JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
April 7, 1881. ] 
are on my desk as I write. They are full and globular, with 
abundant petals opening freely, bright rosy red on the upper side, 
and a peculiar greyish purple on the under side, which imparts 
a somewhat dull hue to the half-open blooms, charmingly relieved 
by the bright glowing tints of the reflexed edges. It has been 
described as a red Gloire de Dijon ; and although it will not 
probably prove equal to our old favourite either in vigour of 
growth or size of flowers, it is likely to be much valued as a red- 
flowered climber—may I add as an exhibition Rose ?— Edward 
Luckhurst. 
METEOROLOGY. 
A hard word to say, and not a very safe one to have to write, 
but it means merely in a general way a rain gauge and a maximum 
and minimum thermometer. Anyone with this stock in trade 
may begin to take an interest in the subject; and if he does, it is 
my experience he will soon take a great one. 
It gives a charm to a rainy day it certainly never possessed 
before, to feel that every drop is telling upon the gauge and will 
come into account to-morrow at fl a.m. Half an inch is delightful, 
an inch to have to measure very exciting, and I suppose, too, an 
event in an Englishman’s life, and probably one he would not 
wish often repeated. 
Also I think it makes cold more endurable to watch the fluid 
retreating before it towards the bulb ; in fact one gentleman said, 
who had a limited thermometer, that the mercury went quite into 
the bulb, and he was most deeply thankful it was not able to go 
down any further. It is not altogether easy to take observations. 
The authorities very properly require most careful and extreme 
accuracy ; and certainly the authority I know most about and 
quote oftenest is by no means easy to satisfy either in the quality 
of thermometer or rain gauge. 
There are certain rules also to be observed as to position. But 
all this being overcome, I venture to predict great and increasing 
interest to be obtained in the taking of observations ; and I think 
I may add thanks from our commander-in-chief Mr. Symons, who 
is always on the. look-out for fresh stations, and who, I believe, 
now has several localities, important but unrepresented.—A. C. 
ACHIMENES FOR LATE FLOWERING. 
That Achimenes can be grown from cuttings most people 
know, but that it is the best way to grow these plants may be 
new to some. It is generally admitted that Dahlias propagated 
from cuttings of the young shoots without any portion of the old 
root produce the most satisfactory results, and if this is so with 
Dahlias why not with Achimenes ? But as 1 have not proved it 
I will base my recommendation of cuttings on other grounds, 
Achimenes in summer are of comparatively little use here, the 
indoor requirements at that season not being so great as in the 
autumn, and there are generally plenty of plants in flower during 
summer without any special preparation ; but in autumn, when 
shooting parties and early frosts come at the same time, there is 
apt to be a dearth of flowering plants unless ample provision has 
been made beforehand. It is then that the beautiful bright 
colours of the Achimenes are welcome, and there is nothing that 
I am aware of to prevent those who can grow these plants at all 
having them in as good condition during September and October 
as at any other time. That is one advantage which cuttings 
possess; but there is another and more important one to the busy 
gardener who has to grow a little of everything, and who not 
only has all his moments taken up, but all his indoor space filled 
till the frosts are gone, and he can venture to place some of his 
less tender productions out of doors—and it is this, that the roots 
need not be started into growth till the month of May, but the 
pots may be kept on a shelf high and di-y, and then, instead of 
the ordinary tedious process of shaking the roots out and potting 
them, they may be started in their original pots by merely soaking 
them and keeping them in a moist situation. It will be seen 
that by this plan there is a saving of time at a very busy season, 
and of room when for every inch of space there are two or three 
candidates, each of which is half a foot in diameter. 
I hope no one will take up your valuable space by telling us 
that this is not a new plan, because lam not interested in knowing 
whether it is new or old, old plans being just as good to me as 
new ones, and vice versa, provided they are good and economical. 
