October 25, 18f 3 J 
3G3 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
What we shall call moor earth is a kind of peat formed over thin 
poor soils, and often hard rock. It somewhat resembles mould, from 
which it, however, essentially differs. In this the Ericaceae thiive. 
hog earth is peat in an advanced stage of decomposition, also good 
for such of the grosser-growing Ericaceae. —Single-handed. 
(To be continued.) 
THE ROSE ELECTION. 
Mr. Hinton’s two lists of Roses in the Journals of October 11th 
and 18th are very interesting, and I venture to make a few remarks 
upon them. First, as to the new Roses sent out since 1877, or rather 
including 1877. As only six Roses were to be named as Al, and a 
great number apparently received a few first-class votes, while three— 
A. K. Williams, Madame G. Luizet, and Duchess of Bedford—receive 
thirty, twenty-six, and twenty-one respectively, there would naturally be 
a great falling-off afterwards in first-class votes. With regard to 
A. K. Williams, which is the only one which obtains full marks, 
Mr. Hinton contrasts it with Marie Baumann. With me it is decidedly 
a better grower; but as I happened to be judging at Manchester, where 
it was, I think, first shown, and being asked, after having gone through 
with my co-judges the portion of the schedule assigned to us, to adjudge 
the new Roses, and to decide with them which was the best stand, and 
also which was the best new Rose exhibited, we were unanimous in 
thinking it one of the finest sent out for a long time, and when I 
reached home I ordered two plants of it with a few other new ones. 
Next year, if I remember righq at the National Rose Show it received 
the premier reward as the best Rose in the Show. This caused it to be 
very much propagated, and I cannot help thinking that over-propagation, 
using every bud and forcing in heat, caused many weakly plants to be 
sent out. With me the first plants make very good upright growth, and 
it has the merit of opening nearly every bud perfectly, and it also forces 
well, and is a free bloomer. 
Madame Gabriel Luizet is also, no doubt, a great acquisition, and I 
am not surprised that Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, though only sent out in 
1882, obtained three first-class votes out of the four recorded, as there was 
a beautiful stand of twelve exhibited this year at the National Rose Show 
at South Kensington, and good as the Tea Roses were there this year, 
I thought it was one of the best stands shown. I quite agree with 
Mr. Hinton, though I have not grown many of the new Roses myself, 
but from what I have seen of them not many of the ninety-six will long 
remain in the catalogues. With regard to the Garden Rose Election I 
am glad to see our old friend Gloire de Dijon at the top of the tree, but 
I still doubt its being a Tea Rose, though it is called one ; at all events 
it differs in habit from any other. We must not be surprised that many 
of what Mr. Hinton would call exhibition varieties come to the front in 
the list of garden Roses, for after all what we want are those which are 
free bloomers with well-shaped flowers. I am rather surprised with 
twenty-five voters that only oue received full honours, and that so many 
different ones were named that the number of votes recorded fall off 
so rapidly. 
Jules Margottin and General Jacqueminot, though both good garden 
Roses, are much higher in the list than I should have expected, and I 
am surprised to find Charles Lawson, which is only a summer bloomer, 
named as No. 24. “ D., Deal," puts Blairii No. 2 amongst his six, which 
also rather surprises me, as, though I have a good plant of it in a good 
situation, it rarely gives me a bloom. Celine Forestier, too, with me is 
also a shy bloomer, though a beautiful yellow, especially on the later 
shoots. “ D.’s ” list contains many which I fear would be found in very 
few gardens now, and it is certainly rather difficult to define what a 
garden Rose means, as distinct from any other kind of Rose. My idea 
is, Grow those which are good in habit and constitution, are free in 
blooming, and that are not too tender in their petals. There are some 
which like M. Noman, M. Lacharme, and others, will never open in 
wet weather, the petals being too thin they stick together with the 
damp. Even La France, beautiful and fragrant and free-blooming as it 
is, has this fault.—C. P. P. 
By an accident I find I have classed Mr. E. Claxton of The Rosery, 
Allerton, near Liverpool, as a nurseryman. Taking the members of the 
National Rose Society and led by its list, the “ Rosery,” misled me. 
I wish to make the explanation in your columns, as it may cause Mr. 
Claxton annoyance in exhibiting. I should deeply regret this.— Joseph 
Hinton. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Houses. —Vines from which ripe Grapes are to be 
cut by the middle to the close of April should now be closed, but 
fire heat need not be applied until the middle of November, except 
to prevent the temperature falling below 50°. It is advisable to have | 
in readiness a quantity of well-worked fermenting materials for intro¬ 
duction into the house when forcing is commenced ; two parts Oak or 
Beech leaves to one part of stable litter, thrown into a heap and turned 
over a few times, will produce a genial atmosphere very favourable to 
the Vines before and after they start into growth. Old Vines that have 
been forced for a number of years will break freely at a lower tempe¬ 
rature than young ones or those not previously subjected to early forcing. 
