146 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February £1, 1389. 
holds good with all Crotons, among which we find the best varieties, in 
eluding C. Sunset, a pretty piece, destined to take position among the 
best at future exhibitions. Its colour is superb, but there seems a diffi¬ 
culty in inducing it to colour at all. In fact, only by mere chance was 
it retained here after a certain trial (lucky chance enough) ; C. Disraeli, 
a well-known favourite ; there is a fine old plant about 8 feet across ; 
C. Williamsi, and the newer C. aurea marmorata of Veitch, a most 
pleasing variety, beautifully mottled. Palms are also in good condition; 
Phoenix rupicola makes a fine specimen. We leave these, attracted by an 
admirab'e plant of Authurium Schertzerianum. The variety known as 
Yeitch’s is a particularly good one. It figured at the Liverpool Show last 
season, carrying sixty-five spathes. It is nearly 5 feet across, and has 
been grown by Mr. Cromwell from two leaves. Peristeria data, though 
old-fashioned, is well looked after, large pseudo-bulbs filling a 20-inch 
not produce annually a liberal quantity of its peculiar blooms. Several 
large pans of Ccelogyne cristatn, some about 4 feet in diameter, were 
at the time of our visit promising a wealth of bloom. Suspended over¬ 
head at one end of this house are Nepenthes, well but not largely re¬ 
presented by N. Hookeriana and N. Mastersiana, well “ pitchered,” and 
on one side, also suspended, are a couple of baskets of the desirable 
Utricularia montana. Among other plants grown in baskets or on rafts 
and suspended in this house are Cattleya speciosissima, said to be a fine 
variety. Cattleya superba is in grand form. Mr. Cromwell attributes his 
success with this to the fact of not allowing it rest, as is generally the 
case with Cattleyas. We often find this, as well as C. citrina, making 
progress the wrong way. Here, however, their progress is most satis¬ 
factory. 
In this house also is the Ltelia anceps grandiflora, which obtained 
a notice in these columns twelve months ago. It is still on the same 
raft, which is 3 feet 9 inches long by 2 feet 6 inches wide, and carries this 
season forty-seven spikes, bearing three to four blooms each : the 
variety is certainly a very fine one. Old-fashioned p'ants, asalready noted, 
are afforded a home and every consideration. Cypripedium insigne in 
strong force, and C. barbatum (this carried seventy-five flowers last 
season) well repaying for their accommodation. Cypripediums are 
further well represented by C. Dominianum, C. concolor, C. niveum, and 
C. Stonei. Odontoglossum Roezli grown in pots and bedded in sphagnum 
moss are in grand health, as also are numbers of Phalaenopsis, including 
P. Schilleriana with seven leaves, measuring about 14 inches long, and 
P. amabilis, also with seven leaves, in teak cylinders, and baskets, 
about which the root3 cling thickly and tenaciously. The stage is a 
slate slab fixed in an iron frame, and holds water, which affords the 
moist atmosphere essential to the well-being of this class of plants. The 
white forms of L. anceps, of which some are blooming, do not seem here 
or elsewhere to be as free as the coloured forms. Laelia autumnalis is 
good, and so is C. Walkeriana, which is very highly thought of here, 
the form being especially good. There is also a fine piece of L. elegans 
alba, and in the adjoining compartment we find more L. anceps. There 
are altogether about 200 spikes of these, and many of them handsome 
varieties, cne among them being exceedingly beautiful, a bold flower 
with deep petals and intensely dark lip. A large raft overhead contains 
a grand mass of L. albida, a superb variety. There are several good 
plants of Cattleya Skinneri, one with stout bulbs has carried thirteen 
flowers on a spike, and very noticeable is a fine piece of Cattleya 
Sanderiana in splendid health, and said to be a very good variety. 
Mr. Cromwell is certainly successful in Cattleya growing. His practice 
is to give plenty of moisture, plenty of light, and not too strong heat, 
intermediate temperature, constant, and careful attention in all little 
matters —in short, a common-sense treatment. Miltonia Candida grandi¬ 
flora in good condition is a plant much appreciated, and deservedly 
so, as it lasts in bloom quite two months. In its company, and in 
equally good form, were Odontoglossum grande and 0. Insleayi, with 
O. citrosmum in baskets suspended from the roof—capital plants. 
Several plants of Cymbidium eburneum and C. Lowi, promising to 
give a good account of themselves in bloom, were also conspicuous, as 
were also a magnificent Calanthe Yeitchi and other varieties in splendid 
condition. Among Ferns in this house were fine Davallias, D. fijiensis 
and D. tenuifolia Veitchiana being capital. Gleichenia dichotoma, 
about 8 feet through, is a picture, as also is G. Mendelli. No. 3 range 
from the corridor consists of two vineries, early house containing 
Hamburghs, and late house Lady Downe’s and Alicante. Fruit is 
equally as well grown as the plants. The best results are everywhere 
apparent. 
