172 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 1, 1888. 
of the latter ? As a user of Clay’s Fertiliser for many years I do not 
consider it requires any improving. Nitrate of soda I am not much 
inclined to use for pot plants, hut for kitchen garden crops, especially on 
light sandy soils, it may be used with considerable advantage ; but, 
there again. I would nou advocate its use alone, either sprinkling it on 
farmyard manure, or if that is not possible, using a good proportion of some 
cheap form of potash, kainit preferably. Some market growers have 
such a prejudice against nitrate of soda that I know for a fact, if any¬ 
one was to offer to make them a present of a quantity, and apply it free, 
they would not have it; as they have experienced the exhausting in¬ 
fluence it has when used alone on the soil, and also the peculiar action it 
has on heavy land, producing an effect similar to salt, in rendering it 
close and of a soapy texture. But if I was unable to get a good supply 
of farmyard manure I should not object to using a little nitrate of soda, 
but should take the all-important precaution of mixing some kainit with 
it, and, if possible, adding some bonemeal, or if the soil was of a sandy 
nature I should give this mixture the jjreference to farmyard manure 
for some crops. The kainit furnishing the potash would, in conjunction 
with the ammonia yielding nitrate of soda, produce as near a simple 
plant food as it is possible to make cheaply for general purposes. 
In the same way in regard to plants in pots, if the manure applied 
in the first instance is a properly proportioned combination of the 
elements needed for the plant’s support, no diminution of the plant’s 
vigour will ensue even after a protracted application ; but, on the other 
hand, if the so-called manure fails to have effect after a few applications, 
change of food would certainly be a step to remedy the evil, but what 
I should call a haphazard one—the next sort of manure applied may 
possibly contain the element the previous one was deficient of. I some¬ 
times think there is an analogy between plant and animal life— 
between the way we should treat a plant and the way we should treat 
ourselves. For instanee, feed a j)lant on strong ammoniaeal manures, 
and the result will be gross unfruitful growth. Treat the animal to a 
course of sugar. Potatoes, and other starch-yielding materials : result, fat 
and loose tissue will inerease while bone and muscle will decrease. But 
give to the plant according to its individual needs, ammonia, potash, 
lime, &c., in proper proportion, and, other things being equal, good 
permanent results will follow.— M. Coombe, Ashton Court, Bristol. 
EUOHAEIS CULTUEE. 
Circumstances which 1 could not avoid prevented my replying 
earlier to Mr. Pettigrew’s strictures on my note concerning the culture 
of Eucharis amazonica. The course of treatment which I recommend 
has produced results of a most satisfactory nature, or I would not have 
sent it to the Editors for publication. Mr. Pettigrew seems to think 
there need be no difference in the treatment of iilants in good health 
and those in a sickly condition—a surprising assumption from such an 
experienced gardener, for it is well known that plants in robust health 
will endure treatment which would soon kill their weakly associates. 
Whatever my critic may affirm to the contrary the sight of sickly 
Eucharises is far more common than desirable in many gardens, and it 
was with the hope that it might assist those in charge of such that 1 
penned my note. If Mr. Pettigrew will look over my note again he will 
see that 1 do not recommend the plants to be dust dry at any time after 
the)’ are once subjected to my treatment, but only to prepare them for 
it. I will add nothing to what 1 have previously written with regard to 
waterin?. Mr. Has:, art’s practical article in last week’s Journal has 
referred to that subject in a manner which must be sufficiently con¬ 
vincing to all. 
I may have something to say about the ‘‘ mite” question in a future 
issue, and will only suggest that had Mr. Pettigrew adopted the treat¬ 
ment which I recommended with his affected plants, instead of con¬ 
signing them to the fire, he might by this time have had a useful stock. 
—M. 1). 
In complying with Mr. Haggart’s request respecting the tempera¬ 
ture in which the Eucharises are grown here, perhaps it will be necessary 
to give the dimensions of the house, and the general arrangement and 
airpliances for heat and ventilation. The house is span-roofed, with a 
door in the centre of each end, and a walk round the sides. It is GO feet 
long. 21 feet wide, and IG feet high, with a slate table in the centre 
50 feet long and 0 feet wide, supported on iron framework 2 feet G inches 
above the level of the floor. There are also slate shelves 2 feet wide 
round the sides of the house on the same level, and supported by iron 
framework similar to the table. The house is heated by means of six 
rows of 4-iuch hot-water pipes on each side, placed under the side 
shelves, and the tables and shelves are covered to the depth of 4 inches 
with sand and pea-gravel to maintain moisture. The house is ventilated 
both top and sides by means of simultaneous opening ventilating gear. 
The pots of Eucharis in question arc placed on the top of large in¬ 
verted flowerpots in the centre of the table, 18 inches above the sur¬ 
face to keep the outside leaves from lying on it, which they would if 
the pots were placed on the table. The house is in good repair, and 
there is no difficulty whatever in keeping the temperature at 70° in 
ordinary weather without making the pipes very hot, but in winter 
when the weather is severe the temperature is allowed to drop to G0°, 
and to rise to 80° and 90° in hot weather during the summer with plenty 
of air on. The plants, as I have stated in the Journal before, receive 
the same treatment as regards heat and moisture all the year round. 
