July 27,1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 81 
we recently noticed, occurs the following interesting ^passage on 
the variability of hardiness :— 
“ To show the uncertainty of plants ; some which have been looked 
upon as hardy, in having previously passed through many a severe 
winter, yet succumb to the effects of some one in particular, where 
another species not usually considered so hardy survives, but ulti¬ 
mately itself falls a victim to some succeeding winter, both having 
been grown under precisely similar conditions. I may instance the 
Rosemary and Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanum). Every plant of the 
former—of which there were several, some of them old and long- 
established plants, one of them having stood with impunity the 
severe winter of 1860-G1—was utterly destroyed in 1878-79, while the 
Gum Cistus was scarcely touched, but every plant was finally killed 
in 1880-81. This latter I very much attribute to the wet summer of 
1880 and the snowstorm of March 1881, and I merely mention this to 
show, as I have before said, how much the hardihood or non-hardihood 
of plants in our climate depends on circumstances, and those mostly 
local, certainly not from the degree of latitude, as many plants which 
flourish in Devonshire and the southern counties of England may be 
found growing in Scotland and standing the winters without injury, 
while in intervening counties in England they perish. This is par¬ 
ticularly to be noted on our west coast, where even such a plant as 
Eucalyptus globulus attains a considerable size, and where the 
Fuchsia as I have seen in the Island of Arran—which with us in the 
neighbourhood of Perth when grown in the open air and not on a 
wall, requires to be treated like an herbaceous plant, and cut down 
every season—grows as a tree, with stems as thick as a man’s thigh, 
to all appearance at least fifty years old—thanks to the influence of 
the Gulf stream. Then, again, on our own east coast, and especially 
in the vicinity of the estuary of the Tay—at Dundee, Broughty Ferry, 
Newport, &c.—many plants will flourish and safely pass through our 
severest winters, which a few miles further inland will succumb. 
Thus, the Laurustinus, magnificent bushes of which I observed in fine 
health and vigour at Scotscraig towards the end of the winter of 
1880-81, Admiral Maitland Dougal assures me have never suffered in 
the least; while at Seggieden, not more than seventeen or eighteen 
miles further up the river, as a crow flies, every plant was cut down 
by the frost, and some of them old bushes of twenty years’ standing, 
were entirely killed, roots and all. This difference, I think, may in 
some measure be attributed to the brackish water in the estuary, 
which does not reach so far as Seggieden. The influence on plants, 
especially evergreens, owing to the presence of brackish water at the 
mouth of our larger rivers, I believe to be much greater than is 
generally supposed, from the fact that such water is of a higher 
temperature than either pure fresh water or the sea, it being a well- 
known law in chemistry that when two fluids of different densities 
come in contact, the temperature of the mixture is elevated for a time 
in proportion to the difference in density between the two fluids, from 
mutual penetration and condensation. Such a mixture is constantly 
taking place at the mouths of rivers that run into the sea, and the 
mixed water maintains a temperature two degrees warmer than that 
of the river or the sea—thus, no doubt, in some respect softening the 
temperature of the air with which it comes in contact, and so have a 
beneficial effect on vegetation.” 
A SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT WALTHAM. 
I should like to be able to grow Roses of all varieties, and 
thousands of each ; but this being impossible, the next best thing 
is to be able to see them in all their beauty under these conditions, 
and having had this privilege lately I want to try to tell your 
readers a little of what I saw in a few hours in Messrs. Paul and 
Son’s old-established home of the Rose at Waltham Cross. 
Arrived at the nursery and having found Mr. A. Paul, our first 
start was to the quarters devoted to new Roses and seedlings, and 
as we see the magnificent flowers that are ever and again sent out, 
we do not wonder that varieties which our forefathers esteemed so 
highly disappear from the catalogues and the exhibition stands. 
To begin with Waltham Roses, the first to attract attention was 
this year’s novelty, Duke of Albany. At first sight this looks like 
Duchess of Bedford, but upon closer inspection it is seen to be 
quite distinct from that fine variety. The shape is different, and 
the whole flower darker, each petal being shaded with a beautiful 
velvety black—a splendid acquisition in all points, and I learn a 
free autumnal bloomer. Next came Pride of Waltham, a beauty 
of quite another stamp, being an addition to our light Roses. It 
is something like La France in colour, but a larger flower, of 
better form, and a stronger grower. Lady Sheffield is of a bright 
rosy colour, shaded lighter, with fine glossy foliage. Red Gauntlet, 
a free-blooming bright crimson rose, is sure to be much in 
request for beds while Queen of Queens, reserved for another 
year, will be bought by all who remember and love the true old 
Maiden’s Blush, for it is simply an improved version of this old 
favourite, having the same perfume, the same continuity of bloom¬ 
ing, with a stronger growth, finer foliage, and blooms often up to 
exhibition standard. Two very promising seedlings not yet sent 
out are Lord Bacon, a fine dark, and Charles Lamb, a good light 
Rose. 