In range No. 4, the first compartment being devoted to Vines (Muscats), 
and the next to Leaches, where all was dormant, but ready for the 
move, were plants of Dendrobium nobile and D. thyrsiflorum awaiting 
their turn to take part in producing the supply of choice blooms so 
much in demand. The last house or range of this block is the lean-to 
Odontoglossum house already referred to. A sort of natural stage 
fronted with rock work, in which Ferns are planted, is ornamental, 
whilst retaining the moisture necessary for the Odontoglots. These are 
m robust health, and give ample return in the display of bloom they 
make. I he plants are elevated on a teak stage above the natural one 
mentioned, being thus nearer the light, and having a freer circulation 
of air about them. Sophronitis grandiflora, Odontoglossum Cervantesi, 
and 0. Rossi majus in baskets were blooming abundantly. Exhibition 
flowe; nj plants, such as Allamandas, Clerodendrons, and Stephanotis 
were te ag kept quiet in a Cucumber house, among them being good 
plants of Allamanda grandiflora and Ixoras in good form in an adjoin¬ 
ing compartment, with Eucharis amazonica. Useful pits skirt all the 
Tanges in the block already described, where bulbs and softwooded 
plants are prepared for various purposes. 
A cool Teach range, or orchard house, is the last of many glass 
structures, and this, in common with the others, has been constructed 
and arranged with an eye to appearance, as well as to the well-being 
of the trees cultivated therein. The pleasure grounds, though not 
extensive, are well planted and kept, and every department alike reflects 
great credit upon Mr. Cromwell for his able management, and upon his 
worthy employer, Mr. Tirnmis, for his evident good taste and keen 
interest in horticulture.— Bradwen. 
PRUNING ROSES. 
In the Journal of January 31st there is a good story, pointing the' 
theory of close pruning for Tea Roses. The following is illustrative of 
severe pruning of Hybrid Perpetuals in Scotland : — The late Dr. 
Gillan of Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, took a fancy to Roses, but though 
obtaining the finest varieties found that year after year his blooms were 
not good. With “dour” perseverance he kept growing away, hoping 
every summer to see his reward, and often taking counsel with his old 
gardener over the veked subject. One April morning the donkey that 
was kept for the children’s riding got into the garden, and Thistles 
being scarce fell to upon the succulent shoots of the reverend doctor’s 
Roses. The poor gardener bewailed the calamity, “ as the bits o’ bushes 
were sair rumpit to the ground, and another simmer would be Roseless.” 
In July, however, the bushes were the pride of the parish, Dr. Gillan 
declaring with expressive wit and discerning insight the true reason of 
previous failures by saying, “ that when he had a gardener that was an 
ass he hai poor Roses, but now he had an ass that was a gardener he 
could grow grand Roses.”—A. S. 
The Rusarian's Year-JBoolt, 1S&9. Edited by the Rev. H. H. D'Ojibrain. 
London : Bemrose <fc Sons. 
We have already referred incidentally to this annual and its contents,, 
but a few further remarks may be acceptable to those of our Rose- 
growing readers who have not yet procured it. The book comprises- 
seventy-seven pages, and deals with a variety of subjects specially 
interesting to rosarians generally. The frontispiece is an excellent por¬ 
trait of Mr. John Cranston, and the Editor gives us in three close pages- 
a review of Mr. Cranston’s career, in which he is credited with being one 
of the first to advocate the formation of a National Rose Society. Then 
follow five chapters entitled “A Symposium of Judging,” the contributors 
being Messrs. E. Mawley, G. Paul, J. Burrell, and the Revs. H. H. D'Ombrain 
and Alan Cheales, the subject being exhaustively discussed from different 
points of view. Mr. T. W. Girdlestone has an able article on “ Roses of 
Recent Years, French and English,” in which some interesting tables 
are given of the number of novelties from 1883 to 18S7. From these it 
appears that the totals during the time named are as follows :—From 
the Continent, 334 : in England, 38 ; from America, 6 ; or a total of 
378 ; of which 108 were in general cultivation last year, and 40 were 
exhibited. 
Mr. Duncan Gilmour, writing from his elevated residence at Sheffield, 
gives a short chapter on “ Roses in High Altitudes,” in which he describes 
his “ rough and ready system ” of pruning, and the reasons why he 
prefers the Briar stock. The Rev. F. Page Roberts has a brief dis¬ 
course upon “ Tea Roses in East Anglia,” and this is followed by a 
review of the National Rose Society’s work in the past year by the 
Editor. Mr. Alexander Hill Gray having transferred his residence 
from the north to the south, devotes several pages to an account of 
“ Making a Rose Garden in Somersetshire,” and says he has merely" 
exchanged “a northern precipice for a southern one.” Mr. S. P. Budd 
relates some of his successes as an exhibitor, and Mr. Mawley gives 
his usual meteorological summary of the past Rose season. 
There is also one other article by Mr. Edmund Tonks, which we 
venture to reproduce. It is entitled 
ARTIFICIAL MANURE FOR ROSES. 
“ British horticulturists for so many generations using only the 
ordinary manures known previously to the last half century effected 
such excellent results that they may be excused for not hastily depart¬ 
ing from the traditions and practices which which their long experience 
had proved to be satisfactory : yet horticulture cannot be an exception 
and escape from the innovations which modern science is introducing 
into every art. Our forefathers, who were ignorant of the composition 
and laws of growth of plants, supplied the deficiency by close observa¬ 
tion of external phenomena, and by comparison of failure and success 
were enabled to formulate rules for their guidance which generally 
ensured success. But as now the exact composition of most plants in 
general cultivation is well known, and the laws of growth are much 
better understood, we ought to avail ourselves of this knowledge and 
adopt a system of cultivation more scientific than the rule of thumb. 
It appears that the present generation of horticulturists have as yet 
scarcely recognised the advantage which modern science has conferred 
upon it in making clear the nature of plant food. Agriculturists in this 
respect are far in advance. The necessity of having to compete with 
countries where either the cost of labour or the value of land is low baa- 
