August 11, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
115 
that are well established in pots with plenty of old and well-ripened 
wood about them are decidedly the best. If the plants are in pots as 
large as may be desired they can be turned out, and the balls reduced 
about one-third or more, according to the condition of the soil and 
the roots of the plants. In reducing the balls every care should be 
taken to preserve all the fibre possible, and then the plants will take 
to the new soil and become established. When the balls are reduced 
one-third the same size pots may be used. If necessary to increase 
materially the size of the plants more root room may be given them, 
and the ball only slightly reduced, or not at all. This depends upon 
whether the soil is sweet or the reverse, and the quantity of healthy 
roots the plants possess. Nothing is gained by using large pots after 
the specimens have been well developed. When the balls are 
reduced press the new soil moderately firm—in fact, firmer than is 
beneficial when potting young plants. The object must be to place 
in the pots as much food as possible, for it must be remembered that 
the plants will have to grow in the same pots for twelve months. If 
room can be found in a deep pit or house that can be kept close, and 
the plants shaded from the sun for ten days ora fortnight, the roots 
will be active, and the plants may be hardened and plunged outside 
the same as advised for China Roses. If this provision cannot be 
made for them they may be plunged out directly they are potted. 
The foliage should be liberally syringed in either case. Weak 
growths may be thinned out and the plants re-staked and tied, so 
that at housing time only the newly made growth will need tying 
into position. After root-action has commenced growth will soon 
start away strongly, and the flower buds must be removed until the 
plants are housed or sheltered from early frosts. 
Young plants that were raised from cuttings last July and 
August, or by grafting early this year, may be placed into 10-inch 
pots. The object should 1 e to induce them to grow freely and 
become thoroughly established in the pots before the approach 
of winter. This will be the case if the plants are grown under 
glass with plenty of light and air. Strong growths that issue 
from the base should be pinched to induce them to branch and 
prevent their robbing the remaining portion of the plant. These 
plants would flower freely during November, but will be better if 
the flowers are removed and the plants allowed to rest naturally 
ready for starting into growth early in the new year. Plants of 
Marechal Niel, Gloire de Dijon, and such varieties raised from 
cuttings in February must be trained close under the roof, and re¬ 
tained in that position until the approach of winter, by which time 
they will have developed strong growth, and ripened it sufficiently 
well to flower freely during the spring months. Any Tea varieties 
that were rooted during the spring, such as Safrano, Niphetos, 
Madame Falcot, Isabella Sprunt, and others, now in 5 and 6-inch 
pots, will abundantly repay for planting out under glass. Houses 
that have been cleared of Melons, Cucumbers, or Tomatoes, or will 
be shortly, can be devoted to them ; they will do remarkably well 
without entailing much care or labour. If we suppose the house 
has been used for the first-named, all that is needed is to dig the 
soil and incorporate with it a liberal qnantity of leaf mould, and a 
little sand if very heavy. The Roses may be planted closely 
together. All the labour needed after planting is the removal of 
flower buds, syringing twice daily, and g;ive a soaking of water 
when they require it. These plants will flower freely until 
Christmas. They can then be thrown out or lifted, shaking all 
the soil away from their roots, and be repotted in 6-inch pots.and 
wintered in a cold frame. In February they can be planted outside, 
or pruned close back and allowed to come forward in cold frames, 
when it will be found that they will produce some useful flowers 
just before Roses are plentiful outside. If retained in pots they 
should be pruned close back, and strong shoots will spring from 
beneath the soil. They can be planted out after flowering, or re¬ 
potted for flowering again the following spring. If this is done 
they will be ready for 9-inch pots at this period of the year, and if 
kept under glass will make excellent plants. 
Hybrid Perpetuals and Moss varieties that were lifted from the 
open ground and placed in 7-inch pots in October or November 
last may be placed into 10-inch. The roots of these should not be 
disturbed more than is necessary to remove the drainage. These 
should have strong sturdy growth upon them if they were brought 
forward in cold frames to precede outside plants. Do not bend 
down or tie out any of the shoots, or they will break into new 
growth from near the base and fail to ripen properly. Allow the 
plants to grow from the uppermost portion of the shoots, so that 
root-action in the new soil will be encouraged. Any strong shoots 
that start from the base must be pinched to prevent their robbing 
the remaining portion of the plant. These plants will make 
capital half specimens if brought steadily into flower during the 
month of April. With this object in view the shoots may be 
pruned moderately long and trained towards the rim of the pots. 
