December 2 i, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
565 
own, was transitional, the so-called facts of to-day being disputed 
to-morrow, and intelligent practical horticulturists to-day would 
be as likely to be guided in their operations by Zadkiel’s Almanac 
as by much of the theory which Dr. Lindley taught, although he 
lived only a few years ago, and was one of the best men of his 
generation. 
. Your correspondent is still wider of the mark when he adds a 
bit of his own home-made theory. I see no use discussing the 
matter further with him, and indeed should not have noticed his 
last communication had it not been necessary to remove the im¬ 
pression that I was open to answer queries privately.—Wu, 
Taylob. 
it, and turn out fit for any exhibition table.—J ohn MacKay, 
IIanuncr smith. 
ROSE MARECHAL NIEL. 
Visitors who have attended the various Rose shows held since 
the year 1878 must have noticed how few blooms have been exhi¬ 
bited of Mardchal Niel compared with the numbers they had been 
accustomed to see previous to the above date. It is a Well-known 
fact that from the time of its introduction to this country no Rose 
made a finer display on the exhibition table than the one 
we are novY'considering. What magnificent blooms of this 
Rose were then placed in competition, having sometimes a 
class devoted to it, at others carrying all before it in classes 
for yellow Roses ! but wherever shown in quantity it invari¬ 
ably caused an “obstruction,” through arresting the atten¬ 
tion of the visitors, who stopped to admire the glorious 
Mardchal Niels ; also with what effect it told when shown 
in association with others, be they Hybrid Perpetuals or 
Teas ! 
Now in the majority of instances this Rose is compara¬ 
tively rarely seen, and the honours in the classes for yellow 
Roses fall to Perle des Jardin=, Jean Ducher, and others— 
poor substitutes for Mardchal Niel. Gan this falling-off be 
attributed alone to the severe winters of 1879 and 1880, or 
is the constitution of the variety weakened in any way to 
account for it ? Mr. G. Paul estimates its sale in the country 
at fifty thousand per annum (vide “ Rosarians’ Year-Book,” 
1882, page 59). It has been grown on stocks of various 
kinds, planted in every conceivable position at all likely to 
contribute to its well-doing ; yet out of doors in the majority 
of instances it has proved far from satisfactory of late years. 
One thing against its longevity is its predilection to 
canker, and when this malady takes hold of a plant there 
is little hope of its ultimate recovery ; and, further, I am 
of opinion that this disease can be transmitted from plant 
to plant by propagation, either in the form of cuttings, 
budding, or grafting—hence the cause of so many serious 
losses from this disease, and hence the necessity of greater 
caution being exercised in propagating from thoroughly 
sound and healthv’plants only. I am now alluding to out- 
of-door plants, as it is well known there are many places 
where this grand Rose is well grown under glass ; but the 
blooming period of those is, as a rule, over before the Rose 
shows commence, while even under glass in some instances 
it has not proved a success, canker alone being the cause 
of disappointment. Frequently after the plant has made 
excellent growth for a season or two, and looks most pro¬ 
mising, to his great disappointment the following season 
the foliage turned yellow and sickly, and the plant, strug¬ 
gling to put forth its flowers, drooped and died. 
No other Rose that I am acquainted with which grows with 
such vigour as does the Marechal when in good health is such a 
victim to so dire a disease. Can anyone suggest a remedy for or 
preventive of this great evil ?— Oxonian. 
COLLECTIONS OF SEEDS. 
If I remember rightly, some letters appeared in our Journal a 
short time ago regarding the boxes of vegetable seeds as sent out 
by seedsmen, which showed that the writers were not altogether 
pleased with their purchases. For twenty years I made out my 
own list, which amounted to about a pound. Three years ago, by 
the advice of a friend, coupled with a little laziness, I bought a 
guinea collection. When it arrived I went carefully through it to 
. see what advantage there might be, and found, provided the packets 
were the same size they would have been if ordered as usual, a gain 
of something like 30 per cent, in my favour. This looks very well; 
but I was obliged to buy certain sorts which were deficient, although 
there were enough of those valueless to me to sow a good portion 
of the garden. The reason why seedsmen prefer collections is, I 
imagine, because they grow certain sorts, not only for their excel¬ 
lence, but also for their prolific qualities. We find in nurserymen’s 
INSECTS INFESTING CARROTS. • 
Seeing that one of your correspondents finds it difficult to 
procure Carrots through the attacks of insects, I beg to advise him 
to try applications of gas tar. The first application could be given 
in September, and the ground well trenched to the depth of 2 feet, 
if the soil is suitable at this depth to be brought to the surface. If 
not, add a little quicklime in each trench after the first spit is taken 
off. This must proceed with the work, and fork it up with the 
bottom. Let the second dressing he given in February, choosing a 
time when the surface of the ground is dry; and if a dry day follows 
give the surface a good raking. Ten days before you intend to sow 
the seed draw the drills somewhat deeper than usual, and run the 
third lot of gas tar in these. Mix the seed in a liberal quantity of 
burnt earth and sand before sowing. I have been very successful in 
extirpating the insects by these dressings; the Carrots quite enjoy 
Fig. 9G.—Pear Josephine de Malines. 
catalogues—“Our selection, 6,?. a dozen; purchasers’ selection, 
9^. a dozen.” Now it has struck me that if we were to send up 
our wants somewhat in this way—Broad Beans, one quart in two 
varieties ; six quarts of Peas for succession ; 6 ozs. of Carrot for 
succession ; 4 ozs. of Onions in two sorts, &c., vendors would be 
able to allow 15 or 20 per cent, off catalogue prices. I should like 
to know what Messrs. Carter & Co., Messrs. Sutton, and other large 
seed merchants think about it, as well as amateur and professional 
gardeners.—C. T. H., Dorset. 
PEAR JOSEPHINE DE MALINES. 
We figure this fruit with the object of drawing attention to 
what we consider one of the finest winter Pears in cultivation. 
It should be planted in all gardens where late Pears can be grown. 
In the south the trees bear well in the form of pyramids, but are 
finer from walls, and a tree is worthy of a good position every¬ 
where. Its time of ripening varies greatly. We have had it firm 
until April, but sometimes it ripens in December. In the cool 
fruit room at Chiswick it is ripe now, and no Pear in the collec¬ 
tion is more delicious. On the question of ripening we append 
