178 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Maroh 4, 18S6. 
man before and after his batli is the soit of treatment that is discouraging 
to all effort in the direction of improved appearance—even when applied to 
Roses. 
R. rubrifolia (IX.), of which Andrew’s name of lurida is much more 
descriptive, is a very distinct and interesting plant, with its metallic-blue 
tinted foliage and weird quaint-looking flowers whose long attenuated sepals 
extend far beyond the rosy petals, a veritable Rose of Fairyland. The red- 
brown stems are cove.ed with a bloom like that on black tirapes, and this 
blue colour seems to pervade the whole plant, making with the delicately 
tinted flowers a most perfect ‘’arrangement” in rose colour and French 
grey. The beauty of the plant is maintained until late autumn by the great 
clusters of from fifteen to thirty smooth bright-red somewhat globular heps 
which succeed the bunches of flowers. Some of the varieties of R. indica 
(IX.) also are interesting from the freedom with which they bloom again 
during the autumn till cut off by frost, and for their intense fragrance. 
R. rubiginosa (X.) (= eglanteria, suaveolens) our native Eglantine, or 
Sweetbriar, is much prized for its fragrant foliage, though it is only when 
they see the plant laden with heps that it seems to occur to some people 
that it must at one time or other have borne a very ornamental mass of 
flowers; and floral commendation is generally reserved for such varieties as 
the double scarlet Sweetbriar, a very pretty sort truly, but with neither the 
vigour nor the fragrance of the species. Nevertheless, one garden single 
variety is really a lovely Rose, with thick, pure white petals, each margined 
with a bright picotee edge of clear purple. It is very vigorous, and rejoices 
in the picturesque name of “ Hebe’s Lip,” though why so is not obvious : 
since Hebe’s lips could hardly have been so white as the petals, or so dark 
as the edging—unless she “ enjoyed extremely bad health” as they say in 
the west, or else was perpetually sipping the ruby nectar she should have 
been handing round. 
The white-flowered form of R. pulverulenta (= glutinosa), another 
member of this group, makes a pretty pendent on the rockery to R. lucida. 
It has compact white flowers which are succeeded by elongated red heps, 
and it3 smooth dark stems are clothed with deep green leaves consisting of 
seven rounded leaflets. 
But, of course, it is by the so-called Austrian Briars that the rubiginoste 
have been made famous in gardens. The double forms, Persian yellow, 
introduced from Persia in 1837 by Sir H. Willock, lutea flore pleno or 
Williams’ double yellow, and Harrisonii sent from America in 1830, though 
somewhat similar, are all good and desirable Roses; but none of them 
exceed in purity of colour or grace of outline the single flower of the 
species R. lutea, a plant whose deep pure yellow blossoms, mounted on 
their brown stems against their natural background of dark-green foliage, 
produce an effect only eclipsed by those of its brilliant variety R. punicea. 
“Copper” Austrian Briar is a misnomer; for the petals of this Rose, 
though buff-coloured on the outer side, are of a dazzling orange-scarlet 
colour on the inside, which is fully displayed by the expanded flowers ; and 
a few branches of this Rose and R. lutea lightly arranged in a good-sized 
piece of Valerie or other deep-coloured pottery, makes as distinguished a 
bouquet as cm well be. 
Let it not, therefore, be said that single Roses are not worth growing as 
decorative garden plants; for if their individual flowers are evanescent, 
they are also innumerable, and so the plants remain gay longer than many 
other. Ros ;s, even without reckoning their harvest decoration of scarlet 
fruit in the autumn ; and the majority of them are no trouble whatever to 
grow. R. berberidifolia Hardii, lucida, and nitida, with Ecae, pulverulenta 
flore albo, and Beggeriana nigrescens, are charming representatives of the 
genus Rosa for the rockery, and R. polyantha is the most rapid and orna¬ 
mental of climbers ; while, with all deference to Mr. George Paul, the true 
scarlet Rose (to speak pinaforically), 
“ Resisting all ambition 
To come fit for exhibition, 
Still remains a single Hose.” 
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES AND EVERLASTING FLOWERS 
Now that many amateurs and others will be scanning seed lists with 
the object of selecting plants which are easily cultivated and extremely 
useful, I would call special attention to the ornamental Grasses and 
Everlasting Flowers. These are not only pretty when growing in summer 
and autumn, but their heads and blossoms, when cut at the right time, 
remain in perfection throughout the whole winter, and this is a much- 
desired quality not found in most flowers. Tables may be decorated, 
rooms adorned, and all floral embellishments executed by their aid in the 
dead of winter. It would be impossible to imagine anything more pretty 
and graceful than many of the ornamental Grasses. They are exquisite, 
and add artistic finish to arrangements composed of the choicest flowers. 
Some seasons we have gathered many natural Grasses in the fields and 
moors, and when dr;ed they were very useful for mixing with cut flowers 
generally in winter ; but graceful as many of the wild Grasses undoubtedly 
are, many of the ornamental ones which are offered by seedsmen surpass 
them. They are sometimes sold in “ collection 3 ,” but varieties of no 
particularly ornamental character are apt to slip into these, and to make 
sure of growing none but the best each sort should be ordered separately. 
The following are the choicest varieties :—Agrostis nebulosa, Anthoxan- 
thum gracile, Briza gracilis, Chloris radiata, Coix lacbryma, Eragrostis 
elegans, Eulalia japonica zebrina, Hordeum jubatum, Panicum capillare, 
P. virgatum, Paspalum elegans, Stipa pennata, Tricuspis acuminata, and 
Uniola latifolia. 