When this is done the plants must be brought forward slowly, or 
they will break at the enls of the shoots instead of all along to the 
base. Moss varieties may be potted, but require to be pruned close 
back ; nothing is gained by long pruning. The four best for pot 
culture are without doubt White Bath, the old common Moss, the 
Crested, and Blanche Moreau. The last is by far the most vigorous 
grower, but we prefer the first, for the buds are more beautifully 
covered with moss ; in fact, it is an excellent companion to the old 
but popular common variety. 
Plants that flowered at various times during the spring months 
under glass should be repotted. The majority of these will be in 
10-inch pots, which is plenty large enough unless the plants are re¬ 
quired for exhibition purposes. The old roots should be reduced 
about one-third the same as advised for Tea varieties, and the plants 
should be plunged and treated the same after potting, with this ex¬ 
ception, that they need not be placed under glass until after the 
approach of frost. 
Any plants, whether Tea, Moss, Bourbon, or Hybrid Perpetual, 
that are found to have the soil sour when potting, should not omy 
have the ball reduced one third, but the whole of the soil must be 
shaken from the roots. If the plants are passed over and repotted 
in the condition indicated they are certain to be unsatisfactory next 
season. Shake away all the old soil and repot the plants in fresh, 
placing them in smaller pots. They will become at least partially 
established before winter, and will make strong vigorous growth the 
following season, provided they are given a season of rest by being 
allowed to come on slowly in a cold frame. This is the best and 
surest method of recruiting any plants that have declined in vigour 
through forcing them early in the season.—R. M. B. 
Messes. Bare & Son, 12, King Street, Covent Garden, send us a 
stem of Lilium japonicum Colchesteei, bearing a head of three 
flowers, much like the ordinary L. japonicum in the shape and the 
brownish colouring on the oater surface of the corollas. 
_ Insects at Flower Shows. —At the Astwood Bank Flower 
Show held last week, Mr. J. Hiam exhibited Barley straw infested with 
the Hessian fly, also specimens of various other plants with the insects 
attacking them. We think exhibits of this nature at agricultural and 
horticultural shows could not be otherwise than instructive to many 
visitors, and the course adopted by Mr. Hiam appears to be very com¬ 
mendable. 
_ “ j. B. H.” writes on home-made cigaes : —“ I remember some 
time ago someone sent you a cigar made from Tobacco dried in a close 
Melon house, and you stated you would lay it past for some time to 
season. You might inform me if that would oe the best place to dry it> 
also what is the best way to manufacture a few home-grown plants, and 
oblige.” Our correspondent who sent us the cigar will perhaps answer 
this question if it meets his eye. The cigar was rather too closely rolled 
and “ hot.” In cigar-making it must not be forgotten there are revenue 
authorities and penalties against any transgression of the law. 
_ The Sheffield and West Riding Chrysanthemum 
Society. —At the suggestion of one of the Vice-Presidents of this Society. 
C. E. JefEcock, Esq., a midseason dinner was held at the “ Clarence 
Hote 1 ,” High Street, Sheffield, on the 2nd inst., which was attended by 
several members, Mr. Jeff cock ably presiding. The object was to 
draw attention to the work of the Society and stimulate public interest 
in the coining campaign. It will be remembered that the Society offers 
a 15 guinea cup and £ 10 as a first prize for blooms, to be won absolutely 
at the November Show, with other valuable prizes in the same class. 
Another Society in Sheffield offers £20 as a first prize. It would seem 
that if the two Societies were to combine Sheffield might have the honour 
of providing the long-looked-for 50-guinea cup for Chrysanthemums, 
the same as is now offered for Roses at the National Rose Society s 
Shows. 
_ “ B.” sends the three following notes—“ We have grown Lobelia 
Wave of Blue for the last three seasons, and consider it by far the 
best sort grown. It is of the same type as Paxtoniana and Lady 
McDonald, but much more floriferous, and is in colour a true blue, and 
not of a purple hue, as so many Lobelias are. It has the further 