If I or anyone else invent any new thing which adds either to 
the pleasure or profit of a portion of our fellow creatures without 
hurting the rest we are doing good, and so I maintain we are 
while we are instructing the million in common everyday philo¬ 
sophy ; but of course there are some of your readers who are 
more capable of instructing than of being instructed, and it is 
not for them we write excepting when we are obliged to remind 
269 
them that all are not clever alike, and that although one man 
may know all about a certain subject, or at least think he does, 
that is no proof that his next neighbour is not open to receive 
information. I am not writing this because I have any personal 
grievance, for most of your readers probably know by this time that 
I seldom waste your space on personal matters, most of my state¬ 
ments being well weighed before they are penned ; and when I do 
not answer an adverse critic it is not because I am convinced of 
my error of judgment, or that I wish to treat anyone with 
contempt, but it is because I feel that I have made my state¬ 
ments in good faith. My opponent has probably done the same, 
and the public may be left to their own discretion as to whose 
lead they will follow, or they may pick up a hint all round and 
experiment for themselves, for it is quite possible that none of us 
are right in all details. But I feel very often that many of your 
more intelligent readers are prevented giving their experience 
simply because they are afraid someone will tell them that their 
plans and ideas are old-fashioned, and that they will be open 
to ridicule ; but I can assure you that some of the pleasantest 
moments I have are in chatting with enthusiastic amateurs who 
have had no regular horticultural training, and that many a good 
original idea has been picked up from such men and women. I 
always find those who have a love of gardening talk freely with 
me. Why should they not be encouraged to take “ our Journal ” 
into their confidence ? I hope, Mr. Editor, you will use your 
scissors freely when there is anything in MS. likely to deter a 
timid person from communicating his or her ideas, successes, or 
failures. 
But I have forgotten where I left my Achimenes. They are 
just starting into growth in their store pots. They must merely 
be kept watered and shaded till they make growths, which can 
be put in as cuttings like Lobelias or Petunias, excepting that 1 
place them in their flowering pots at once ; but your readers will 
remember that I do not bargain for any cuttings missing, and 
those who cannot insure them all striking might perhaps do just 
as well by striking the cuttings altogether and potting them off 
afterwards before they become drawn. The plan here is to insert 
from five to a dozen in a G or 7-inch pot filled with light soil, and 
place them in a box covered with glass inside a hothouse or pit ; 
they will soon strike rout, when the glass of the box is gradually 
removed, and they are afterwards grown with Gesneras, Eucha- 
rises, and such plants as require warmth and shade, or they are 
sometimes grown in a frame from which early Potatoes have been 
taken, and where there is at first a little warmth from the fer¬ 
menting material. The sorts grown are longiflora major, grandi- 
flora, Bermundii, and a small scarlet which I think is called 
“ Dazzle.”—W h. Taylor, Longlcat. 
THE GRANGE, STRETFORD, MANCHESTER. 
In a recent visit to the gardens attached to the residence of 
John Heywood, Esq., at Manchester, I was greatly pleased with 
the healthy condition and floriferousness of the Orchids, which 
are grown in large numbers, under the eaie of Mr. Elphinstone, the 
able head gardener. In the warm Orchid house especially notable 
were some fine specimens of Dendrobium nobile, D. Freemani, 
D. Devonianum, and D. densiflorum, the three preceding flower¬ 
ing freely, and the last-named bearing a large number of buds. 
The useful Oncidium sarcodes was in excellent health, as were 
also Cypripedium niveum, the old and well-known Phaius grandi- 
folius, and the beautiful Ansellia africana, which has been equal 
to or even surpassing some of the specimens of this distinct 
Orchid that have been recently noticed in the Journal. In the 
house devoted to Orchids requiring cool treatment were several 
large specimens of that useful species Ccelogyne cristata, indi¬ 
cating by their vigorous appearance the careful treatment they 
receive. Disa grandiflora is also grown very successfully, with 
Odontoglossum gloriosum and Masdevallias ignea and amabilis. 
Roses in pots, too, form another important feature in this esta¬ 
blishment and are similarly well grown, the foliage being strong 
and healthy and the buds showing remarkably freely, piomising 
a fine display. Clematises in pots also receive considerable at¬ 
tention, and, as in all gardens where they are'well treated, they 
amply repay the trouble expended upon them. In a very large 
vinery, where the Vines were advancing satisfactorily, was an 
uncommonly handsome specimen of Rhododendron Gibsoni 
covered with flower buds. All through the garden a very agree¬ 
able neatness was observable, and reflected credit upon the 
general management.— Visitor. 
Disbudding Peach Trees. — I see it warmly commended in 
one of your contemporaries to commence disbudding Peaches at 
present. The practice of one of the most successful growers in 
