‘ March 8, 18S8. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND 
COTTAGE GARDENER. 
195 
and one that is allowed to come forward naturally in a cool house. The 
foliage of those that are developed under warm genial conditions is 
naturally tender, and consequently easily checked by the admission of 
cold air. The young foliage of plants that develope under cool airy 
conditions may to all appearance be equally tender and delicate, but 
such is not the case, for they withstand the cold air around them with¬ 
out experiencingr a check. Early in the season, say during the months 
of February, March, and I might say the greater part of April, if not 
the whole of that month in the majority of seasons, it is impossible to 
admit air in a sufficiently warmed condition to be advantageous to forced 
Eoses. The sun may at times appear warm and raise the temperature 
of the house considerably while the air is piercingly cold—too cold, in 
fact, for the rosarian to admit it to his plants iF he is anxious not to 
subject them to an attack of mildew. Nothing will cause mildew sooner 
than the admission of cold air, and it is often impossible to protect the 
young foliage from draughts even with closed ventilators. If “ L. T.” 
had been engaged in the production of Eoses on a large scale early in 
the year, and had to remove his plants after placing them in 5-inch 
pots to make room for others coming on into rather draughty pits, he 
would find that matting up the frames, not only at night,'but during the 
day in co'd weather, was a necessity if he wished to keep the plants 
free from mildew. 
I have condemned in these pages the admission of air to Eoses early 
in the season, and have done so from practical experience. The tem¬ 
perature recommen{led was intended to be from fire heat, and during 
cold, severe weather I prefer to see the house 60°, rather 55°. On mild 
occasions gentle heat is kept in the pipes, whatever the temperature be. 
Ey dayq when the weather is mild and the season has advanced fairly, 
no fire heat is used ; in cold weather the highest figures given are not 
exceeded. 
“ L. T.” asks what position would I recommend for a forcing house 
for Mar^ehal Niel. That entirely depends whether the structure is a 
lean-to or a span-roof ; if the former, a southern aspect; if the latter, 
the ends running north and south. The admission of air freely to the tree 
in Mr. Eeid’s garden does not insure it against mildew, or why are we 
ever troubled with it on the plants outside? Under cool treatment 
Marechal Niel, if healthy and in luxuriant condition, is not much sub¬ 
ject to mildew. Under the same conditions the old Gloire de Dijon and 
many others are more liable to be attacked, while when forced the 
Marechal is one of the very first to fall a prey to its ravages. From 
“ W. W.’s East YurJis” letter it is clear that his plant under the ven¬ 
tilating system is noc proof against mildew. But neither his plant or 
the example produced by “ L. T.” can be said to be forced ; by the treat¬ 
ment the plants receive they come forward naturally. I was pleas d to 
see that such an able rosarian as Mr. D. Gilmour, juii., endors d my 
instructions, and I can freely confirm the advice he tenders to Mr. 
Eeid’s gardener, for my plants have suffered from the cause he advises 
him to guard against. If this variety carried less flowers, especially in 
its early stages, I believe that it would be constitutionally stronger, and 
last in health for a much lon,er period.—N. 
“ W. Wh, East YiirJ;s'’ (page 173), in his article on Marechal Niel, 
says:—“If that, dreadetl pest mildew does appear, I find no difficulty 
in keeping it in check by using the mixture so often described in the 
Journal—viz., soft-soap, sulphur, and petroleum.” I should feel very 
much obliged to “ W. W.” if he would kindly give the proportions of 
each to the gallon of water.—A. B., A'urshire. 
EOSB CUTTINGS. 
TJ .\xy that have been inserted in the open ground after the style of 
Gooseberry and Currant cuutings must be examined directly the frost 
has disappeared. The majority of them will be found upheaved 2 inches 
or more out of the ground, and unless they are pressed back into the 
bottoms of the holes originally formed and the soil made firm about 
them very few indeed will strike root. A mulching of either strawy 
manure, ashes, or leaf soil to a certain extent prevents this upheaval by 
frosts, but even where they are thus treated it is advisable to look them 
over and fix any that require it. Properly attended, 90 per cent, should 
strike root and make good plants this season. It is too late to insert 
more cuttings in the■ open ground; but if a number of strong cleanly 
cut pieces of ripened wood about 12 inches in length, with or without 
heels, have the lower half of the buds removed and arc at once firmly 
dibbled into a border at the4oot of a north wall, many will strike root. 
In this instance it is advisable to mix plenty of leaf soil and grit with 
the ordinary soil, the cuttings being buried in this to about one-half of 
their depth. Eub out the first buds that break, the object being to retard 
top growth till the cuttings are callussed. If the former takes place 
first the cuttings will fail to strike. 
STEIKING CUTTINGS OP TEA EOSES 
When strong well-ripened gi'owths of these can be obtained it is 
possible to root them in the open ground, or similarly to the Hybrid 
Pcrpetuals. Those having a number of plants growing against sheltered 
walls may adopt an equally sure method of striking cuttings. Select 
short medium-sized shoots, taking these off with a heel or a thin portion 
of old wood attached, and shorten the tops to about three good joints, 
leaving the leaves on these. Dibble each singly in the centre of a 3-inch 
pot filled with loamy soil and surfaced over with sharp sand, taking 
care to fix the cutting firmly. Water them in, plunge closely in a gentle 
hotbetl, and cover closely with handlights or bottomless boxes covered 
with large squares of glass. If kept perfectly close and shaded from 
bright sunshine they will strike root in about three weeks. When well 
rooted gradually expose to full light. They ought not to be long kept 
in these small pots, nor be prematurely hardened. First shift them 
into ()-inch pots, and when growing strongly they may either be hardened 
off anti planted out, or be transferred into larger pots for flowering under 
glass. 
