372 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 21. 
of the individual flower, this Eraserian mode is very 
useful. I may as well introduce here a mode of 
PROPAGATING ROSES BY GRAFTING ON THE 
ROOTS, 
which many may like to try. Mr. Fraser lately mentioned 
the matter to me in a note; and the other day I saw 
some of the Roses, nice little plants. “ I forgot to 
show you some Roses, the last time you were here, that 
A. Mackenzie (the intelligent foreman) propagated in the 
spring, of which I knew nothing till they were in bloom. 
-1 ust as the buds were swelling, he pulled up an old Rose 
bush, cut off some of. the strongest roots and grafted 
them with La Heine, and other good sorts, potted them 
in small pots, leaving a couple of buds above the soil, and 
placed the pots in a close cold pit. All, or mostly all, 
are now nice flowering-plants, and the pots'full of roots. 
1 am not aware that this successful mode of propagating 
is at all generally practised. Every cutting of new 
Hoses might thus be grafted, and with a better chance 
of success, apparently, than making cuttings. I have 
frequently done Combretum purpurea in the same way, 
and I know of no other way of propagating it successfully. 
If I may add, that I have not been so successful when 
grafting without giving the stocks any preparation; 
nurserymen generally establish their stocks in pots, 
before grafting the finer kinds on them. This grafting 
on 'the roots would be a nice job on a wet day in spring.” 
The range of houses is a very fine one, put up by 
Gray and Ormson, according to Mr. Fraser’s plan. The 
centre consists of large, very wide houses; the one a 
plant stove, and the other a greenhouse. The two 
wings consist of two vineries at each end, of good width, 
but not so wide as the greenhouse and stove. The 
back wall is much higher than the houses, and the 
rafters, instead of going to the wall, are joined by a 
short-hipped roof at the back. This is of great im¬ 
portance for Strawberry shelves near the ridge. An 
additional advantage has been gained in the dark 
months, by having the back wall above the houses made 
of a light stone colour, which reflects the light. There 
are one or two points about these houses worthy of 
consideration. A path at the back runs along the 
whole range intercepted by plate-glass doors at the 
divisions. The vista seen from either end is very 
pleasing. As you pass along at either end all is perfect; 
the Vines are seen to the best advantage, the largest 
bunches being generally nearest the top. But supposing 
you enter the greenhouse from the eastern vineries, uuless 
you at once turn to the left and get along the fruit, 
you are apt to go straight forward, with an opaque roof 
over your head, and the floor and underside of the stage 
on your left hand. This is such a contrast to the 
general effect of the plants on the shelves and stages, as 
to neutralise, in a degree, the beauty of the vista through 
the whole of the houses. Now, the stage rising 
regularly something to the width of the ridge of the 
roof, and then continued in a close platform to the 
back wall, the back passage being beneath it, is a scheme 
that could hardly be beat; the stage for housing and 
growing, and the platform for storing out of sight an 
immense number of plants. A conical-shaped roof, 
falling equally north and south, would be very suitable 
for such a house; but, independent of alterations, there 
would be no convenience, as now, for storing young 
plants out of sight, and it would be impossible to give 
an equal number of growing and flowering plants equal 
justice. Allowing it to remain as it is, the pathway 
would be improved by raising a bank beneath the stage, 
and covering it with the hardier Ferns and Mosses that 
delight in the shade. Something would be done by a 
simple barrier that arrested progress but did not 
intercept the view; and, perhaps, the best remedy of all 
would be to close in the two ends of the stage, and 
place two doors at the ends of this passage with plate- 
glass, similar to the others, with a peculiar latch that the 
initiated alone could open. 
Passing to the stove, a similar objection to the open 
vista does not exist. This has a broad shelf at the ends 
and the front, similar to the greenhouse, but there is no 
stage; a raised pit, heated underneath, and covered with 
pebbles, for the plants to stand upon, being used instead; 
the sky lino being broken by Orchids suspended in 
baskets. Even here, however, Mr. Fraser has a con¬ 
templated change iu his eye, which, at a mere trifle, would 
be a great improvement. The wall at the back is rather 
high for enabling the eye to see the plants freely. The 
proposal is to lower that wall, and build another some 
four or five feet in height, along the pit, and about four 
feet or even less from the back path. Here, as well as 
I against the back wall, could be formed a magnificent 
! bank of Ferns and Mosses, which would have a unity 
of interest and expression of themselves, while the 
front part of the pit could be appropriated chiefly to 
flowering-plants. The intersecting wall could soon be 
covered, as the front wall is now, with the Ficus sti- 
pulata. 
The Vines are now in full bearing, and produce good 
crops. Some fine specimens of the Black Morocco were 
sent a year or two ago to R.egent Street, where it was 
described as a coarse Grape. Certainly it is not to be 
compared to some other kinds, but it seemed to me 
that there was a little of the old fox, “ hanging ” what 
he oould not get, about the matter, as few have succeeded 
in setting that variety so regularly, and swelling berries 
on large bunches to such a size. 
The greenhouse is now decorated with Fuchsias, 
Balsams, Cockscombs, &c. Lately, it was a blaze of 
Pelargoniums; further back, a mass of Azaleas. In 
winter was decorated with Camellias, Epacris, and winter 
Heaths, &c. The stove, independently of tropical plants 
in bloom, is always interesting, from the fine specimens 
of Ferns, and some fine Orchid or other iu flower. As 
specimens, allow me to mention a few of these. 
Ferns. —A Davallia elegans, four feet high, and seven 
feet over. Davallia umbrosa, four feet high, and four 
feet across. Pteris vespertilioides, three feet high, five 
feet across. Aspidiurn exaltatum, nine feet high. Pol y- 
podium trichoides, seven feet high, twelve feet across. 
Polystichum capense, three feet high, four feet across. 
Polypodium aureurn, three feet high, by four across. 
Large plants of Blechmm corcovadense, and fine speci 
mens of Adiantum pentadactylon, Adiantum trapezi- 
fonne, Cuneatum Pubescens, Moritzianum, Pedatus, 
Gapillus-veneris, and a huge plant of the Bird’s-nest 
Fern. 
I also noted all the fine and more delicate Lycopo¬ 
diums, and many pretty, small Ferns, I can find no 
room for; but I may mention that Mr. Fraser is par¬ 
ticularly fortunate with the Golden Fern, Gymnogramma 
chry sophy lla. 
Among Orchids, I lately noticed a Cypripedium 
insigne, with three dozen of fine flowers. An Aerides 
odorata superba, with thirty-three fine spikes, and on 
Friday, among others, there were two fine Cattleyas, one 
Grispa, with sixteen spikes, and many of these having 
seven flowers, and Loddigesii, with from twelve to more 
spikes open, and several of these with eight flowers, 
and few under seven. There was also a fine plant of 
Vanda tricolor, in bloom, and fine shows of large 
bunches from Stanhopea oculata. 
On the west side of the garden is situated the ranges 
of pits, and a Cucumber-house, all heated by liot-water, 
used in the usual way for bedding-plants, early veget¬ 
ables, and Melons. 
There are many more things worth notice. I hope I 
have not unnecessarily intruded by these glances, as 