The whole of these may be raised from seed, and they will all produce 
their ornamental heads before the autumn. In cold districts it would 
pay to sow a few 4-inch or 5-inch potfuls of each early in March, 
rear them in a cold frame and plant out early in May, but as a 
rule they can be cultivated to perfection without this labour. If the 
seed is sown in the open ground early in April the plants will 
soon appear and grow freely. Some make a practice of sowing 
them in patches in nrxed flower borders, and very effective they are in 
such positions ; but when they are cultivated mainly with the object of 
securing the heads for winter decoration they need not be confined to 
flo wt-r beds or borders, but each may be sown in rows in any corner in the 
kitchen garden. I have generally found them do better when treated m 
this way than the mixed style, as in the latter case they are always liable 
to be overshadowed by other plants which may be taller. 
They develope best in good soil, and to insure their colouring well in 
the autumn they should be sown where they are exposed to the sun. It 
is not necessary to sow tho seed thick, and if covered about half an inch 
they will always thrive well. It is advantageous to get them to start freely, 
and to assist in this we generally cover the seeds with old sandy and rich 
soil from the potting shed. 
Respecting the Everlasting Flowers, they are very suitable for asso¬ 
ciating with the Grasses, and as with these we prefer growing them by 
themselves when the object is to get a special lot of fine flowers for winter 
use. This, however, is not a hard-and-fast rule in their culture, and 
large quantities of excellent flowers may be grown in the mixed border 
by sowing a small patch of seed here and there. They may be sown at 
the same time as the Grasses, and will succeed under the same treatment 
in every respect. The early raising of plants in pots will also be found 
to be a remunerative practice in cold backward localities, as although the 
plants undoubtedly will grow freely enough in summer, the advantage 
gained by sowing early or under glass is that the flowers will form during 
the best of the summer weather, and can be harvested before any bad 
weather in autumn disfigures them. • 
Rhodanthe Manglesi alba nana is a new Everlasting, recently intro¬ 
duced by Messrs. Carter, of great beauty and usefulness. This variety is 
very dwarf, blooms profusely, and is of a charming silvery white colour. 
Acroclinium roseum and A. album should be in all groups ot Everlastings. 
Other fine varieties are Ammobium alatum, Morna elegans, Pala.oxia 
Hcokeriana, Waitzias in variety, and Helichrysums of many colours. 
The latter are very hardy, strong-growing, free-flowering, and the blossoms 
are rose, scarlet, crimson, yellow, purple, white, and other shades. 
J. M. 
NOTES FROM WORTLEY. 
The gardens at Wortley Hall, near Sheffield, are known by repute 
throughout the kingdom, and gardeners always expect to hear of some¬ 
thing either good, novel, or surprising therefrom. 
Mr. Simpson, for many years head gardener (and now gardener and 
forester), is so well known as a practical horticulturist that a visit to the 
gardens under his charge must necessarily result in benefit to the visitor. 
As the ground out of doors at the time these notes were made was covered 
with ice and snow, our attention is confined exclusively to the numerous 
glass structures. The first structure we entered was the late vinery, in 
which are hanging numerous bunches of average sized, well ripened 
bunches of the usual varieties of late black Grapes, but the object of 
special interest here is the Gros Guillaume Vine, which was prominently 
before the public some years ago as the pioneer of a new system in Grape 
culture. As the matter was well discussed at the time, I shall only say 
that the Vine is now in capital condition and promises to bear a heavy 
crop of fruit next season, and the stem now is 50 feet long, 20 feet having 
been cut off in order to make room for other varieties. In a greenhouse 
is a fine plant of Acacia Riceana trained under one of the rafters, and 
shortly its gracefully pendant shoots will be covered with fl ;wers. 1 his is 
a plant that ought to be more generally grown. Two plants of Gloire de 
Dijon and Chesthunt Hybrid Roses will soon be covered with hundreds of 
sweet flowers. In an adjoining house is a good collection, of Vandas, 
Cattleyas, Lse'ias, and Dendrobiums ; the Vandas were specially robust, 
and amongst the Dendrobes were D. chrysotoxum and D. W ardianum 
that had been subjected to the pruning system, and neither showed signs 
of deterioration, but appeared to be equally as robust as those that are not 
subjected to such treatment. The next house is a vinery planted with 
young Vines, and these, instead of being planted at the front of the house 
in the orthodox way, are planted along the middle of the inside border at 
distances of about 18 inches apart, and Mr. Simpson intends to train 
every alternate cane down towards the front of the house, thus obtaining 
the greatest amount of fruiting space possible, and at the same time allow¬ 
ing ample room for the free development of laterals and foliage. These 
Vines were planted from eyes last July, and duly reached the top of the 
house. They will be pruned back only as far as the perfectly ripened 
wood, and will be allowed to carry several bunches each. In strength 
they are not sensational, but are of short-jointed and medium-sized solid 
wood. As a crop of fruit was taken out of this house early last summer it 
will at once be seen that the vinery has been rejuvenated with fruitful 
Vines without the loss of a single season. The next vinery is about to 
undergo the same operation, but at present it contains some fine three- 
year-old Vines in pots. These were fruited last year, and Mr. Simpson 
says produced very good crops. They have evidently been well cared 
for, and will undoubtedly produce, during the present season, a satisfac¬ 
tory crop of good serviceable fruit. 
Entering a span-roofed range in three divisions we observed a quantity 
of Nicotiana affinis in flower, the white sweet-scented blossoms being very 
abundant, and-coming in at this season of the year they are doubly valu¬ 
able. In the warmer division a good effect is produced by the tasteful 
arrangement of Crotons, Thyrsacanthus rutilans, and Begonias, all healthy 
and grown specially for house decoration. Particularly noticeable in the 
same house was a plant of Allamanda Schottii trained in parallel lines 
horizontally and laterally, a wonderful example of the rapid growth of 
this gorgeous trailer; and Ipomoea Horsfallise, trained from one end of 
