188 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 26, 1886. 
have more than one soil, that each may receive that which is the most 
suitable. A knowledge of the several ingredients of the earth in which 
our bed of Roses is planted would afford desirable information, in order 
that we may apply at the right time the proper kind of fertilisers ; and a 
renewal of the surface soil with old pasture loam every two or three years 
will supply important elements unattainable by any other method. The 
upper earth should be kept light and loose, in order to readily admit those 
constituents which cause growth, and the soil should be filled with such 
particles of food in the particular form necessary to unite with the air and 
water, avoiding the application of more fertilisers in a soluble state than 
the plants can consume. A critical observer and careful grower might say 
that the earth should be filled with stimulants in different stages of de¬ 
composition, that the tree may, in all conditions of growth, have plenty 
of food; to be applied often, in a weak, liquid form, when the plant! are 
growing, and especially flowering. An application of bone and potash acts 
favourably when the earth is removed from the bushes in the spring. A 
frequent sprinkling of water at evening adds health to the foliage, and is 
a preventive of insect destruction ; and it is best to imitate Nature, and 
wet the earth thoroughly only when dry, withholding water until again 
needed. 
Pruning is the most important and difficult operation to perform with 
success, on account of the extent of ihe genus, made up of varieties differ¬ 
ing so much from each other in habit and character ; and as so much is 
■dependent on circumstance, much must be left to the judgment of the opera¬ 
tor. Autumn and spring pruning both have their helps and hindrances. 
An improved symmetrical form is obtained by disbudding, or rubbing out 
some of the eyes when swelling, which method of pruning takes the place 
■of thinning out the weaker branches,whereby the remaining buds produce 
stronger wood, and consequently there is a healthier and larger surface of 
foliage. The important results which arise from pruning are, the main¬ 
tenance of the tree in health and vigour, giving a form agreeable to the 
eye and advantageous to the development and display of its blossoms, and 
securing an abuudance of fine flowers. The most desirable and pleasing 
form for trimming is that of a pyramid, or half oval, where all of the shoots 
ahd branches receive a due portion of air and sunlight; and we should 
never forget t > look to the name, to know the habit and character of the 
variety to be pruned, to ascertain if it is a strong or weakly grower, and 
whether or not the finest flowers are produced indiscriminately from the 
low, middle, or top germs. 
There is no royal road to the elegant garden of Rose 3 . Although a 
more generally diffused taste for the cultivation of this charming race of 
plants is manifest, few have a sufficient knowledge of their habits to know 
how to grow them intelligently. Besides, we must see these choicest gifts 
of Nature to be acquainted with their excellences. In most of our gardens 
there are no special attractions to the rosarian,butahappy, peaceful home 
to the entomologist. Yet there are pleasing spots which receive studious 
attention, where Nature seems to have expended all her wealth in render¬ 
ing the earth blossomy beautiful with the simple loveliness of the Roses; 
most elegant at sunrise, when newly dilated by the breath of morn, and 
showing all that freshness in which consist peculiar charms, too soon 
vanishing before the radiance of a summer’s sun. In their purity and 
splendour these souvenirs of love and friendship blush and gleam amid 
their glossy leaves. 
I am often asked what varieties are to be most commended for garden 
culture. All of the several types have some peculiar and distinct charac¬ 
teristic which is valuable. I should therefore elect from the different 
families according to the number desired, regard being had to variety of 
shades, hardiness, and freedom of bloom, giving preference to those whose 
petals are abundant and regularly and gracefully disposed, and, usually, 
the thicker these are the richer the tints and the longer the flowers endure. 
Dark Roses, as a rule, are the first to fade ; but Louis Van Houtte, Marie 
Baumann, and Alfred Colomb rank high f >r permanency of colour. 
