March 30, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 257 
different sizes I reduced the upright to what I consider the 
minimum of strength which is sufficient. Mr. Garner’s label may 
be very good for neat well-kept beds in small villa gardens, but 
where the borders are large and wide and fronting shrubberies 
something stronger is required. My labels are kicked down by 
the hundred—first, by myself or my men getting on to the border 
to tie, to plant, to cut shrubs, or to weed ; second, by boys bird¬ 
nesting ; third, by dogs hunting rabbits, which will find their way 
into this garden and must be hunted and destroyed ; fourth, by 
other unaccountable and mysterious means. These casualties 
may sound horrible to owners of neatly kept little gardens, but 
they are of daily occurrence in mine ; and if the standard of the 
label is bent double every time they happen it becomes far more 
troublesome than if it is strong enough to remain unbent. I am 
far from thinking my label quite satisfactory, but am merely 
mentioning one condition which a satisfactory label must fulfil.— 
C. Wolley Dod. 
[This condition is an important one. The wire supporting Mr. 
Garner’s labels was not so strong as that used by Mr. Wolley Dod. 
Can Mr. Garner show that No. 6 wire can be attached by his 
method ?] 
PRUNING AND MANURING ROSES. 
By this time most or all of the Rose bushes in the kingdom 
have been pruned, and possibly to many of the beds a dressing of 
manure has been applied and lightly dug in. To-day we pruned 
Fig. 5 J .—Dendrobium Devonianum. (See page 256.) 
ours, and we have never had so much sound wood or such a choice 
of beautiful buds. This garden is in an exposed late locality in 
the “ north countrie,” but this does not account for the number 
of dormant buds. Only fourteen days ago Gooseberry bushes and 
flowering shrubs were earlier than those in Kent; indeed, not 
100 yards from our beds are others under precisely similar con¬ 
ditions save one, and the buds of these Roses have started, even 
those at the base. No one need ask better-conditioned Rose wood 
than that under our charge : worse than the others can hardly be 
conceived. The one condition which makes all this difference is 
the difference in the manuring. We are almost afraid to write it, 
but for years the Roses here have had no manure, and yet they 
have improved every year since the practice was discontinued. 
It was time for something to be done. Every year the death 
rate was alarming—at least, whenever a really severe frost 
occurred in winter. When a mild one occurred matters were not 
much better, for then the buds started down to the earth line only 
to be crippled later. 
Then they were cultivated according to the books ; now experi¬ 
ence has taught a different and a more excellent way. The books 
said very plainly that for every ounce of food the plants were 
likely to use not less than a stone was to be given. Experience 
has taught that enough is plenty, and more than enough an evil. 
The lesson might have been learned earlier. Near to where the 
Roses died or grew unsatisfactorily was a border of herbaceous 
plants, with a few dozens of Hybrid Perpetual Roses which 
always grew well, bloomed well, and always had plenty of un¬ 
started buds to choose from in spring. One autumn all the Roses 
were lifted and regulated, for many were straggling bushes. As 
the soil is thin it was not very deeply dug—just two spades, in fact. 
The subsoil was at the same time broken up and left where it was. 
As no further addition of manure was to be given at any future 
date a fair dressing was intermixed this time, the Roses planted 
deeply to secure their being independent of the stocks by-and-by. 
No mulching was given, and none has been given since ; and 
although they have passed through two winters of great severity 
our losses from all causes have not been over 3 per cent.; before 
it certainly was not under 20. Not only so, but there is now a far 
better show of far better blooms than formerly, and, what is 
stranger, the growths are much stronger. Before, they were con¬ 
tinually moving, being excited by overfeeding, and the conse¬ 
quence was an exhaustion of their vigour in spasmodic spurts. 
Now they start late in spring, and make up one vigorous growth, 
to which the whole efforts of the plants are directed. Before, 
they started every month of the year except at the time they 
should. November was then not too late nor February too early 
for a start, but though so anxious to start they made but a poor 
show at the winning post. 
