July 25, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
71 
months “ S. S.” has indicated, and then hardened and turned outside 
•will rest for a time, and then commence breaking into growth in 
September. From plants subjected to this treatment we have been in 
-the habit of obtaining our supply of flowers up to Christmas, but they 
are practically unfit for early forcing. If the plants are encouraged to 
make and complete a good growth after they cease flowering in May, 
before the lights are removed, they will, although they may grow slowly, 
be thoroughly maturing their wood in a natural manner, and ready to 
rest by the time the first frost appears. We are just as liable to have 
early frosts to bring about this end as we are to have moist, mild, 
genial weather. Whatever the weather may be in the day the nights 
at that season are often cold, and these, even without frost, have a 
wonderful effect upon plants that are only struggling to grow. 
No comparison can be drawn between Roses that are started iuto 
growth to commence flowering in January and those in beds and borders 
outside that do not commence flowering for five or six months later. 
These flower, and are then often retarded by drought. Heavy rains in 
August, or about that time of the year, have a natural tendency to start 
them again vigorously into growth. The one is ready to rest when 
favourable circumstances occur, and the other is often rested too soon ; 
and if the weather proves severe we are only too familiar with the 
consequences at pruning time in spring. Once the plants are brought to 
“ rest ” there is no difficulty in keeping them in that condition as long 
as may be desired. Exposing the plants to frost is the surest method of 
inducing rest and securing strong breaks afterwards. Lift Rhubarb 
after the leaves have faded, and expose it to one good frost, and it can 
be forced as freely as if it lias been resting for two months ; and the 
same applies to Roses that have been assisted to make their growth early 
under glass. The latter after they commence growth are influenced 
much by the weather. Turn a number of Roses outside after growth 
has been completed of Gloire de Dijon, Marichal Niel, or any kind, and 
subject them to frost, while a like number in the same condition of 
growth at the time are kept under glass, and see which will force best 
and readiest early in the season. 
The second question is, “ What is the composition, nature, texturei 
and composition of the soil or compost to be used for such large pots and 
such young plants ?” This plainly embodies a doubt that the pots I 
have recommended to be. used are too large for such young plants. 
■“ S. S.” would consider a 10 or 12-inch pot too large for the young Vine 
placed into it out of a 6-inch pot in May. The pot certainly looks large 
for the small weak plant, probably only 18 inches high and half the 
thickness of the pencil with which I am writing, but, is it too large at 
the end of the season, when by good culture it has developed into a 
strong cane? But I need not wander from the Rose for examples. Is 
not Mardchal Niel, Gloire de Dijon, and others that are worked or 
rooted early in the year, and attain a length of from 15 to 25 feet or 
more, plants large enough to be a credit to the grower without con¬ 
demning or casting a doubt upon the practice that has produced them, 
even though they have been placed in June or July into 10-inch pots ? 
I have grown Gloire de Dijon the first length indicated and much 
branched ; Mardchal Niel with shoots over 25 feet from cuttings rooted 
in February, potted, and finally placed in 10-incli pots in July. If such 
success can be achieved with strong growers such as these, corresponding 
results can be attained with Niphetos and the smaller growing varieties. 
But Niphetos is not the poor weak grower that it is often thought to be 
if repotted from the time it is first worked and grown on without a 
check with liberal root room. It is a small puny grower when checked 
in its early stages by being too limited at its roots. Early worked 
plants, if well cared for, should be strong, 18 inches high with three or 
four shoots early in May,and well established in 5-inch pots. If placed 
into 7-inch pots without checking them, what shift will they require in 
July ? The largest 10-incli pots and the smallest 9-inch. The pots look 
large for the plants at first I admit, the same as they do for Vines, 
Gloire de Dijon, or Marechal Niel, but what opinion would be passed upon 
■them at the end of the growing season. Compare this, then, with what 
I have written, and 1 think “ S. S.” will have still graver doubts about 
the pots, and perhaps the size of the plants as well. 
Having dealt so far with the. size of the pots, I may turn my atten¬ 
tion to the soil I consider suitable. I prefer two-thirds fibry loam, 
intermediate between light and heavy, and one-third leaf mould, passed 
through a half-inch sieve. To this add one-seventh of decayed manure 
and sufficient coarse sand to render the whole porous. A 6-inch potful 
-of soot, and the same quantity of quarter-inch bones with the fine left 
in may also with advantage be added. If the loam is of a light nature 
I should dry some clay and reduce it to powder, and add about one- 
seventh, and dispense with the sand. If heavy a greater per-centage 
of sand or any gritty material would be used, charcoal being useful 
for the purpose, charred soil, bricks broken fine, or even old lime rubbish 
to lighten and keep it open. These should be used in quantity accord¬ 
ing to the texture of the loam. Even with loam of an intermediate 
nature a little of the latter will do no harm. The manure may also be 
varied according to the texture of the loam. If light I should use cow 
manure if I could get it, and horse droppings merely sweetened and 
passed through a half-inch sieve if heavy. In future pottings—that is, 
during the second and third year, or as long as the plants are kept in 
pots and subject to repotting annually, I advise a little richer and less 
light compost to be used. The quantity of leaf soil would be less, as well 
as the sand, while the manure would be slightly increased. The pots 
should be carefully and liberally drained and the soil pressed into them 
moderately firm. The soil would be pressed firmer in the pots at any 
repotting needed after the first year. 
