March 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
173 
kept at a greenhouse temperature. During the growing season they 
should be freely syringed till the flowers begin to .open, which in a 
cool house they will generally do about the beginning of March. 
When the flowering period is over the greater part of the wood that 
flowered should be cut clean away, together with any strong shoots 
not wanted for extension, and the medium sized growing shoots left 
to ramble freely during the summer months. In August these should 
be examined again, and thinned wherever they appear too much 
crowded, so as to leave room for light and air to circulate amongst them 
and thoroughly ripen the wood. The points of the shoots will not re¬ 
quire shortening, except in a few cases where there is no room for 
extension. The shoots should then be lightly fastened to the trellis or 
wall here and there, just to keep them within bounds, but must never 
be tied in closely, as it is altogether against their rambling nature. 
During the autumn months they should have abundance of air, and 
if properly attended to at the roots and brought on gradually at the 
beginning of the year, they will flower from the axil of almost every 
leaf, and will, I am sure, give general satisfaction to lovers of white 
and fragrant blossoms.—H. Dunkin. 
THE ROSE GARDEN. 
Planting Roses should be pushed on to completion as quickly as 
possible, weather permitting. They thrive best in a stifE loamy soil, there¬ 
fore where the latter is light it will be neces.sary to mix some clay and 
manure with it before planting. Do not bury the stems of the trees 
deeper than they were before. Press the soil firmly about the roots with 
the feet, and, if standards, secure them to stiff sticks; Afterwards lay 
on a few inches thick of short dung as a surface-dressing, vFhich will 
not only prevent frost penetrating the soil, but it will also maintain the 
latter in a more equable condition about the roots than would otherwise 
be the case. Moreover, the good resulting from a mulching of this kind 
during the summer, especially if it should be a hot one, cannot well be 
over-estimated. For beds I prefer Roses on their own roots. These 
may be planted about 4 feet apart every way, and be pegged down 
about the end of March, the suckers which spring from the base of the 
plants during the summer being similarly treated in July for autumn 
flowering. The following forty-eight varieties may be depended on for 
exhibition and other purposes—viz., Duke of Edinburgh, Fran 9 ois Miche- 
lon. Marguerite de St. Amand, La France, Marie Baumann, Rosieriste 
Jacobs, Reynolds Hole, Louis Van Houtte, Marie Van Houtte, Victor 
Verdier, Merveille de Lyon, Madame Willermoz, John Bright, Edouard 
Morren, A. K. Williams, Beauty of Waltham, Souvenir d’un Ami, Magna 
Charta, Baron de Bonstettin, Duke of Wellington, Madame Lacharme, 
Lord Macaulay, Paul Ncron, Madame Emilie Fontaine, Archduchesse 
Elizabeth d’Autriche, Senateur Vaisse, Comtesse d’Oxford, Auguste 
Rigotard, Antoine Ducher, Xavier Olibo, Madame Nachury, Madame 
Gabrielle Luizet, Marquise de Castellane, Niphetos, Charles Lefebvre, 
Duke of Teck, Etienne Levet, Alba Rosea, Fisher Holmes, Barthelemy 
Joubert, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Madame EugtSnie Verdier, La Rosiere, 
Camille Bernardin, Sultan of Zanzibar, Catherine Mermet, E. Y. Teas, 
Edouard Andrd, and Madame Th^rese Levet.—H. W. Ward. 
ROSE GRACE DARLING. 
In reference to Mr. Machin’s inquiry on page l.")l, Grace Darling 
was last year classed in the National Rose Society's report as a Tea Rose, 
because the Society always accepts the raiser’s classification until it is 
found to be incorrect. Now that this exquisite Rose, charming, and in 
every way desirable as it is, has conclusively shown itself to be a Hybrid 
Tea, it will, no doubt, have to be exhibited in future as such. The 
point, however, will be authoritatively settled this season on the publi- v 
cation of the Supplement to the National Rose Society’s Catalogue of 
Selected Roses.—T. W. Gibdlestonb. 
MARECHAL NIEL. 
“L. T.” (page 1.51) finds fault with the instructions given by “ N.” 
(page 107) and is surprised to find that he advises no air being given. 
He wishes “ N.’s ” remarks to bo endorsed by some other rosarian. 1 do 
not know if he will consider me competent for this or not, but I fully 
endorse “N.’s” instructions. Sudden bursts of sunshine do far less 
harm by raising the temperature than the most careful gardener will do 
if he opens the ventilators. It would be very warm indeed before I 
would open the ventilators of a house of forced Roses. 
To bring forward the case of a plant in Mr. J. C. Reid’s gardens, 
which is not forced, is a very curious proof of “ N.” being wrong in his 
advice for forcing Roses. Air being admitted may prevent mildew, but I 
doubt it. By the way, if Mr. Reid’s gardener is not above taking advice, 
let me sugge.st that half the flower buds on his Marbc^al Niel be removed, 
or it will probably go after a good many others, and it will be too late 
then to inquire the reason of its so doing.— D. Gilmolr, jun. 
I, LIKE your correspondent “ L. T.,” was a little surprised on reading 
the article by “ N.” on the subject of ventilation. I have here under 
my charge a span-roofed house with the ends standing east and west. 