The rose shades that are the most durable are illustrated in Marquise de 
Castellane, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Marguerite de St. Amand, and Jules 
Margottin ; and from the pink choose Eugenie Verdier, Baroness Roth¬ 
schild, and Comtesse de Serenye. Jean Liabaud, Baron de Bonstetten, 
John Hopper, La RosiSre, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Paul Nevron, 
Marchioness of Exeter, Thomas Mills, Anna de Diesbach, E. Y. Teas, 
Maurice Bernardin, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, Charles Darwin, Abel 
Carrie re, Madame Victor Verdier, and Monsieur Boncenne are grand 
garden Roses ; while Marie Verdier, Lady Sheffield, Duchess of Beuford, 
Madame Scipion Cochet, Alfred K. Williams, Duke of Teck, Pride of 
Waltham, Mrs. Jowitt, Harrison Weir, Merveille de Lyon, Ulrich 
Brunner, Earl of Beaconsfield, Helen Paul, and Countess of Rosebery are 
less known, but quite fine and estimable. Some of you are familiar with 
many of the new Roses—Antoine Mermet, Alexandre Dupont, Joseph 
Metral, Louise Cretien, Madame Delavaux, Souvenir Leon Gambetta, 
Violette Bouyer, Centenario de Camors, Fanny Giron, Marie Lagrange, 
and Ernest Prime. A few of the new French Remontants of 188lj 
which will soon be presented for your approbation are from Pernet 
the Baronne Nathaniel de Rothschild, a large globular, delicate rose 
colour; from Levet, the Madame D. Wettstein, cherry red ; from Gonod, 
the Etendard de Lyon, a large, fine shape, purplish crimson ; also the 
Souvenir de Labruyere, vivid rose, centre darker ; from Dubreuil, the 
Admiral Brisbet, a fine-scented, pinkish crimson ; and from Liabaud, 
Docteur Dor, large, Tea-scented, dark cherry red, shaded darker; 
Madame Pitaval, light cherry red ; Madame Stinouge, purplish red' 
and Monsieur Hoste, velvety crimson. From Guillot, the Gloire Lyon- 
naise, fine form, free and scented, creamy white, with yellow centre. 
Every season brings out novelties, but few real gems, mostly imitations 
of familiar acquaintance; and we must not expect to meet with the 
improvement of former years, but must rest satisfied with the more 
gradual development usual among plants that have been long in 
cultivation. 
(To be continued.) 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The two Exhibitions of cottagers’ garden produce occupied the greater 
portion of the conservatory at South Kensington on Tuesday last, and very 
rarely is such an excellent display of vegetables seen at shows of this de¬ 
scription. This especially applies to the cottagers’ and artizans’ show in con¬ 
nection with the Royal Horticultural Society, which was one of the most 
successful that has been held both in number of entries and quality of 
exhibits. The hardy flowers from Mr. T. S. Ware and Messrs. Paul & Son, 
the Gladioli from Messrs. Kelway & Son, the Roses from Messrs. W. Paul and 
Son, with the Hollyhocks from Mr. Blundell and Messrs. Webb & Brand, 
constituted the chief portion of the floral attraction, and rendered the con¬ 
servatory very gay. 
Fruit Committee. —Present : T. Francis Rivers, Esq., in the chair, and 
Messrs. Harrison Weir, Philip Crowley, F. Rutland, J. Burnett, W. Warren, 
Wm. Paul, J. Ellam, and G. Bunyard. 
The exhibits before thiB Committee were few, the most important being 
a collection of early Apples from Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, for 
which a vote of thanks was awarded. They comprised fine fruits of Ecklin- 
vide Seedling, Stirling Castle, Yorkshire Beauty, Devonshire Quarrenden, 
Manks Codlin, Early Julyan, New Hawthornden, Keswick Codlin. Small’s 
Admirable, and Duchess of Oldenburg. Mr. Tayler, gardener to Sir John 
Lubbock, High Elms, Down, sent a good fruit of Melon Blenheim Orange ; 
Mr. J. Blundell, Dulwich, showed a dish of Plums ; Mr. R. Gilbert, Burghley, 
showed samples of a new selection called the Jubilee Sprouts ; Mr. C. Noble 
had a dish of Red Astrachan Apples ; Messrs. Grimsdiek & Son, Hayward’s 
Heath, exhibited a Melon named Grimsdick’s Perfection, which was found to , 
be over-ripe ; and Mr. Griffin, Coombe Bank Gardens, Kingston-on-Thames, 
sent two seedling Melons, one of which was also found to be over-ripe. 
