lOi 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 7 , 1884. 
either before or simultaneously with top-growth. It would be interesting 
to know, as far as can be discovered by the microscope, what proportion 
of stored food the Yine has in winter compared with other fruit-bearing 
plants—say, the Plum for instance, which starts root-growth soon after, 
or even before Christmas, in the southern counties when the weather is 
not severe.— Wm. Taylob. 
PEAS IN 1883. 
It is seldom we experience so good and prolonged a Pea season as 
that of 1883. We commenced to pick in quantity about the middle 
of May, aud were never without Peas till nearly the end of November. 
It is true we took extra pain3 with both the earliest and latest crops, 
the seed for the former being sown in boxes and the seedlings trans¬ 
planted and carefully sheltered from cold winds and frosts, while 
the latest sowings were made in the highest situated quarter of the 
garden where the earliest frosts are least destructive, but they well 
repaid for the trouble. 
For the very earliest pickings American Wonder is the best, being 
well adapted for either frames or for sowing or planting at the base 
of sunny walls. The quality of this extra dwarf wrinkled Marrow is 
first-class, and each season I hav r e either this or the still more dwarf 
Minimum. Complaints have been made of the quality of the earliest 
round-seeded Peas grown to succeed them. I hope in time we may 
dispense with any round-seeded varieties, but up till now no wrinkled 
Marrow I have tried is quite early enough. Laxton’s Earliest of All 
was again the best early variety, and was closely followed by Veitch’s 
Extra Early, this white round-seeded selection being the more robust 
■of the two. William I. was fully a week later than the last-men¬ 
tioned, and as usual proved very serviceable. A large-seeded wrinkled 
Marrow received from Mr. E Tredgett, Cambridge, formed a good 
succession to William I., and apparently possesses a stronger con¬ 
stitution than most of the earliest section. Magnet, a dwarf second 
early variety, proved useless here, but might suit gardens where space 
is limited and stakes scarce. 
Telephone, which I prefer to Telegraph on account of its superior 
quality, is still the best second early Pea ; and as a substitute for the 
former in smaller gardens I would recommend Stratagem and Pride of 
the Market, also of moderate height and very sturdy, being, like 
Telegraph, of a better colour but less sweet. To form a succession 
to Telephone we still prefer Criterion, while those preferring Peas of 
the Champion of Pingland class to the better-coloured Ne Plus Ultra 
type, in which Criterion must be included, should grow Iiunting- 
donian. Both are heavy croppers, fill their pods well, the peas being 
of the best quality. Dr. McLean is good for a small garden, and so 
also are Marvel and Gladiator. The latter was first distributed last 
season, and I should be glad of other growers’ experience with it. 
With me it cropped heavily, and the long pods filled well, but the 
quality was poor. Evolution branched remarkably, was very prolific, 
and the long handsome pods were closely filled with not oversweet 
peas. Another novelty, sturdy (Veitch), much resembles it in habit, 
but is much later, and the pods are smaller, but are closely filled with 
sweet peas. A third branching variety was received from Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons for trial, and this when distributed will be found to 
be one of the best white wrinkled varieties we have. These branch¬ 
ing varieties, among which Walker’s Perpetual must be included, 
are great acquisitions, especially for small gardens. The last- 
mentioned will in our case take the place of Veitch’s Perfection, 
which it resembles in some respects. 
I do not consider Culverwell’s Giant Marrow particularly valuable, 
as, unless it receives special treatment, the pods are not very large, 
and I find it much subject to mildew. The pods fill well, and the 
peas are large and sweet. As an exhibition variety I consider the 
better-coloured Evolution superior to it, and I have observed that 
judges are paying more attention to colour than of old. Reading 
Giant is a good main-crop sort; the habit, colour, and size of pod and 
peas as well as the quality being alike satisfactory. Ne Plus Ultra 
is too well known to need any recommendation from me, as it is 
undoubtedly the best late tall sort we have. Suttons’ Latest of All 
was again remarkably good for late crops and does not require tall 
stakes. Doubtless there are other varieties besides those enumerated 
above which are worth growing, but I am not acquainted with them. 
—W. Iggulden. 
ROSES NIPHETOS AND SAFRANO—SCENTLESS FLOWERS. 
I AM somewhat surprised that the Tea Rose Niphetos should be placed 
in the foremost rank, and that it is considered by some as likely to become 
at no distant date the Rose of the future for winter forcing. What merits 
does it possess when forced inside ? Does it bloom with greater freedom 
than all other varieties ? I cannot see any qualities to justify its being 
accorded such prominence, unless the pure white blooms are alone the 
merit by which it has gained such a high position in popular estimation. 
