July 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
every cultivator of roses. We were favoured by 
having him as our cicerone through this garden of 
sweets. A straight, broad, nicely gravelled walk 
leads from the entrance gates, showing oft' to great 
advantage a row on each side of standard roses: 
these are mostly of the older kinds, and are remark¬ 
able for their perfect health, notwithstanding their 
great age. One tree, the Duo (VOdeans, a Bourbon, 
we particularly noticed on account of its large 
size: the stem near to where it bad been budded 
was a foot in circumference ; the height of the stem 
and head six feet; the branches covered a space the 
diameter of which was seven feet, or nearly twenty- 
one feet in circumference. The tree was perfectly 
healthy, and covered With its crimsom and violet- 
coloured blossoms. Our grand object in visiting 
this nursery was to notice and remark upon the best 
kinds of roses for the various purposes for which the 
rose is adapted; and, with that intention borne in 
mind, we trust our observations will bo useful to 
our readers. 
Now, the rose that particularly attracted our atten¬ 
tion, as pre-eminently beautiful, was the hybrid China 
Coup d'Hebe. Its flowers are large, cup-shaped, of a 
rich pink colour. It is well adapted for a standard, 
for a dwarf for pot culture, and forces well. 
The Briclc of Abydos, a Tea-scented China, is also 
a most beautiful rose, with flowers of a creamy white, 
tinted with rose, delicately beautiful, of a good size, 
and very double. It is impossible, by any descrip¬ 
tion, to do justice to the delicate loveliness of this 
line rose. In addition to these fine properties, it is 
most deliciously fragrant; it is well suited for pot 
culture and for forcing; thrives best on its own roots 
as a dwarf. 
Fulgens, an old favourite, of which we need not 
say much, it being so well known. A large standard 
of this fine rose was pointed out to us, 7 ft. high, 
branches 24 ft. in circumference, covered with blos¬ 
soms of the richest crimson; suitable for a standard, 
a dwarf for pot culture, and forces admirably. 
Proceeding down tbe straight walk alluded to 
above, we came to a rising ground, on the top of 
which is a walk crossing and terminating the long 
one. On each side of this cross-walk is a row of 
pillar roses. These have a fine effect from being 
planted on the summit of the gentle rise: they appear 
to great advantage. We noticed the following as be¬ 
ing excellent pillar roses :— 
Ayrshire splendens, a fine example of a pillar of 
roses; immense clusters of white, edged with red, 
myrrh-scented roses; the branches, hanging grace¬ 
fully from the pillar, gave to this specimen such a 
lovely appearance that we could have stood for hours 
to admire it. 
Not less effective was Ayrshire Thoreshyana, with 
pure white flowers, in large clusters and very double. 
Velours Episcopal, a hybrid Bourbon, is here grown 
as a pillar rose, and was highly effective; its violet 
purple blossoms contrasting finely with its paler 
coloured neighbours. 
Rosea plena, an evergreen rose, with an unmean¬ 
ing name, has a fine foliage, with flowers of a deep 
rose, and very double. 
Rampante, also an evergreen rose, of the quickest 
growth, with pure white very double flowers. 
Laura Davoust: we shall describe this fine pillar 
rose when we come to that part of the nursery where 
it is grown against a wall, it being well adapted for 
both purposes. (To he continued.) 
The Weather. —There is, whilst we are wilting, 
some appearance of rain. We trust, before these 
209 
lines meet the eye of our readers, we shall have had 
a copious supply of that most needful and much 
wanted element—water from the clouds. Should, 
however, our anticipations be not realized, we must 
continue to instruct our friends to water freely, not 
only the actual spot where your flowers grow, or the 
pots in which they are put, but also the ground all 
round, and the walks likewise, and grass. Do this 
in the evening liberally, and the effect will be most 
beneficial to the cherished objects of your care. Stir 
the surface frequently of all your flower beds. This 
will prevent the earth from, cracking, and will allow 
the water you apply to enter regularly into the soil. 
If that soil is hard, baked, and cracked, the water 
will do very little good, either running off at the 
sides, or sinking away into the cracks, thus leaving 
the flowers unbenefitted by the watering. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Carnations and Picotees. —Continue the same 
attention as we directed last week. Shade from sun¬ 
shine, and protect from winds; the blooms will then 
last much longer. 
Dahlias. —Finish layering, as soon as possible, 
dahlias; cuttings of new kinds may yet be struck, 
to form small pot bulbs; great attention must be 
paid to the staking and tying them up. The large 
heavy leaves, in heavy rains, accompanied with 
wind, soon snap off the brittle side shoots if not 
securely fastened. If your flowers are intended to be 
exhibited in competition, thin the buds early. It is 
a good rule to leave no more than one flower on 
each branch, thus concentrating the whole of the 
strength in that branch, to produce a noble, well 
proportioned, flower. To preserve the colour and 
form of the flower intended to compete with, it is 
necessary to protect it from rain, wind, and sunshine. 
The caps recommended in our last Number for car¬ 
nations answer this purpose tolerably, but the most 
effectual protective we ever saw was a square wooden 
box made of thin deal boards, of sufficient size to 
contain the flower without touching the petals; one 
side was made in the form of a door hung on 
hinges; a slit halfway across the bottom board 
admitted the flower stem. The door was glazed with 
a pane of glass. This door ought to be placed to 
the north, so that the sun could not reach the flower 
at any time of the day, excepting very early in the 
morning, or late in the afternoon. Each box was 
nailed firmly to a strong stake, of the proper height 
to receive the flower it is intended to protect. If the 
slit at the bottom be stopped up with moss or wool, 
no earwigs can get in to spoil tbe bloom. During 
very hot weather, the door can be left open in the 
day, to give air to the flower. The best stand of 
dahlia blooms we ever witnessed was produced 
under tbe protection of those tiny greenhouses. 
Continue to water with liquid-manure, occasionally, 
during dry weather. Mulch round each plant with 
short, half-rotten manure, and stir the surface with 
a short-pronged fork whenever it becomes hard or 
crusty. Place traps for earwigs, and examine them 
every morning, destroying those destructive vermin 
as soon as you find them. Do not think it too much 
trouble to take a light after night has set in, and 
carefully look over every flower. If you have any 
earwigs that have concealed themselves during the 
day, you will find them now feeding upon, perhaps, 
your best flowers ; destroy them instantly. By tak¬ 
ing these pains, you will have at last the pleasure of 
producing some flowers that will not only win prizes, 