It is not a question of climate, for the Roses of our neighbours 
still behave as ours did formerly, and all because of mistaken 
kindness. No better samples of two differing principles could be 
had than these two lots ; yet our neighbour, at present despair¬ 
ingly searching for dormant buds, still persists in laborious 
manurings. The consequences are as stated. 
Growers often recommend the employment of fresh loam to 
Rose beds. New soil is considered good. So it is : but why is 
the “ old ” soil old ? It is just far too rich, and the greater virtue 
of the “ new ” soil lies in its freedom from so much plant food. 
Such “ old ” soil makes good manure, as anyone who may use it 
for vegetables in not too strong doses will find out. In short, 
much money and labour is spent among Roses to create mischief. 
Planting deeply is a good plan. Those here were all planted 
deeply. Often they have been killed in numbers to the ground 
line or below it, but they grew stronger than ever. Are not 
many plants over-manured ? Is there not too much rule of thumb 
in the supply of food ? We certainly think that in the case of 
plants from sunnier climes—and Roses are—many more would be 
hardier than they are were they not induced to make ranker 
growth than there is sunshine enough to mature ; and the less the 
sunshine, the shorter the summer, the less manure should be 
applied. It is good for our well-tried plants that they are 
common. Were the Scots Fir a new introduction we verily 
believe it would be pronounced not hardy, for the first specimens 
would be so gorged as to really make them tender. This, above 
everything else, is what ails our Roses. In sunnier climes un¬ 
limited food supplies may be all right; in our latitude such treat¬ 
ment is all wrong—ruinously wrong.— Single-handed. 
SHROPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The above flourishing Society held its second spring Show on 
Thursday last, March 23rd, and was a great success. The entries 
were far more numerous than last year, and the exhibits very superior. 
Hyacinths, Tulips, and other spring-flowering bulbs were the main 
features of the Show. For eighteen Hyacinths, distinct, in 18-inch 
pots the honours were divided between Messrs. J ones & Sons, Coton 
Hill, and Messrs. Pritchard & Sons, Frankwell Nurseries, who were 
awarded equal first prizes. The Hyacinths of Messrs. Jones & Sons 
were remarkably fine and well grown. They comprised Charles 
Dickens, pink, very fine ; King of Blues, Fabiola, Alba maxima, 
Frederick the Great, pink ; Czar Peter, Cavaignac, Mont Blanc, Alba 
superbissima ; Ida, a lovely spike; Van Speyk, Noble Par Meritb, 
Prince of Waterloo, Triomphe Blandina, Mimosa, General Have¬ 
lock, Gigantea, and Duchess of Richmond. Messrs. Pritchard’s were 
a little overdrawn. For twelve spikes Mr. H. Jones was first with a 
splendid collection, undoubtedly the best twelve in the Show, 
Duchess of Richmond, Gigantea, Pieneman, very flue; Fabiola, 
Monsieur de Faesch, Sultan’s Favourite, Tubmflora, Alba maxima, 
Baron Yon Humboldt, Baroness Yon Tuyll, Mont Blanc, and Ida. 
Mr. J. W. Pritchard was second with good examples. 
For six Azaleas in flower Messrs. Pritchard were first with well- 
flowered untrained plants. Mr. Pratt, gai'dener to Viscount Hill, 
Hawkeston, was second with very similar plants, but not so well 
flowered. For three Orchids Mr. Pratt was the only exhibitor, and 
was awarded the first prize. Dielytras were exhibited by Messrs. 
Pritchard & Sons and Mr. J. W. Pritchard, who were awarded the 
prizes in the order named; the plants were very fresh but small. 
Cyclamens were shown in splendid condition by Mr. Milner, gardener 
to Rev. J. D. Corbett, Sundorn, who was awarded first prize for six ; 
T. S. Eyton, Esq., being second with smaller but good plants. Cine¬ 
rarias were in full force, and very good ; Messrs. Jones & Sons being 
