450 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 3, 1886. 
grow when planted out in a prepared border. If two plants of C. lineata, 
or any other variety, are rooted together and grown on until they fill 
10-inch pots with roots, and one is then planted out and the other con¬ 
fined to pot culture, there will be no comparison between their progress. 
The one planted out will in two or three years attain an enormous size 
with dark green, broad healthy foliage to the base, while the other will not 
have foliage half the size and colour. In fact, the appearance of the 
latter would indicate to all unfamiliar with the plants that they were 
totally different varieties. 
The rapidity of tbe growth when planted out has been urged as a 
drawback rather than an advantage, for they soon become too large for 
structures of moderate size. This is very true, and in large high houses 
they soon lose their beauty and high decorative value when the stem for 
some feet at the base becomes bare. Amongst other large plants, such as 
Palms and Tree Ferns, where the stem is hidden from view, they are 
most pleasing when the head towers well above surrounding objects for 
furnishing the upper portion of the house. In such positions I have 
observed them most striking and beautiful ; but, in many other instances— 
perhaps the majority, for very few have such positions for them—they 
would have been decidedly more effective if several feet of the stem 
could be removed and the head again inserted in the border. 
These large heads can be rooted with as much certainty as the head of 
Dracaena Cooperi, D. terminalis, or any other variety. Those having 
large plants in the condition indicated above need not fear commencing 
operations, for large heads with bold foliage for more than 12 feet can be 
successfully rooted without losing a single leaf after they are severed 
from the stem. This is decidedly the best time of the year to commence, 
for in a few months the old roots and stem can be removed and the head 
with foliage hanging on the ground again planted in its place. When 
the head is to be rooted it is a good plan to strip off all the old lower 
foliage that would naturally turn yellow in a short time, so that the plant 
will be as long as possible before it is again too large for the house, or as 
a bare stem at the base. The stem for a distance of 14 or 18 inches 
below the foliage should be surrounded with sphagnum or other moss 
about 3 inches thick. Below this the stem should be cut fully half 
through and gradually ringed. It is useless to cut a small narrow nick, 
for the ring of bark removed should be fully an inch wide. The 
bark all round t^e stem must not be removed until a good number of 
roots has been fo r med, but gradually extended from time to time. The 
moss should be kept constantly moist by syringing, and roots will soon 
be induced to take possession of it. When a fair quantity has been made 
add more moss and lumps of fibry peat, so as to just keep them covered. 
After the formation of roots and the stem has been bound once or twice 
lumps of peat and cow manure may be used as a medium for them and 
the moss dispensed with. Some of the first roots formed will be stout 
and as thick as a quill. It will be observed that these have a great 
tendency to grow downwards, but directly they show signs of extending 
below the portion ringed the points should be taken off them with a sharp 
knife, which will induce the formation of fibre. It must be understood 
that a good mass of roots must be formed before the head is taken off, for 
where there is a large head of foliage 12 or 14 feet above the roots formed 
on the stem a good quantity are required to support it. The last head we 
removed was of the latter size, and a 22-inch pot was not large enough to 
hold the quantity of soil and roots about the stem. One thing is 
necessary, when a good quantity of soil has been bound round the stem 
the head must be supported from above to prevent it snapping. After 
abundance of roots has been formed, and it is decided to take off the head, 
it should be cut deep all round for a fortnight or three weeks before its 
removal to be certain that no support is drawn from the roots. This 
compels the extension of the roots rapidly in the material provided for 
them. 
When the head is cut off it should be placed in a large pot or tub for 
a time, and removed, if posssble, to some close shaded structure ; if heat 
can be given all the better. This is not essential, but the head becomes 
established earlier than if left in the house in which it had been grown. 
When this cannot be done the plant, for such I may term it, should be 
heavily shaded and liberally syringed for about a fortnight. The plant 
need not be kept loDg in the pot or tub, for it will soon be thoroughly 
established, and may then be planted out in the position it previously 
occupied. 
When plenty of roots have been formed before the head is severed 
from the stem this plant does not appear to be checked in the least. On 
the contrary, the foliage produced afterwards will be equally as large and 
strong as while the process of rooting was going on. When large finely 
developed heads of these ornamental plants, with their drooping leaves 
and Palm-like appearance, can be rooted with such certainty and 
simplicity there is no excuse for the bare unsightly specimens crowd¬ 
ing up to the glass we are so accustomed to see.— Scientia. 
THE ROSES AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. 
Mat 25th. 
It is always a pleasure to see those reminders of the season which are 
brought forward at the May shows. The amateur finds that he is waking 
up to the fact that the time for which he has been long looking forward is 
at hand, when he hopes to go through his garden and see each morning 
some beauty expanding, or in the deepening twilight marks the peculiar 
loveliness that that time spreads over his favourite flower. It is true that 
these plants and blooms which he sees are not what he exactly wishes, he 
prefers those which are grown in the open ; and while he gladly welcomes 
these forerunners of tbe season, longs for something better still; he 
eagerly looks out to see if any new Roses are to be noticed, and wonders 
what their position will be in the exhibition season now close at hand. 
