270 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 3, 1884. 
century ago this country was in nearly every district fairly well wooded, 
and in some parts, now bare, was heavily timbered ; but during the last 
fifty years it has suffered by the hand of the wood-chopper, the ravages of 
fire, the encroachment of cattle and goats, the attacks of insects, and the 
parching droughts, until many places where formerly the springs and 
streams never failed in summer or winter there is now no running water 
except in rainy weather. The animals eat the young trees, trample upon 
the roots, and in various ways weaken or destroy even the larger trees. 
The birds, accustomed to the dense shade and quiet of the wo >ds, desert 
the places opened to the glaring light and drying rays of the sun, and the 
myriads of insects have it all their own way. Destructive and annoying 
insects have, like noxious weeds and grasses, been unintentionally intro¬ 
duced in the packing of merchandise and on plants and seeds, and there 
are not many insect-destroying birds to help in keeping ♦hem down. It is 
hoped that the attent on which is now being directed to this important 
su-'ject may cause a happy change to take place. 
in some respects, yet it is abundantly distinct and easily recognised by 
its superior rosy-coloured flowers. The leaves are elliptical, about 
6 inches long, bright shining green with crimson footstalks. The 
flowers are borne in close heads of nine or ten, the corollas being 
3 to 4 inches in diameter, with rounded spreading lobes, rosy on the 
outer surface and lighter within. In one respect the species is 
strikingly peculiar. The corolla has seven lobes and fourteen stamens. 
The large floret is of a soft pink colour, and has a very sweet odour 
There is a yellow tinge in the centre of the corolla, and a well-grown 
truss is a very striking and beautiful object. It hybridises very freely 
with some other species and with hardy hybrids. Mr. Luscombe has 
raised some lovely seedlings between it and R. Thomsoni, which Messrs. 
Veitch possess. Some of my seedlings of the same strain have produced 
very grand flowers. 
A TEA ROSE HOUSE. 
What favourites Tea Roses are! No flowers are more appre¬ 
ciated by the public; and they are especially valuable, as they 
may be had in bloom during the winter and spring, 
and| again during the summer (their usual blooming 
period). It is, however, during the winter and 
spring that Tea Roses are more appreciated, and 
to have them then they must be grown under glass. 
No garden of any size should be without a Rose 
house, and the best I have seen is the conservatory 
at the King’s Acre Nurseries, Hereford. This is a 
large structure, very light and span-roofed, with a 
well-prepared centre bed on the ground level, a 
walk round it, with a raised tan or leaf pit about 
3 feet wide next the sides for growing Roses in 
pots. The artificial heat is supplied by flow and 
return 4-inch pipes. The centre bed is planted 
with standards principally, of different heights, the 
tallest in the centre, with other rows of different 
heights on each side. The front rows have stems 
about 1 foot to 18 inches high, with a few dwarfs. 
The roof supports, of which there are several 
throughout the house, have each a climbing Rose 
planted at the base of it and trained across the 
roof. Climbing Roses planted like these do not 
obstruct the light from those in the bed. 
When Roses are planted out the bed must be well 
prepared and thoroughly drained. The greatest 
enemy is mildew, and this is induced chiefly by 
drought, faulty ventilation, and a cold stagnant at¬ 
mosphere. Ventilate carefully at all times, and espe¬ 
cially when the foliage is young. The house should 
have both top and under ventilators, but only those 
at the top should be opened during the early season 
of growth. It must be used so that it does not cause 
a draught. The pipes should be kept warm during 
the day whilst the ventilators are open, and if the 
pipes are painted occasionally with flour of sulphur 
it will assist in keeping mildew in check. The night 
temperature should be kept as near 50° or 55" as 
possible. 
The border must never bj allowed to become dry. 
When it requires watering give a thorough soaking 
of tepid water. If the bloom buds are well ad¬ 
vanced supply liquid manure (if the plants are well 
established in the border) or a dressing of Clay’s 
Fertiliser. Syringe the paths and border occasion¬ 
ally, and the foliage also on fine mornings before 
the blooms expand. The side beds are useful for 
plants in pots, as they can be removed to the con¬ 
servatory whilst in bloom. The house should be 
fumigated occasionally to keep green fly in check. 
After the flowering season is over the house should 
be well ventilated to ripen the wood thoroughly, 
and do not forget a due supply of moisture at the 
roots. After the plants are pruned remove 2 inches of the 
surface soil and top-dress with some rich compost. The nruuings 
are useful for cuttings if any plants are required on their own 
roots. If Roses on their own roots are not i-equired these 
primings make the best of grafts.—A. Young. 
The true species, however, is most interesting. Mr. George Paul has 
fine collection of plants of the first importation, and Messrs. Yeitch of 
subsequent importation by their collector. Judging by the foliage the 
two are alike, but it will be interesting when the second batch begin to 
bloom to compare the characters. 
R. Metternichii of Japan has also in one of its varieties the peculi¬ 
arity, very unusual in Rhododendrons, of the parts of the flower being in 
sevens. 
RHODODENDRON FORTUNEI. 
Amongst the many beautiful shrubs for which we are indebted to 
the late Mr. Fortune, few are equal to the lovely Rhododendron which 
e) worthily bears his name. Of a large and varied genus it stands out 
boldly in its characters, and though somewhat related to R. Grifiithianum 
R. Fortunei was discovered by Mr. Fortune in China, west of Ning 
Po, on mountains about 3000 feet above the level of the sea, where 
no other Rhododendron had been previously found, though at a lower 
level on the same mountains. Azaleas were very abundant. Seeds were 
sent to Mr. Glendinning in 1858 or 1859, and young plants were soon 
raised and distribute 1. It was, however, some years before flowers were 
