January 30, 1800. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
89 
ably failed. The favourable conditions need not be related, so I will 
confine my remarks mostly to the other side of the question. 
Some plants were bought at a public sale three or four years ago. 
They did not look in particularly robust health, but I have seen many 
look worse, and they quickly responded to a little liberal treatment. 
They were shaken out, divided, potted, and they started growing fairly 
well. After a while the leaves became flabby and some of them 
decayed. On looking at the roots some of these were found to be 
decayed too. In a short time they started well again, butf> the same 
unhealthy symptoms came on before the growth was completed, and 
this state of things went on for two years. The plants were attended 
to in watering, ikc., and received much the same treatment as was 
given to other plants which succeeded admirably in former years, but 
which had now passed out of my hands. 
Last spring it was decided to kill or cure them. On turning out 
the bulbs and washing them they vrere found to be very much infested 
with small white insects and what looked like eggs. The bulbs were 
decayed in places, and the insects and eggs were in them to a con¬ 
siderable depth. They were then subjected to the following process : 
Two or three layers were peeled off each bulb, and any holes remain¬ 
ing were then pared round with a pointed knife. 
A mixture was then made as follows :—Half a pint of Fir tree oil 
and a quarter of a pint of petroleum were shaken together in a bottle 
and then mixed with a gallon of rather hot soft water. 
The manner of mixing is a little important, because if it is properly 
done the ingredients remain mixed, and may be used for other purposes 
besides our present subject. Measure out a gallon of the hot water, and 
after thoroughly shaking the Fir tree oil and petroleum together in the 
bottle do not allow sufficient time for them to separate again, but pour a 
little of the water into a third vessel, and then, with the bottle in the 
left hand and the vessel containing the water in the right, pour them 
both into the third vessel together, when the water will become milky 
and sufficiently thick to prevent the petroleum again separating. 
The bulbs were placed in this mixture for twenty minutes and then 
in a tub of clear water for a similar length of time. They were then 
potted, placing three bulbs, or at least what remained of them, into a 
C-inch pot. I have the pleasure to say that they not only lived, but 
commenced growing almost immediately, and are now nice healthy 
plants, nearly 2 feet through and filling 10-inch pots. 
How I think I have said something to prove first that there is an 
insect which attacks the roots of the Eucharis ; secondly, that it is 
useless attempting to grow the plant without first getting rid of the 
enemy; thirdly, that it may be got rid of with comparatively little 
trouble, though I do not think a careless or slovenly person will ever get 
rid of it. Of course there are several details which will suggest them¬ 
selves to the thoughtful reader, but perhaps I had better mention some 
of them for the benefit of those who are not thoughtful. I took my 
plants into the open air on to a vegetable quarter to shake them out, the 
old pots were washed and left outside, the place where the plants had 
been standing was watered with petroleum, and the plants when newly 
potted were placed at the other end of the house. 
I have been induced to write a line on this subject because I happen 
to know that some excellent gardeners have been blamed for failing to 
grow the Eucharis well, and the idea of the Eucharis mite being the 
cause has been ridiculed, because some writers had said there was no 
Eurcharis mite, or if there was it was only the result of bad cultivation. 
—Wji. Taylor. 
rORCIXG RHUBARB AXD SEAKALE IN LEAF HEAPS. 
As there has been some correspondence lately on the above subject, 
I will state the system practised here in the hope that it may be of 
service to others who are in a position to secure a good heap of leaves. 
This season I cut Rhubarb on New Year’s Day, and Seakale the day 
after Christmas, from roots placed in at the end of November. In 1888 
Rhubarb was put in on November 23rd, and the first dish cut on 
December 24th. I do not know whether that would be considered 
quick or not, but it is as early as it is wanted here. As the leaves are 
gathered in the autumn they are wheeled into a sheltered corner outside 
the garden and made into a square heap in which boxes are sunk. The 
top of the box is about a foot below the surface, and the boxes about 
34 feet deep without bottoms. Boxes 24 feet deep will do for Seakale. 
About G inches of ordinary garden soil is used, and the crowns are 
packed in as closely as possible. Seakale roots have 3 inches of space 
between them. No water is needed if the soil is at all moist. Boards are 
placed on the boxes and covered with a few inches depth of leaves. A 
small hole is left, and the boxes examined every other day, and the hole 
made larger or smaller for regulating the heat. I find this is always 
strong in the early part of the winter. Once I remember by neglecting to 
leave any opening, and not opening the boxes for a week, the roots 
were found to be in pulp. With that exception I have never had any 
difficulty in having Rhubarb or Seakale as early as wanted.— 
A. Thobuen. 
Notwithstanding the immense number of new Roses which have 
been sent out during the last twenty years, there is little sign of abate¬ 
ment in the number that our French friends are so kind as to send us. 