Floral Committee. —Present: G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chairi 
and Messrs. W. Bealby, T. Baines, H. Herbst, Amos Perry, H. Bennett, 
C. Noble, A. F. Lendy, G. Duffieid, J. Dominy, H M Pollett, James O’Brien, 
E. Hill, Harry Turner, James Walker, and Dr. M. T. Masters. Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, exhibited a collection of hybrid spotted Gladioli of 
the G. Lemoinei type, including several very pretty new varieties; one 
named Voltaire was certificated, and others of nearly equal merit were 
La Fayette, salmon red; M. Ch. Henry, scarlet; Mars, crimson; and 
Sceptre d’Or, pale yellow and red. Messrs. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, had 
stands of exceedingly fine double and single Tuberous Begonias, very large, 
of good shape, and bright varied colours. A selection of choice single 
Pompon and other Dahlias was also shown, and a bouquet of Salpiglossis of 
many tints. Mr. J. Blundell, Dulwich, had a stand of Hollyhock flowers, 
comprising some useful decorative varieties, as well as some named forms 
up to the florists’ standard, the best of the latter being Mary Anderson, 
pale yellow; W. G. Head, da r k red, with fine guard petals; Princess 
Victoria of Wales, pale salmon; and Miss Roupell, rosy salmon. Messrs. 
Webb it Brand, Saffron Walden, had a collection of fifty Hollyhock blooms, 
besides eight fine stems at the back. Very handsome was a pure white 
variety named Alba Superha, Vivian, dark red; Grace, rosy salmon; 
Octavius, rose ; and Golden Drop, yellow. Mr. R. Dean, Ealing, showed 
some fine Mammoth African Marigolds, very large, bright lemon and orange 
colour (vote of thanks) also Chrysanthemum hybridum Sunbeam, a fine 
clear yellow, cross between coronarium and segetum, and it is said not to 
produce seeds. Mr. W. Bull, Chelsea, sent flowers of the neat and prettily 
marked Aristolochia elegans and the bright Impatiens Hawkeri, which have 
been previously noted. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, showed stands of forty-eight 
Dahlia blooms, large handsome examples of the best show and fancy 
varieties ; a novelty named Bendigo, of a rich crimson self, being note¬ 
worthy for its excellent form. 
G. Hardy, Esq., Timperley, Cheshire, was awarded a vote of thanks for 
flowers of Cattleva gigas Hardyana, remarkable for the intensely rich 
crimson colour of the lip. Similar recognitions were accorded to the New 
Plant and Bulb Company, Colchester, for a variety of Cattleya superba from 
Colombia with a raceme of four large crimson flowers, and samples of 
Impatiens Jerdoni® and I. concolor; to H. J. Buchan, Esq., Wilton House, 
Southampton, for Maxillaria setigera with loDg narrow yellow-and-white 
sepals and petals ; to Mr. C. Kershaw, Brighouse, for Adiantum cuneatum 
elegans, a dwarf compact useful variety ; and to Mr. Eckford, Boreatton 
Park Gardens, Shrewsbury, for a charming collection of Sweet Pea3 and 
Pansies. A cultural commendation was adjudged to Mr. W. King, gardener 
to P. Crowley, E-q., Waddon House, Croydon, for Chrysanthemum Madame 
Desgranges with r-markably Urge pure white blooms. Mr. W. Roupell 
showed blooms of single white Dahlias, and Mr. T. Smallman, Kenilworth 
Road, Leamington, sent a double white Primu’a and seedling Coleuses of 
no special merit. 
Of the groups and collections of flowers the most imposing was that 
from Messrs. Kelway <fc Son, Langport, Somerset, which comprised 2o0 
spikes of Gladiolus, representing some scores of new and recent varieties, four 
being selected for certificates. In addition to these, boxes of Antirrhinums, 
Phloxes, Gaillardias, and Pyrethrums were contributed, the silver-gilt medal 
awarded being amply deserved. Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham, had his usual 
handsome collecrion of hardy flowers, and it is astonishing that such a bright 
yet varied display could be maintained for such a long period. It convincingly 
proves the resources of a well-stocked garden of hardy flowers, and that 
those who complain of beds and borders devoted to such plants being dull 
have not a sufficiently large or well chosen selection. Liliums superhum, 
tigrinum, and speciosum were especially good, with the brilliant Tritoma 
Uvaria, single and Pompon Dahlias, tastefully arranged with Asparagus 
shoots, Lythrums, Phloxes, Gaillardias, and innumerable other flow rs, a 
silver medal being awarded for the collection. Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, 
also had a magnificent collection of hardy flowers and ornamental shrubs, 
for which a medal of equal value was ad j udged ; and the same honours were 
accorded to Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, for twelve boxes of 
Rose blooms, wonderfully fresh and bright for the time of year ; to the New 