Passing to the more general stock we come to a fine batch of 
Manetti maidens, very healthy; though not yet in full beauty, 
still there are plenty of blooms of A. K. Williams, and they are 
magnificent; surely this is the finest of all recent introductions. 
Constantin Tretiakoff, very fine indeed ; Maurice Bernardin is still 
holding its own ; Senateur Vaisse is also very fine. Capitaine 
Christy and Baronne de Rothschild seem as good as ever, while 
of the firm’s splendid 1879 introductions, Duchess of Bedford and 
Countess of Rosebery, the display quite bears out the statement 
that they never have enough plants to meet all demands ; and the 
three Maries—Baumann, Rady, and Finger—show that they well 
deserve the large space allotted to them. Apropos of the last- 
named and Eugdnie Yerdier, disciples of the “ synonymous ” 
theory will be likely to have their confidence shaken if they pay 
a visit to this establishment. First comes Mr. Paul, jun., with a 
strong negative to the statement of the two being alike, and an 
account of a visit last year to a Liverpool rosarian who had 
planted a bed with one hundred plants of each variety, the 
distinction being as plain as if the bed were divided by a path ; 
and really as seen growing side by side here they are evidently 
quite distinct, and in point of depth of colour, freedom of bloom, 
and vigour of growth Mdlle. Finger has the best of the contest. 
Quitting this quarter we next visited the Teas on the De la 
Grifferaie, which, judged by the appearance of these plants, seems 
to be one of the best of all stocks for this class. There was a good 
number each of all the best varieties, all growing like Vines, 
and I was assured many of the plants would be over 6 feet high 
before the end of the season. Indeed, the shoots of that king of 
yellows, Marechal Niel (which appears to do better on this stock 
than any other), had reached and exceeded that height already. 
In very fine condition also were Catherine Mermet, Niphetos, 
Innoceute Pirola, and Madame Lambard, a grand addition, in 
colour particularly, to our Teas. 
Some idea of the extent of the Rose business (which, be it 
remembered, is but one of many branches) of this firm may be 
gathered from the fact that all the plants seen at this nursery are 
but a very small selection, there being several acres devoted to 
them at Loughton, and a yet larger area of land at Framfield in 
Sussex. 
From the outdoor quarters we adjourned to the houses, passing 
on our way thereto a splendid collection of Camellias ranging 
from magnificent specimens down to small plants in 32’s, all in 
perfect health, maturing their wood and setting their flower buds. 
The first house visited had the roof covered with Marechal Niel 
Rose, which, having flowered when cut back, was making fine 
growth for the production of blooms next year, the lower part of 
the house being filled with smaller plants of Teas in pots. The 
next house was filled with Tree Carnations to provide cut blooms 
all the year round. Another house was covered with Reve d’Or, 
Cheshunt Hybrid, and other ramblers, and yet other houses for 
own-root Roses, grafted plants, &c. 
In concluding these brief notes I must say one word as to the 
extreme courtesy and kindness both of Mr. W. Paul and his son. 
I had never met either of these gentlemen, and I did not go to 
the nurseries with a thousand-pound order in my hand. I simply 
went to look at their Roses, and yet no one could have been more 
warmly welcomed. 
The object of my visit having been accomplished, I had the 
privilege of inspecting the fine horticultural library, and a walk 
round the garden attached to Mr. Paul’s residence, which con¬ 
tains some grand old Elms, with bushes of York-and-Lancaster, 
Maiden’s Blush, and other really old Roses. Altogether this 
garden is most enjoyable ; my Saturday afternoon at Waltham 
was one of the pleasantest holidays I ever spent and one that 
will remain long in my memory.—A Visitor. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
July 25th. 
New plants were well represented at this meeting, but general 
exhibits were not abundant in the Council-room, though several 
interesting groups were staged in the conservatory. 
Fruit Committee.— H. J. Veitch,Esq.,in the chair. One of the most 
remarkable exhibits was a grand collection of fourteen Pine Apples 
from Mr. D. Wilson, gardener to Earl Fortescue, Castle Hill, North 
Devon. They were all Smooth Cayennes, varying in weight from 
7 to 9 lbs., the total weight being 104 lbs. 8 ozs. They were of great size, 
even, and in beautiful condition. A silver gilt Flora medal was recom¬ 
mended. Mr. It. Phillips, gardener to Captain Jackson, The Deodars, 
Meopham, Kent, sent samples of Tomato Perfection, said to be a cross 
between Acme and Trophy. They were very even, and of good size 