Especially does this apply when the canes have made a vigorous growth 
and had only a short season of rest. After the house has been closed for 
a fortnight a temperature of 50° to 55° at night, and 00° to 65° by day, 
will be suitable, and yet not too high to begin with at this season. Keep 
all young rods suspended in a horizontal position over the fermenting 
material, and syringe the rods and damp the walls and paths two or 
three times a day, but avoid keeping the rods constantly dripping with 
moisture, as it is prolific in inducing the emission of aerial roots from the 
rods. Apply water to the inside border, if necessary, at a temperature 
of 90°. The outside border must be protected from heavy rains or snow 
by a good thickness of dry fern or litter, if not already done. 
Early Vines in Pots. —Those that have been started about the middle 
of the month will now be swelling the buds, and should be given the 
treatment in respect of temperature, syringing, and watering as advised 
for the early-planted Vines as above given, with a slight increase in 
temperature on mild nights, and in the daytime ventilating from 65°, 
and as far as possible effecting a change of atmosphere at least once in 
the twenty-four hours, as however essential a moist atmosphere is to a 
good break, a genial sweet atmosphere must not be lost sight of, as a 
close, stagnant, vitiated one is positively injurious. Keep the heat at the 
roots steady at 70° to 75°. 
Young Vines in Pots. —Fruiting canes intended for fruiting next 
season and not to be started before December or later should be pruned 
at once, cutting all laterals close in and reduce the canes in length to 
0 or 8 feet according to their vigour and the plumpness of the eyes ; 
dress all the cuts with styptic. Keep in a cool dry house, and do not 
allow the soil to become dust-dry. Young Vines in pots not strong 
enough for fruiting should be cut back to a single bud, dressed with 
styptic, and kept in a dry place, and cool but safe from frost, until the 
time for starting into growth arrives. 
Late Grapes. —Lady Downe’s well ripened is unquestionably the 
finest for keeping up to May ; and although the Grapes will now be fit 
for use, the quality is considerably improved by allowing them to hang 
on the Vines until the new year. The temperature should be maintained 
at a mean of 50°, G0° being the maximum and 40° minimum, allowing a 
free circulation of air when external conditions are favourable. Although 
damp is the greatest evil to be contended against, the soil of the border 
must not be allowed to become very dry, and if watering be needed it 
should be given in the early part of a fine day. To keep down dust the 
borders should be covered with dry bracken. If outside borders are still 
exposed cover them with a good thickness of dry material, and place 
over this lights or shutters to throw off the rain or snow. 
1louses of Ripe Muscats. —Careful attention will be necessary where 
ripe Muscats are hanging, removing all leaves as they become ripe, and 
examine them frequently for the removal of decayed berries. Anything 
likely to cause damp must be avoided, and if there have been plants in 
the house remove them at once. The temperature for the present should 
be kept steady at about 60°, as a cold stagnant atmosphere is fatal to the 
Grapes keeping; and though the thick-skinned Grapes are not injured by 
moderate moisture, these soon decay when there is any excess either at 
the roots or atmosphere after they become ripe. Black Hamburghs 
should have a temperature of about 50° with free ventilation whenever 
the weather is favourable. 
Renovating the Borders of Late Houses. —Where it is intended to make 
any alteration of the inside borders, preparation should now be made of 
material, so that the operation can be speedily performed as soon as the 
Grapes have been removed from the Vines. Turfy loam, old mortar 
rubbish,charred refuse or charcoal, and crushed bone got into ashed and 
mixed, will greatly facilitate matters. These materials may be used in 
the proportion of six parts turf, one lime rubbish, and one-twentieth each 
of charcoal refuse and crushed bones. For drainage nothing surpasses 
clean broken bricks, and these should be 9 to 12 inches thick. Provision 
should be made for the free passage of water from the drainage by 
suitable drains ; but it will probably be expedient, as it is when the sub¬ 
soil is wet or otherwise unfavourable, to concrete the bottom so as to 
prevent the roots striking into the subsoil, which should of course be done 
before the drains are laid. Thirty inches is sufficient depth of border, 
and if the whole of the soil be removed a 6-feet width of new border is 
quite ample for the first season, as this secures the filling of the border 
with roots, which properly fed is better than allowing them to ramble 
over a large space with few roots, and the danger of getting the whole 
into a sour state before it is needed for the Vines. 
Cucumbers. —Brisk fire heat henceforward will be at times necessary, 
the temperature ranging from 70° to 75° with fire heat, advancing 5° to 
10° from sun, and G0° to 65° at night, with a steady bottom heat of 80°. 
Ventilation must be moderate and careful, and given not to lower but 
to prevent too sudden and high temperature, admitting a little before 
80° is reached, increasing it with the rising temperature, and so as to 
avoid cold draughts, and reducing it in good time, as a chill is injurious. 
Water the plants thoroughly when they require it with tepid liquid 
manure. The atmospheric moisture must be ruled by the weather, 
avoiding the extreme of too dry or too moist an atmosphere ; damping 
available surfaces morning and afternoon will in most instances be 
