28 
THE FLORIST. 
Who, then, shall speak slightingly of the “ more humble occupa¬ 
tion of the florist ?” Truly he becomes your true natural philoso¬ 
pher ! Pray accept the assurance of best wishes for the success of 
your work from one who, though he has realised all the pure plea¬ 
sures of floriculture, now greatly relinquishes them, for the more im¬ 
portant duties of life. 
Hull, Jan. 20, 1848. Horner, M.D. 
ROSES IN POTS. 
I have been an exhibitor of Roses in pots from the time the first 
prizes were offered by the Horticultural Society; and my employer 
having allowed me to obtain all the varieties that I thought would 
be useful for the purpose, I have had an opportunity of making a 
good selection ; and although some desirable varieties may be added 
to the accompanying list, yet I can confidently recommend, for pot- 
cultivation, the whole that are here mentioned. 
There are few plants that form more beautiful objects for exhibi¬ 
tion than the one in question ; but their transient character makes it 
very difficult to calculate on a fine display at the appointed time. 
This should be taken into consideration by seedling rose-growers, 
who should try to obtain varieties of equal beauty, but of a more 
enduring character. Before I state the practice for February, I should 
mention the present condition of our collection of pot-roses. In 
a span-roofed house, 24 feet long by 12 feet wide, right and left of 
a 2 feet 6 in. path down the middle of the house, are two wooden 
tanks, 3 feet 6 in. wide, close to the ground, covered with -g-inch 
slate. Six inches of water circulates in them, heated by one of 
Stephenson’s copper boilers. A wooden frame, 2 feet deep, on the 
top of these tanks, is filled with wet sawdust, and in this the pots 
are plunged to the rims. On the one tank are Perpetuals, Albas, 
and Mosses, on dwarf stocks, and some on their own bottoms ; and 
on the other tank Tea-scented, China, and Bourbon varieties. At 
intervals of 7 feet, by an arrangement of boards placed perpendicu¬ 
larly across the tank, the slate cover is left free about 9 inches to 
radiate the necessary heat for raising the temperature of the house. 
These roses are breaking beautifully. The Tea-scented, China, and 
Bourbons, were cut back very hard in September, and largely dis¬ 
rooted ; then potted into some compost consisting of three parts 
loam and one part well-rotted horse and cow dung, with silver sand, 
and good drainage. 
The Perpetuals, Albas, and Mosses, were cut and plunged in 
December. To succeed these plants, a similar quantity are plunged 
in sawdust, in cold frames ; and a much larger number are wintered 
in the following manner. Trenches, sufficiently wide and deep to 
admit the 11-inch pots containing the plants, are thrown out; the 
sides and ends supported by slate slabs or boards. In these trenches 
the pots are placed upon two bricks, to allow the escape of water 
or worms from the pots, and to prevent the entrance of the latter; 