They are never subjected to a lower temperature than 70° (except in 
severe weather), nor dried off and rested, with the idea that this treat¬ 
ment will ripen the bulbs. The temperature recommended by “ M.D.” 
in his easy method of restoring languishing plants to vigorous health 
was (if I mistake not) ordinary stove heat. Now if anyone was to ask 
me what was meant by ordinary “stove heat,” I certainly would say a 
minimum of 70°. Mr. Ilaggart informs us that the Eucharis can be 
restored to vigorous health in a much lower temperature than this. 
The sickly bulbs he took charge of some eight years since, “ with 
scarcely any leaves, and these were only a few inches long, spotted, 
wrinkled, broken, and unhealthy,” were restored to health in a tempera¬ 
ture which often stood at 60°, and in very hard weather as low as 45°. 
I presume (indeed he says so) it is because he has not sufficient heat 
power to keep it higher, or he probably would not allow the tempera¬ 
ture “ very often ” to fall so low. 
Mr. Haggart’s general treatment of' the Eucharis consists in giving 
the plants no water for a long time after potting—not until they are 
well started—and simply enough then to moisten the soil, and in keep¬ 
ing the atmosphere as moist as possible by syringing the stage and the 
pots, but singularly he never syringes the plants. The plants are potted 
as they require it, and receive more water, and occasionally supplies of 
liquid manure to encourage them to make growth. The supply of water 
is gradually discontinued when they seem to stop growing until they 
are well ripened. 
Under the above treatment (which he terms “ the dry system ” that 
Mr. Pettigrew condemns) the bulbs, with the few short, spotted, 
wrinkled, broken, unhealthy leaves, have filled large pots with plenty of 
leaves, which now flower regularly three and four times a year, a dozen 
pots producing no less than 600 blooms in a month. Mr. Haggart is to 
be congratrflated on his successful treatment of the plants in question, 
but it is a wonder to me how the bulbs can flower so regularly three 
and four times a year, when they are often standing in such low tem¬ 
peratures as those described. I am not surprised at the number of 
flowers that twelve large pots of healthy Eucharises 'will produce, but 
it is the cold treatment and the regularity with which they flower three 
and four times a year that surprises me. 
I have gathered as many as GOO blooms in a week from six of the 
largest plants here, but they are treated on a much more liberal system, 
receiving plenty of heat and moisture at all seasons.—A. Pettigrew, 
Cardiff. 
ROSE SHOWS IN 1888. 
June 30th.—Eltham and Reigate. 
July 3rd.—Bagshot, Canterbury, Hiss, and Hereford. 
„ 4th.—Croydon. 
„ 5th.—Bath, Farningham, Hitchin, and Norwich. 
„ Gth.—Sutton. 
„ 7th.—Crystal Palace (National Rose Society). 
„ 10th.—Ipswich. 
„ 11th.—Tunbridge Wells. 
„ 12th.—-Winchester. 
„ 17 th. —Leek and Ulverstone; 
„ 18th.—Birkenhead. 
„ 19th.—Helensburgh. 
„ 20th.—Darlington (National Rose Society). 
The alx)ve list contains all the Rose Show fixtures that have as yet 
reached me. In future lists I shall be pleased to insert the dates of any 
other Rose Shows that I may receive, also those of any Horticultural 
Exhibitions where Roses are made a special feature of the Show.— 
Edward Mawley, Itosehanh, Berlihamsted, Herts. 
THE WHITE BANK3IAN ROSE. 
How seldom we find this beautiful and thornless Rose favoured 
with a position under glass. The only reason I can advance for this is 
that I think its good qualities are not sufficiently well known. Its small 
and deliciously scented flowers are produced in clusters varying in num¬ 
ber from three to nine or ten, and most useful Bttle bunches they are 
for so many purposes, such as arranging with other flowers in vases, 
bouquets, or buttonholes. The plants are also of easy culture, and 
being of vigorous growth quickly cover a large space, are seldom 
troubled with insects of any kind, and if treated rightly will flower 
as certainly and as freely as the Rose that is sometimes spoken of as 
the only one without a thorn—viz., the Primrose. At Preston Hall in 
Kent, a fine old plant covers the roof of a corridor that forms a 
connection between the fruit houses. It is said that this tree has 
been planted twenty yeare, and judging from the thickness of the 
stem it seems quite probable, and from its trailing branches I have cut 
many a basketful of flowers. It is planted in a narrow border, 
but I have no doubt its roots must have found their way some dis¬ 
tance from the original border. I have se(m trees growing in pots, 
but they do not appear to be so happy under such conditions, pro¬ 
bably owing to the roots being too much restricted. Banksian Roses 
will not bear hard forcing, but are admirably adapted for planting in 
cool Peach houses when the room can le spared, or in any structure 