Pot Roses have certainly altered their character during the last few 
years. The gigantic trees of former days have departed. Those giants 
with which Messrs. Paul & Son and Mr. C. Turner used to fight, like the 
gigantic troopers of Frederick the Great, no longer find favour ; and how¬ 
ever wonderful they were as proofs of unwearied industry and skill, 
they represented to the mass of Rose-growers the unattainable. It would 
never have been worth the trouble and expense for an amateur to grow 
these huge plants, whereas the smaller plants, with two or three dozen 
blooms, represent a species of culture to which, if so minded, he may 
with greater ease attain. Moreover, there is after all more real beauty 
in these smaller plants, for although carefully trained they have not the 
appearance of ever having what the larger plants had. Is it not possible, 
too, that as these huge plants have been left high and dry the competitors 
may increase in number ? Formerly it was felt that with such competitors 
in the field it was hardly possible to do anything against them, whereas 
with these smaller plants the field is open to other growers. One at 
least has put in an appearance this year, and more we hops may 
follow. 
Amongst the pot Rose3 (I do not mention the names of exhibitors, 
as those were given last week) were Centifolia rosea, excellently 
bloomed and evidently an excellent pot Rose. Sunset and Perle des 
Jardins were shown side by side, giving proofs of the points of similarity 
and also their real difference, the colour of the former being much deeper, 
a rich Madame Falcot sort of colour ; it will probably be what is called a 
fine weather Rose. Some have thought that it will be too thin, but I hardly 
think it is open to this fault. Comtesse de Camando, a fine dark Rose let 
out in lS80by Leveque, but which is not often seen on exhibition stands 
by reason (Mr. Geo. Paul being my informant) of its being a very late 
Rose. White Baroness, evidently a good pot Rose, liable, however, to the 
charge of being too thin ; Lord Frederick Cavendish, undoubtedly a fine 
bright high-coloured flower; Madame Eulalie Fontaine, a very beautiful 
Rose, well formed, rich rosy crimson, with violet sheen, quite distinct ; 
Professeur Edouard Regel, a bright Duchesse de Caylus sort of flower, 
and one likely to be very useful. 
Amongst the cut Roses were Madame Lefebvre Depiace, bright pink, 
something of the build of Madame Charles Crapelet, with large fine 
petals, well imbricated, bright pink, with a beautiful glassy sheen over 
it. Souvenir de Leon Gambetta, pink, with deeper centre ; Francisca Reve, 
a flower let out in 1883 by Schwartz, a bright cherry red, said to be very 
vigorous, and certainly with a rich perfume ; it would appear to be one of 
those Roses which are overlooked in the crowd of distinguished strangers 
which visit our shores every year. Prosper Langier, anothor good Rose 
(one of Eugene Verdier’s 1883 lot), a brighter Maurice Ilemardin. One 
looked in vain for what I was very anxious to see, Clara Cochet, which 
is said to be the best that Laeharme has ever sent out, and the finest 
Hybrid Perpetual yet raised. When we consider what Roses Laeharme 
has sent out, and call to mind Marie Baumann, Charles Lefebvre, and other 
fine Hybrid Perpetuals, a Rose that is to beat all these must indeed be a 
marvel. That Laeharme thinks highly of it may be inferred from the 
fact that it was let out by him in dormant buds at 25 francs. Another 
Rose we wanted to see was the new American sport from Catherine 
Mermet, sai 1 to be pure white and the finest white Rose in existence. If 
it should be white, and of the build and substance of its revered parent, it 
will be a great acquisition. 
Such, my masters, are a few of those beauties, that like the hors d'oeuvre, 
may whet your appetite for the coming feast. Is it to be a full one or 
not ? Various are the opinions formed. Some write of want of vigour, 
others of shoots going blind, while others are confident we are to have a 
Rose season at last. The late rains have done wonders, and, as we are 
hoping to get fine weather, I see no reason why we should not have a 
good one. We have not had the cold wave of May 20th to 24th, and we 
trust all fear on that score is at an end, an 1 we may look hopefully for¬ 
ward to a good feast.—D., Deal. 
FIRM SOIL THE BEST. 
In my opinion sufficient attention is not given to making all soil in 
which roots have to form firm. In potting plants the soil is often merely 
thrown into the pots, given a shake and perhaps a gentle press down, and 
pottinr is supposed to be finished. A large number of plants may be 
potted in a given time in this manner, but anyone who lines to note the 
result of this work will not, I think, be favourably impressed by it. 
There is no close rooting in soil of this kind, as those formed are long, 
rambling, and fibreless. If at any time the soil becomes slightly too wet 
it is a long time in gaining a proper condition, and in the meantime the 
plant has. got into bad health, Altogether, there is nothing that will 
cause a plant to grow indifferently so soon as loose potting. When the 
soil is made firm, however, the case is quite different. The roots are short 
and robust; they branch in all directions, and the soil is always sweet 
and healthy. In potting to secure the best results the soil should always 
be made very firm. In dealing with small pots the soil can generally be 
pressed down firm with the fingers and thumbs, but when large pots are 
being filled a blunt stick should be used as a rammer. In the case of 
potting Heaths, Azaleas, and other hardwooded plants, great attention 
is generally given to make the soil exceedingly firm, and if it takes a firm 
soil to induce choice plants to succeed I am sure more common ones 
would pay handsomely for the same attention. 
In potting Pines, or any kind* of fruit, the same rule is generally 
