August 10, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
121 
proof notwithstanding the difference in environment of those on the 
level ground. These Laurels grew rapidly for a few years, but in seven 
years whole branches died, and growths start again near the bottom. 
In his previous letter Mr. Tendered said he cleared them away and 
planted fresh. How does he reconcile the two statements ? Or if the 
soil was the cause of the canker why do shrubs grow again healthily ? 
Tour correspondent may rest assured that the simple remedy he 
advises will continue to be followed as spasmodically a little longer as 
it has been during the past 2000 years ; but I have no doubt whatever 
that my “ scientific ” efforts will be within the grasp of every ordinary 
fruit grower, and possessed by every schoolboy within this decade.— 
G. Abbey. 
The word “ orbiculatum ” in my letter to you, printed on page 106, 
August 3rd, fifth line from the top, should have been placed in the 
next line, after “ dendriticum,” thus : “ var. orbiculatum.” It is my 
mistake entirely.—H. P. 
“ D., Deal,” in Journal of Horticulture, page 98, writes in rather 
disparaging terms of the above Kose. Can he be aware of the fact that 
in an election of the best twenty-four Tea Eoses The Bride received the 
highest number of votes, viz., forty-six, and Ernest Metz forty-one ; to 
me this is conclusive proof that leading exhibitors think very highly of the 
latter. All through June I could gather splendid specimens, but by the 
time of the National (July 1st) the best were over. In my opinion 
Ernest Metz is far away the finest and best Tea Kose sent out during 
the last six years. It was shown in fine form at the National Tea Kose 
Show (June 20th) this year.— Benjamih K. Cant, Colchester. 
Souvenir de la Malmaison (B£luze, 1843). 
I WISH to say a word about the Kose thus described in the National 
Kose Society’s catalogue. It is a very old Kose, as I have always believed 
once a favourite with the Empress Josephine. That, however, hardly 
agrees with the N.E.S. date. It is hardly an exhibition Rose. I 
remember twenty years ago it had rather a way of appearing in the 
boxes of Teas of beginners, but it is well worthy of more extensive 
cultivation by those who are not Rose showers. My intimate acquaint¬ 
ance with it dates from this year. Up to then I never had more than one 
plant of it in my garden ; but last autumn, whilst arranging a very 
small town Rose garden, a liberal friend who buys his Roses by the 
beds, seldom less than a dozen of any variety, and who also has a way 
o f changing his Roses, presented me with a whole bed of Malmaisons. 
T hey were large old plants and were cut in very hard. They began 
blooming in May, and have never ceased for a day, and seem disposed 
to keep on steadily until checked by the frosts. It is the nearest 
instance I have known of a true Perpetual. My hot little shut in 
garden also suits Teas. The Bride, Waban, Comtesse de Nadaillac, and 
others of the kind have done, and are doing, very well ; but I have had 
nothing to surpass, or indeed equal, the Souvenir de la Malmaison in 
the early stage of its bloom. It must be admitted we townsfolk have 
one valuable advantage—we can turn on the hose whenever needed ; 
and plenty of sunshine and plenty of water go a long way towards 
perfecting flowers.—A. C. 
National Rose Society. 
The manifesto of the Secretaries of this Society set forth in the 
Journal, page 97, as a sort of counterblast to my circular to exhibiting 
members, has caused me some amusement; and although it may annoy 
other people, they should not take it too seriously, as it can be only 
looked on as a jeu d'esprit, to which both the Honorary Secretaries 
are prone at times. No one, even the proverbial and much-maligned 
Scotsman, could by at any natural process of reasoning come to the con¬ 
clusion that my circular was issued by the Society, or required official 
sanction. If the manifesto be meant as a sly hint to the members 
that they should not reply to my queries, the Secretaries have been 
somewhat dilatory in issuing it, and I may mention that these gentle¬ 
men were amongst the very first persons to reeeive the circular, which 
has been out quite a fortnight. 
I have received replies from all the largest as well as many other 
well informed exhibitors, also from others highly thought of amongst 
our members, from the President downwards. I am quite satisfied with 
these replies, many of them accompanied with letters expressive of 
gratification that these subjects are being at last properly inquired into, 
and I intend in due time to give an analysis of the opinions expressed. 
As the Secretaries have taken the trouble to mention the fact of my 
resignation of Committee, which took place early last June, I may as 
well supplement their information by stating that in order that I should 
in future have no official connection with the Society, I also at the same 
time resigned my local secretaryship of the Croydon district. No doubt 
the Secretaries will soon find a better representative.— Charles 
J. Grahame, 
Tea Roses from Cuttings. 