Perhaps they think as the President of the Chamber of Deputies 
appeared to do, although I rather think he must have put his tongue 
in his cheek when he said it—I mean when he alluded to the generous 
hospitality France had shown to the strangers who visited Paris at the 
time of the Exhibition, appearing to think that by making the charges 
at hotels, restaurants, &c., double what they usually are, they are con¬ 
ferring a favour, so it would almost seem as if the French Rose growers 
thought that the more Roses they could foist upon a credulous public 
the more kindness they show us ; and although I fancy that those who 
are willing to have the experimentum in vili eovpore made on them 
must be very sensibly diminished, for burnt children dread the fire, 
still it must to a certain extent be a want which this flood is designed 
to meet, and no doubt there is to a certain extent that remnant of 
curiosity and eagerness for novelty which are the cause that produces 
the effect. When we look at our Hybrid Perpetuals and Teas and see such 
loves as Marie Baumann, A. K. Williams, Charles Lefevre, &c., it may be 
well asked. Can there be anything we want ? Yes, we want a white one 
of the form and substance of the latter named flower, and a yellow 
Marie Baumann or A. K. Williams, not such a thing as Gloire Lyonnaise. 
I can hardly yet forgive Guillot for palming this off on us as a yellow H y brid 
Perpetual. He has done such good work in giving us the splendid Teas 
which have come from his establishment, that it was a pity he should 
damage the trust we had in him by sending us this ; if he had sent it as a 
Hybrid Tea and not called it yellow, we should not have found fault 
with him. Not yet has it proved to be beginning of a new race any more 
than La France, from which so much was expected ; but oftentimes the 
hopes of hybridisers are frustrated. 
Teas. 
In taking these first, I do so because this class is unquestionably 
highest in favour at the present time. Nor is this to be wondered at: their 
lovely colour, their delightful fragrance, and lasting qualities clearly 
give them a claim on all lovers of flowers. There are two names which 
are especially conspicuous in this class—Guillot and Nabonnand, and it 
is a proof to old fellows like myself how time goes on. I recollect when 
we used to call the present head of the firm “ young Guillot,” 
and now the young one has become “ old Guillot,” and there is a young 
one to take his place. One has written slightingly of Nabonnand, and 
as a raiser of Teas for exhibition he has not done much for us, but he 
has gained our favour by that exquisite buttonhole which he gave us 
last year in L’ld^ale, and we may have some prospect. Of the twenty 
varieties four are sent out by 
Nabonnand et fils. 
Adeline Outrey. —Very vigorous and free flowering ; flowers medium 
size, full, clear yellow, tinted with rose, centre chamois. 
Madame Marguerite de Saras. —This is apparently one of the Dijon 
race, and the description of its colouring might very well be used for old 
“ Gloire.” It is said, however, to be of perfect shape, which certainly 
that Rose is not, but we have had so many of this race with high 
sounding pretensions, that we may well hesitate at any fresh claimant. 
Marguerite de Thezillat. —This would seem to be one of the red Teas, 
for the colour is said to be that of the red H.P.’s, and the form imbri¬ 
cated, while the centre is said to be yellow. 
Madame Marie Vsslier. —This is another of the Dijon family, but 
different in colour, which is said to be carmine. 
Bernaix. 
Georges Farher. —Flowers very large, supported by a long firm foot¬ 
stalk ; colour velvety purple, veined with dark red ; centre cochineal 
red, passing into cerise carmine, colouring very variable. 
Madame Marthe du Bourg. —Flowers large, full, outside petals large 
and of great substance ; colour white, washed with violet carmine red, 
passing into chrome yellow washed with garnet red. 
Madame JPh illipc Kuentz. —Flowers erect, large, full; colour rose cerise, 
passing into salmony flesh colour. 
Madeline d'Aoust. —It is very difficult to imagine what this Rose is 
like, unless it be something of an enlarged W. A. Richardson. Form 
elegant, two-coloured, rosy flesh in the upper portion of the petals, 
centre nankin, reminding us of the tints of Souvenir de la Malmaison 
and W. Allen Richardson. 
Guillot et Fils. 
.7. B. Varonnc. —Flowers, large, well formed ; colour ranging from 
china rose to bright carmine, with coppery yellow centre. 