It is by no means the most prolific-blooming Rose that can be grown 
when forced during the winter. The old apricot-coloured Safrano must 
stand far ahead of it for winter forcing ; in fact, it is the most continuous 
flowering Rose that can be grown for flowering either winter or summer 
either in a pot or planted out, hut it is for the former that it is most 
valuable. During that period it will produce double the buds, or nearly 
so, that Niphetos will ; but only in the bud state is it any use, for it does 
not possess sufficient petals for the exhibition table. Probably on this 
account Niphetos is placed before it. But for winter forcing varieties 
cannot be judged by the exhibitor’s estimate or standard, for even 
Niphetos, which during the summer attains such size and beauty, is equal 
only during winter in the size of its buds to Safrano. The last is, I will 
readily admit, a disappointing Rose when fully expanded, and but little 
superior to those of the common Briar, except that it is larger ; but in 
the bud state it is a gem, and possesses the advantage that few other 
Roses have of developing after being cut and placed in water. Even if cut 
in a small state it will do this. 
Again, the buds of Safrano possess a most delicious fragrance, while 
the popular Niphetos possesses only a very light fragrance that is almost 
imperceptible. Why a scentless Rose should be elevated to the foremost 
position for winter I cannot imagine. I give preference to several 
varieties before it. If it possessed the fragrance of Safrano it would 
be accorded the second position, for it surpasses that variety only in the 
colour of its flowers. I think these scentless Roses, whether Teas or 
Hybrid Perpetuals, cannot be too strongly condemned, and yet they are 
becoming more general, and many of them for form and beauty rank 
high amongst exhibition varieties. If we look at the gigantic blooms of 
Capitaine Christy, Baronne de Rothschild, Mabel Morrison, Comtesse 
d’Oxford, Magna Charta, and many others, they are no more beautiful or 
desirable than Camellias, which are more readily produced during the 
winter and spring. The latter possess qualities that should place them in 
higher estimation than scentless Roses, but such is not the case. 1 most 
decidedly prefer to large scentless blooms, however faultless their form 
may be, buds of the old Cabbage, common Moss, or China Roses, all of 
which would be ignored by the lover of Roses for exhibition only.— 
W. Babdney. 
SPECIAL SOCIETIES. 
In reply to Mr. Douglas on page 88 I do not feel at liberty to publicly 
name Auricula growers who sell their seed and plants, as some of them 
are not independent amateurs. Florists have generally on hand a stock 
of good, bad, and indifferent plants, and they very seldom object to 
dispose of these to the highest bidder—trading upon their reputation to 
“turn an honest penny.” I have, however, no objection to give the 
name of one notable “ florist ” and Auricula grower to the Editor 
privately, and I leave it to his discretion to give it to Mr. Douglas in the 
same way, who sells his seeds or seedlings regularly. Looking at a large 
stock of these one day I asked the nurseryman if they were florists’ 
varieties, and his reply was, “ Well, we buy all so-and-so’s spare stock 
and pay a good price for them, and if they are not florists’ varieties they 
ought to be.” Does Mr. Douglas mean to deny that florists do not 
“ trade in their specialities ? ” I have a list of named “ florists’ ” flowers 
before me now, compiled by one who is intimately acquainted with all 
the Auricula growers in the kingdom, who reports their doings, exhi¬ 
bitions, &c., very frequently ; and he most assuredly does not offer his 
plants or seeds for nothing, nor does he get them for nothing from those 
who cater for him. No one finds fault with florists having an “ eye to 
business,” only I wanted to show that the “ old fogies ” are not exactly 
the guileless philanthropists your correspondent would have us believe.— 
Border Flower. 
Wonderful are Mr. Douglas’s discoveries 1 His latest, perhaps his 
most wonderful, that the National Rose Society must drop its title of 
National because none but members can exhibit at its shows. He had 
better write to the National Club or the National Liberal Club to say that 
they must change their title because none but members can use their 
privileges. National simply means general, public; and all it implies is 
that anyone may belong to an institution using the name on certain 
conditions. To the National Rose Society, hitherto by payment of an 
entrance fee of 5s., now by 6imply doubling that and thus becoming 
members and entitled to other advantages besides that of being able to 
exhibit.—D. 
I really had no intention of hurting the feelings of Mr. Rudd or 
Miss Woodhead either, and I am quite astonished that “ D., Deal," 
accuses me of doing so. I stated plainly that there was some mistake 
which “ D., Deal," can doubtless set right. It was stated at the Show in 
question that Mr. Rudd had offered 1000 plants of Auriculas at a price. 
There is no other amateur known to me that could do so. As it seems 
“ D., Deal," was the first to introduce this personal matter, I look to him 
to say who the amateur was.— J. Douglas. 
NOTES FROM A SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
Lasiandra macrantha floribunda .—Those who grow this charming 
Melastomai in the form of small plants in pots only, can form no 
idea of the size it will attain when planted out in generous soil and 
encouraged to grow freely in a somewhat moist and intermediate 
temperature— a fernery for instance. A very fine example, affording 
au illustration of the preceding remarks, has flourished and flowered 