On the north side is planted two Mardchal Niel Roses on their own roots, 
and they now cover the whole of that side of the house. The plants are 
only three years old and have made capital growth. I prune well back 
after flovrering. Some of the growths are 12 feet in length. The night 
temperature in winter is just what we can get according to the weather, 
and ventilation is given on all favourable occasions when the thermo¬ 
meter rises to 5.5°. If that dreaded pest mildew does appear 1 find no 
difficulty in keeping it in check by using the mixture so often described 
in the Journal—viz., softsoap, sulphur, and a little petroleum, which I 
find not only a remedy, but, better still, a preventive. Common sense 
must be used in ventilating Rose houses as well as any others where 
plants are grown under unnatural conditions.—IV. W., East I oi’hs. 
SEASONABLE HINTS ON FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 
Auriculas.— As we have now, we may hope, passed through the 
gloomiest portion of our winter and we see things once more beginning 
to move, I think on the whole it has been a good winter for florists 
flowers, save that period of s vere fog wdiich prevailed throughout 
England, and against which it was needful to Lake precautions, as 
damping off was very prevalent. I do not think that there was an 
excess of autumn flowering ; indeed, the season was not provocative of 
that, but in my opinion there is no remedy for it. Ther(! are certain 
varieties which will invariably do it and others never or seldom, the 
time of potting makes no difference. Auriculas have been also slow to 
move, and are only just beginning to develope themselves. I have 
discarded what used to be a troublesome business at this season—viz., 
top dressing, and have contented myself simply with stirring^ the sur¬ 
face of the soil, and, if necessary, filling in a little, but this is hardly 
needful, as I am sure it is better to have the soil under the level of the 
pot than high up in it, as in watering you are pretty sure that some will 
run over. They may be still left in their frames facing south, but 
especial care will be needful to cover up on frosty nights, as when the 
blossom is advancing is the worst time for them, not that it kills the 
flower stem, but makes the flowers themselves crimpled, destroying that 
flatness which is one of the chief characteristics of a good flower. 
Carnations and Picotees. —I have never seen mv small col¬ 
lection in better health than this year. Many of my pkants last season 
failed to give me stock, but of those that did the layers were good, not 
too stronv, or what John Ball calls “ gouty.” There has not been the 
slightest sign of spot or of the Carnation grub, and I do not think I 
have had to remove a dozen dead leaves, the plants having that bluish 
green tint so indicative of good health. The heap of compost for potting 
them has been for some time under a glass roof, but open at all sides so as 
to allow it to have the influence of the frost. This must be turned over 
several times yet before being used, and a careful look out kept for 
worms and insects of all kinds, especially the yellow wireworm, which in 
a day will destroy our finest plants. As they will now be pushing into 
growth more water may be given, but it is far better to err on the side 
of dryness than over-moisture. Air should be given to them night and 
day, and as in the case of Auriculas in case of frost the frames should 
be covered with matting or some other warm material. It will be well 
now to see what pots are required, and if any are wanted to get them in 
and have them all well cleaned and ready for use. The broken pots for 
drainage should also be clean, as nothing can be too sweet or clean for 
the production of good flowers and healthy plants. Where the com¬ 
post has not been already prepared it should be got ready now two 
parts good turfy loam, one part leaf mould, and one part old manure, 
with some road grit or charcoal to keep it open. The hop growers about 
here make their own charcoal for drying the hops, and I find that the 
refuse of this, the smaller pieces, with the sand used for banking up the 
fire, makes a capital ingredient for this and many other plants. 
Chrysanthemums. —I forbear making any notes on these, as so 
much advice is given to growers in the pages of the Journal. Now^ will 
be the time to add to stock, but really the multitude of new varieties 
makes it very perplexing as to what to choose. This I must leave to 
ither hand.s. , ,. - , i- „ 
Gladiolus. —Although next month will be the time for plantii^ 
the corms, yet it wilt be necessary to make preparation for it this month. 
Collections should be looked over, and where any deficiencies are detected 
now is the time to supply them, as the corms were well ripened last 
lutumn. 1 find that they are keeping well, .and plump, borne tew, 
such as Shakespeare and Horace Vernet, are beginning to move, but, as 
a rule, they are in a quiet state. It will be e.asy, where the beds are 
marked out and measured, to calcnhate how many corms are required. 
It must be recollected that if the corms are of good size they may be cut 
into two, and thus the stock doubled. Some writers have expressed a 
prejudice against doing this, but I can bear witness to the fact that 
some of my best blooms and corms were the produce of cut corms. I 
have even succes.sfully cut one into three. _ , . , 
Pansies in Pots.— -1 have, February lllh, pist completed potting 
my small stock, as I think this is the only satisfactory way of grow¬ 
ing them. You m.ay, of course, grow them in beds, but then you have 
to reckon avith the severity of the weather, drenching rams, severe 
frost, Ac., and if the winter be a hard one your Pansy bed will present 
rather a dilapidated appearance by this time, unless you are m a 
favourable locality, and then when your plants begin to grow and to 
show bloom look out for slugs, ravenous after their long tasting, and 
ready to devour foliage, blooms, or anything tli.at comes m their way. 
Moreover, to one a sei.tua 2 enarian, it is an immense advantage not to 
Lave to stoop over them to examine their beauty. They are ^ 
cold frame, the light of which is tilted to admit plenty of air. there 
they will remain until they are removed next month. 
Roses —Here, again, such copious directions arc continually given 
about the culture of Roses th.at it is hardly iiccessarj to say much 
about them, but it may be well to assure growers that if they find 
vacancies in their 'ueds they may, with a fair prospect of success, plant 
now, especially if they can procure them from a nursery near at hand. 
Some lOf the best blooms of Ter Roses that I remember seeing were 
