, at Norbiton, Surrey. 

 This is perhaps the most magnificent plant of the genus, 

 for certainly as seen at Norbiton, it is impossible to con- 

 ceive of anything finer. The general colour of the 

 flowers is white, with a full, rosy-purple lip, the flowers 

 being produced in spikes several feet in length. New 

 plants are produced from side shoots. 



TRADE CATALOGUES. 

 " Catalogue of Gladioli," Kelway and Son, Langport. — 

 A catalogue of twenty-four octavo pages, invaluable to 

 all growers of the Gladiolus. Messrs. Kelway and Son 

 inform us that they raise no less than two hundred 

 thousand new seedlings every year, and that their 

 eighteen new varieties sent out for the first time this 

 year, are far in advance of any hitherto in commerce. 

 Many of the names are very curious — names having a 

 Latin or Greek sound, but no meaning, and some almost 

 unpronounceable. 



" Descriptive Catalogue of Selected Roses/' Cranston 

 and Mayo's, King's Acre, near Hereford. — This is an ex- 

 cellent Rose Catalogue, which not only gives a list of all 

 Roses worth growing in this country, but includes a brief 

 description of each group of Roses, which is alike read- 

 able and really valuable ; for instance, under " Hybrid 

 Perpetual Roses," Messrs. Cranston and Mayo's say: — 



" The first Roses called Hybrid Perpetual were ob- 

 tained by crossing the Hybrid China and Hybrid Bour- 

 bon with the China, Bourbon, and Tea-scented varieties ; 

 by this means perpetual blooming Roses were obtained, 

 which were named by the French growers 'Hebrides 

 Remontantes.' The Rose has perhaps undergone greater 

 improvements within the last ten or fifteen years than it 

 ever previously obtained, and this improvement may be 

 attributed in a great measure to the introduction of the 

 class now under consideration having opened a field for 

 hybridizing and raising seedlings to almost an endless 

 extent. A better foundation to work upon there could 

 not possibly have been, for certainly they are the most 

 desirable of all Roses. In this section we have varieties 

 suitable to any soil, climate, or situation, and also adapted 

 to a variety of purposes. Perhaps the greatest evil which 

 has attended the fertility of these varieties, has been the 



introduction of so many worthless sorts, a circumstance 

 alike perplexing to the amateur and irksome to the cul- 

 tivator. Nearly all the Hybrid Perpetuals, except those 

 described as dwarfs, make good standards; but it would 

 be well in every instance, when making selections, to 

 bear in mind that the vigorous, free, and robust make 

 the finest standards; the moderate the best half and 

 dwarf standards ; and the dwarf growers, dwarfs or dwarf 

 standards only. When they can be so arranged, this 

 should be strictly attended to. Nearly all are suitable 

 for growing as dwarfs, and are admirably adapted for 

 grouping in masses. Nearly all the vigorous growers make 

 handsome Pillar Roses; for this purpose they are best 

 budded upon the Manetti Stock ; they will in one season 

 make plants from five to six feet in height, and bloom 

 abundantly ; they must, however, in all instances be 

 planted deep, so that the part where the plant was 

 budded is below the surface. Most of the varieties re- 

 commended for bedding or grouping do admirably on 

 the Manetti Stock ; the same directions as to planting 

 must, however, be attended to in every instance, when 

 they will be found to supersede others grown upon the 

 Briar, or upon their own roots. The vigorous, free, and 

 moderate growers require moderately close pruning; 

 the dwarf growing kinds should be pruned closely." 



" The Manetti Stock, upon which very many Roses 

 are now worked, is become universally esteemed. For 

 such kinds as are suitable to it (and these only should 

 be worked) it is unsurpassed as a Stock for Dwarf 

 Roses. Many sorts which upon the Briar are almost 

 inactive, when worked upon this stock appear to gain 

 new life and vigour, and retain a robust and healthy 

 growth quite remarkable. It is suitable for nearly all 

 the Summer Roses, Damask Perpetuals, Perpetual Moss, 

 the greater part of the Hybrid Perpetuals, and a few of 

 the Bourbons. It is not, however, adapted for all the 

 Tea-scented, China, or Noisette sections, excepting for 

 pot culture, for which purpose it is the best of all stocks. 

 For all the hardy Pillar Roses it is unequalled : many 

 sorts grown upon it will attain the height of six or seven 

 feet in one season. It must, however, in all cases be 

 worked close to the ground, and in transplanting, it is 

 most important that the plant is set deep, and in no in- 

 stance should the union of the bud with the stock be 

 above ground. Let it, therefore, be always planted so 

 that the collar of the bud is beneath the soil. This, let 

 it be observed, applies only to plants worked on this 

 particular stock; such treatment with Roses upon the 

 Briar would be fatal." 



It will be seen from the above, that not only is the 

 history of each Rose under notice given in the above 

 book, but good cultural directions are included, which 

 must prove useful to all growers of the " Queen of 

 Flowers." 