So immensely popular are Tea Roses, that notwithstanding the vast 
number of bushes disposed of annually by nurserymen, few gardens can 
boast of being able to maintain a continuous supply of their deliciously 
scented flowers. The death-rate of plants in the open air has, during 
the last two years, been unusually heavy, and in order to obtain a suffi¬ 
cient number of plants to fill up vacancies, a considerable outlay has, in 
many instances, been necessary. To some this is a matter of little 
moment, to others it is one of importance; and there are few indeed 
who would not be glad to expend upon new Roses a greater amount 
than they at times find available. This I think they might easily 
do if plants of older varieties were propagated freely each year, so as 
to have a sufficient stock in hand to fill up gaps, or at least some of 
them. 
I have tried many experiments in connection with the propagation of 
Tea Roses from cuttings, and I am convinced that if the right kind of 
wood is selected the present is the best time in the whole year to set 
about the work. When the right method is adopted it is surprising 
with what ease and certainty a good stock of vigorous plants may be 
obtained. The plan I find best is the following. I select the requisite 
number of short-jointed half-ripened shoots which, if possible, have been 
severed from the parent plant with a heel attached. Cut in lengths 
containing from three to five joints, although it is only necessary to 
have a couple of joints above the soil after the cuttings are inserted. 
Varieties differ much in the length of joints, and I find that the most 
vigorous plants are produced from cuttings having a moderate amount 
of growth above the soil, provided the leaves and stems are kept from 
shrivelling till young roots are emitted. In preparing the cuttings, cut 
the base with a sharp knife, trim any projecting portions of bark, 
remove a couple of the lower leaves, and if needful shorten the top to 
a good bud. 
Fresh yellow loam two parts, with an equal quantity of leaf soil and 
a liberal amount of sharp sand added, form the compost I employ. This 
is pressed moderately firm into well drained 5-inch pots and given a 
surfacing of sand. Half a dozen cuttings are inserted round the sides 
of each pot and one in the centre. The soil is pressed firmly around the 
base of each cutting. Failure is frequently brought about through not 
attending to this simple detail. A watering is then given and the pots 
be plunged in cocoa-nut fibre or sawdust in a cold frame, one having a 
north or west aspect is preferable. Much less difficulty is then expe¬ 
rienced in keeping the atmosphere cool and moist without resorting to 
dense shade. No air need be admitted for a couple of weeks, except in 
dull weather to dry superfluous moisture. The cuttings are syringed 
once or twice daily during bright weather. This keeps the soil suffi¬ 
ciently moist till air is admitted, but should it become in the least dry 
upon the surface water is given through a rose, as the least approach to 
dryness about the base of the cuttings causes the cellular tissue to 
become contracted, and failure is the result. A little air is admitted 
daily after the cuttings have been inserted a fortnight. 
Some growers make a mistake in being in too great a hurry to pot 
the young plants directly they see growth has commenced, the result 
being that they are lost. It is rare indeed that the cuttings have more 
than callused by the time growth begins, and even when young roots 
are just pushing into the soil it is a dangerous practice to pot. This 
operation should be deferred till the roots have obtained a good hold of 
the soil, and there is no difficulty in determining when they have 
reached this stage if they are carefully turned out of the pots. Three or 
4-inch pots will be quite large enough to transfer the plants to, as it is 
important to have the soil well permeated with roots before winter sets 
in. The plants should if possible be wintered in a pit or other structure 
from which frost is excluded. They succeed fairly well if plunged 
in coal ashes in a cold pit; but during a long spell of severe frosts they 
suffer considerably from the damp and confined atmosphere. Under 
such conditions the plants do not start into good growth in the spring, 
and much time is lost. When, however, they are kept, as above advised, 
in heated structures, the rvood gets thoroughly hardened during the 
winter, and the plants are ready for potting early in the spring. 
When all danger from frost is over the strongest will be available 
for planting in beds in the open air, while the remainder may either be 
grown in pots or planted in a warm corner of the reserve garden. 
Whichever course is pursued, if good culture is given spleiidid 
plants will be produced by the following season. A number of cuttings 
put in annually will then maintain a constant supply of Tea Rose trees 
which will be available for all purposes, and being always ready at hand, 
maybe planted at the most opportune times. Any who act upon the 
advice above given will, I am sure, have no difficulty in raising a good 
stock of Tea Roses, and, judging from the exclamations I frequently 
hear, there are not a few who would gladly increase their stock in a 
way so simple, yet satisfactory. — H. Dunkin, Castle Gardens, 
Warwicli. 
National Rose Society’s Provincial Show at W orksop. 
It was a bold venture to hold the Provincial Show this year at the 
small Nottingham town of Worksop, bold on the part of_ the Ic^al 
Society which ventured upon the trouble and expense which such a 
proposition involves, bold on the part of the Society which entru^ed 
the second great event of the season to a small local Society which had 
indeed for some years been affiliated, but whose modest pretensions had 
not hitherto given any indication of the more ambitious projects that 
lay beneath the surface. It is another instance of what can be d(me 
when one energetic person undertakes such a work. He infuses hig 
