MARCH. 
47 
season, if unchecked, is generally followed by a barrenness the next, which is a 
state of things by all means to be avoided. I think the foregoing observations 
have a material bearing on the subject, and indicate the primary principles on 
which the necessary practice must be founded. 
Bedleaf. John Cox. 
THE NEMOPHILA. 
Amongst hardy annuals, I suppose that there is none so extensively 
employed, and so universally known, as the above. If we pay a visit to the 
garden of the most humble cottager a few patches of this will assuredly meet 
our eye. Although its duration of blooming is rather short the Nemophila is, 
nevertheless, most attractive during the early summer months, and with repeated 
sowings at different times its blooming period out of doors may be considerably 
prolonged. 
It is now some years since I saw it employed for decorative purposes in 
the conservatory, and I feel rather surprised it is not used for such a purpose 
rather more extensively, as it forms a most beautiful object, especially if 
bloomed during March and April. For this purpose, seed may be sown in 
September in small pots, say 60-size I, and the young plants wintered in a cold 
house as near the glass as possible. Three plants in a pot will be sufficient. In 
January, should the plants be required to be grown tolerably large, they may 
be shifted into pots of larger size, and removed again to the same quarters. 
It is absolutely necessary that they should be kept tolerably dry all through the 
winter, as over-watering will soon tell its own tale by causing the plant to 
assume a yellowish hue, a sure sign of bad health. 
I find the Nemophila in pots thrives remarkably well in loam and well rotted 
leaf mould in equal parts, with a liberal addition of old mortar rubbish finely 
sifted. In this compost, if the pots are thoroughly drained and every attention 
paid, the Nemophila will grow as strong as the Ice-plant, and bloom most 
profusely, rewarding those who may not consider it beneath their notice to 
bestow a little care on such a simple, but, nevertheless, most charming annual. 
Wrotham Park , Barnet. John Edlington. 
A FEW WORDS ABOUT ROSES. 
I should much like to elicit the opinion of some of the practical con¬ 
tributors to the Florist and Pomologist as to the suitability of the Manetti 
as a Rose stock for dry soils. I have lately been reading a good deal that has 
been advanced as to its merits and demerits; but nothing that has been said 
seems to tally with my own particular experience, which unfortunately is by 
no means favourable to the Manetti; but in any case, whether I may be right 
or wrong, fair and impartial discussion upon a subject of such vital importance 
to Rose-growers cannot fail to prove advantageous to all. 
I think there can be no question that the Manetti is the favourite stock 
of the nurseryman, because it affords him the quickest possible means of pro¬ 
pagating a large quantity; and also because of its adaptability to all soils and 
situations so long as it remains the Manetti and nothing else; but whether it 
is equally suitable for permanent purposes, and possesses all those character¬ 
istics which enable it to perpetuate Roses in their fullest degree of perfection 
for a number of years, is a matter of the first importance to the buyer, and 
well worthy the most careful consideration. 
The Roses, on the growth of which my observations were made, were 