I have previously commented to some extent on the border and 
its preparation ; I have alluded to the drainage, whether the border 
should be above the ground level or the reverse, and also whether the 
natural soil should be removed and replaced with fresh. If the natural 
soil was good and the subsoil of such a nature to insure thorough 
drainage I should not remove it, or at least only a portion, so that the 
beds would not be too full by the addition of the ingredients added to 
it. If the natural soil would grow H.P.’s well it would be a waste of 
labour to remove it. All that is needed is to lighten it by the 
addition of the materials I have advised for that purpose when the 
plants are grown in pots. If too light clay in the manner I have 
described would be added. Under any circumstances I do not advise 
the use of leaf mould for the border that may have to stand for some 
years for fear it might be the means of filling the soil with fungus. 
Tea Roses enjoy a little leaf mould, and grow with luxuriance when it 
has been added to the soil, but in spite of this I should not run the risk 
of failure by adding it to the border. 
The third question is, “ Whether, in growing Roses for cut flowers 
for market in January, February, and March it would be most profitable 
to plant out inside beds near the glass or to grow them in pots, taking 
into account all the labour in the latter method ?” This contains the 
substance of what would make a long article if I had to give all that 
can be urged for the one system or the other in deciding this matter. 
When Roses are forced in pots even for the supply of Bowers during the 
three first months of the year, they cannot be turned out, but must have 
the protection of glass for nearly three months longer. Even supposing 
they could be turned out of the house in which they were forced, the 
protection of glass would have to be accorded them for some consider¬ 
able time, and this amounts to the same thing in the end. If we sup¬ 
pose they could be turned out at the end of March I do not think such 
a course would be advisable, because plants that flower during those 
months would flower again profusely in May or just preceding outdoor 
Roses, and then they would be al most as valuable as what they would 
earlier in the year. The blooms might not be so large, but they would 
invariably find a ready sale. This year Roses were very scarce for a 
few weeks before outdoor ones came in, and buyers would have been 
glad of the small buds of Safrano and Isabella Sprunt that they would 
have despised a month earlier. I certainly advise planting them out in 
preference to keeping them in pots, and although they might take up 
the house the whole of the season the better blooms they would produce, 
and the greater quantity they would yield, would render them more 
remunerative than if they were grown in pots, so that they could be 
turned out when the weather was sufficiently genial, and the house 
occupied with other plants. One of the reasons why I advised the use 
of moveable lights was because, when growing for the market, it is 
necessary in these days of keen competition and low prices to make the 
most of things. The lights could be utilised for the culture of other 
things when the Roses did not need them. If unnecessary to keep 
Roses in pots under glass the whole of the season, why is it necessary 
to keep those that are planted out ? As far as my experience goes, for 
the sake of a little extra cost in construction, a certain amount of glass 
is practically idle when it might be Utilised for the culture of other 
plants. 
A grower who had large quantities of Niphetos and other varieties 
in pots for yielding flowers for the market was advised by a friend and 
myself to plant them out. For this purpose he erected a span-roofed 
house, 80 or 90 feet long and 20 feet wide for them, and is thoroughly 
satisfied with the results. I should not advise the erection of houses for 
Roses with only side beds, I prefer a bed in the middle as well as on the 
sides. But if I had houses of this description I should not hesitate 
planting the Roses out in preference to keeping them in pots.— 
Wm. Bardney. 
BOSES AT BIRMINGHAM. 
A correspondent sends the following note respecting the Exhi¬ 
bition recently held in Birmingham. “ It was an excellent show. 
Mr. T. B. Hall and Mr. Grant said that the quality of the Roses was far 
ahead of the Crystal Palace National Show. Mr. Grant showed in very 
fine form, also Mr. Hall. Paul & Son, and Messrs. Jefferies & Son of 
Cirencester, showed very well indeed. Of course the feature of the 
general, or as the French say, the <! tout ensemble,” of the Show 
centred itself on the Delphiniums exhibited from Alderminster. One 
nurseryman had the impudence to put in no less than three Marie 
Baumanns in a stand of twenty-four. One named correctly, the other 
two sweet “ Maries ” being named respectively Duchess of Bedford and 
Mrs. Harry Turner. This box of twenty-four was thrown out, not 
because of the duplicates or triplicates, but because of its manifest in¬ 
feriority. It was only after the judging that attention was called to 
the subject.” 
ELTHAM. 
In this uncertain and disappointing season it was something for the 
promoters of this Show to have secured a fine morning, and the grounds 
of Eltham Court, the residence of Mr. Bloxam, in which the Show was 
held, looked very pleasant in the bright sunshine, although threatening 
clouds seemed to portend already the rain, which was so universal. On the 
following day, Sunday, however, the most was made of the glimpse of 
fine weather, and while here, as elsewhere, lamentations were many and 
great over the failure of fondly cherished hopes, yet a good show was 
held, small in extent, but with some fine flowers exhibited. 
The Eltham Show is a small one at the best of times, and although 
it offers open prizes which have frequently brought some of our large 
nurserymen from a distance, yet the fixture of Manchester on the same 