PLANTING EOSES. 
Directly the ground is again in a fit state for planting, any Eoses 
laid in by the heels should be planted out. Others may be transplanted, 
but in every case extra pains ought to be taken, or failure will most 
probably be the result. The soil should be made as congenial as possible 
to the roots, this to induce an early formation of fibre. In addition to 
digging in plenty of manure deeply, add a liberal dressing of either leaf 
soil, old Mushroom-bed manure, burnt garden refuse, or any material 
that when well mixed with the surface soil will keep it in an open 
condition. Little or no fibre will be formed in heavy lumpy soil, and 
this is also the first to feel the effects of drought. Tea Eoses being 
usually supplied well-rooted in pots may be planted out a little later, 
or after there is less likelihood of severe frost being experienced. 
PENNING CLIMBING E03E3. 
Tea and Noisette Eoses growing against sunny walls are the first to 
flower, and what pruning needed ought to be completed at once. 
Healthy vigorous plants to have the wood lightly thinned out, the 
leading branches shortened to about half their length and laid in, all 
lateral growth and spray being freely cut back. Plants that are 
weakly will be improved if cut rather hard back, as the stronger the 
growth the more flow'ers the Teas irroduce. Marechal Niel flowers prin¬ 
cipally on strong well-ripened young growths, every joint producing a 
bloom. Preserve these, therefore, to nearly their full length, and cut 
out as much old growth as possible, this inducing the formation of more 
strong growths for next season. Hybrid Teas including the serviceable 
Cheshunt Hybrid also to be well-cut back, leading growths being 
shortened and laid in ■where space has to be filled. Banksian Eoses 
produce trusses of flower from both spray and medium-sized well-ripened 
growths. Thinning out and shortening back is necessary, very rank 
growths being cleanly removed unless ■wanted for fillinir vac.int spaces. 
—W. I. 
KOBY HALL, LIVERPOOL. 
The old established seat of Wm. Pilkington, Esq., J.P., D.L., sur¬ 
rounded by villas and small mansions of modern style, “which add 
grandeur by contrast to the more venerable mansion,” is also a home 
for horticulture in its many branches, and a place where gardening in 
its less popular days was carried to a successful issue, and held up as 
an example to the Liverpudlians, which by the way they were not slow 
to follow, for in no part of the kinsdom do we find a higher or more 
general taste for gardening than in the neighbourhood of Liverpool. 
Orchids, foliage and flowering plants. Chrysanthemums, herbaceous 
plants, as well as fruit, all have their chanipions here, as testified at our 
leading exhibitions. , 
The flower garden in former seasons has been devoted to the usual 
bedding out,, but the beds are now undergoing the process of remaking 
and remodelling for the reception of herbaceous plants, aird with a 
judicious selection of these, such as Mr. Jones can well be trusted to 
make, we prophesy a great transformation such as will fully compen¬ 
sate for the labour. A centre bed has been prepared as a loose rockery 
for some of the smaller bat not less deserving plants, and cannot fail to 
be highly pleasing when established. 
The conservatory is attached to the mansion and is always gay with 
bloom. During our last visit just before Christmas the house was full 
of Chiysanthemums. “ What tine blooms !” was our exclamation on 
entering, “ and so late in the season too !” They were really fit for ex¬ 
hibition, especially the incurved varieties. The problem seems to be 
how to produce good bloom late in the season, for Christmas and towards 
spring. Here in some Peach houses was a large quantity of ■svell-budded 
plants calculated to maintain a supply into the new year. Stove plants, 
such as Crotons, Dracfenas, Ac., are grown for house decoration only. 
They are clean, healthy, ■w’ell-furnished plants for this purpose, pictures 
of robust health ; and Gardenias planted out at the back of one of the 
stoves are wmll calculated to afford a capital return of bloom. Orchids 
are sparingly represented. Dendrobium nobile, however, is here in 
quantity, well cared for, and evidently prepared to compensate for its 
liberal treatment by abundance of bloom when needed. Greenhouse 
plants for cut bloom and decorative purposes consist of Primulas, 
Cinerarias, &c. Specially useful, however, are the several varieties of 
Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums', of which quantities are grown, and Primula 
Sieboldi. One df the features at Eoby Hall is the Fern Lygodium 
scandens, thriving like a weed ; and hardily grown as we find it in the 
vineries on back walls, it is most valuable for table decoration, for 
trailing on mantel-boards and mirrors. Being free from the brown semi- 
decayed appearance it frequently has when grown in too much heat, 
and so unique in habit and also standing well in a cut state, it is cer¬ 
tainly worthy of the space afforded it. 
The fruit houses we find as well cared for as other departments. 
Cleanliness is the on’er of the day. The Vines are heavily cropped 
annually, so that we do not find Grapes up to exhibition style, though 
quite in form for tabic. Alnwick Seedling finds favour, and deservedly 
so, the wonder being that so few grow what is one of the most desirable 
