498 
April 8, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Tubers of great size seem to be the prevailing idea 
at present ; but such sorts as Reading Giant. White 
Elephant, Snowdrop and Prodigious should deter¬ 
mine the limit in that direction. Seedlings raised 
from Abundance, a pebble-shaped white variety, and 
which were recently certificated at Earls’ Court, ex¬ 
hibited in one case a close approach to the Kidneys, 
Mr. Bresee and Peerless Rose, and in another case 
to The Dean and Purple Perfection, both round 
varieties, thus showing the unmixing of a blended 
parentage brought about by much intercrossing. 
Disease-resisting varieties should be the aim in 
future in the raising of new varieties. From this pointof 
view Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, have been crossing 
Sir Walter Raleigh’s Solanum tuberosum with 
Darwin’s S. Maglia and vice versa, with the object of 
getting fresh blood,stronger constitution, and disease- 
resisting varieties. 
--f«~—— 
ROSES AND THEIR CULTURE.* 
(Concluded from p. 484). 
Noisette. 
Raised by Mons. Noisette, 1816. The old blush 
Noisette came from America. The characteristic 
properties are its blooming in large clusters and a 
free habit of growth, producing long vigorous shoots, 
partaking the fragrance of the Musk and Tea-scented 
families. Good varieties have been raised, but were 
crossed by the Teas, thereby becoming less hardy 
than the original kinds, and some I cannot see any 
Noisette in them. They certainly ought to be 
classed as Teas—I mean climbing Teas, suitable for 
walls and pillars. Some of them will do very well 
for standards. They should be encouraged to make 
vigorous growths, which should not be shortened ; 
but thin out weak and crowded shoots. Cloth of 
Gold and Marechal Niel should be grown against a 
south wall. The Marechal Niel is also a good Rose 
for indoors. When pruned the long shoots should 
be bent down for a few 7 weeks to make the back buds 
break. After that train in proper form. They like 
a stiff soil when worked on the Briar, but w 7 ell 
drained ; but if on a light soil La Griffere or Celine 
are the best stocks. They do moderately well on 
their own roots. 
Moss Roses. 
The old Moss Rose introduced from Holland 
upwards of 200 years ago is still one of our best and 
most beautiful Roses. The common Moss is the 
type of what a Moss Rose should be, having a most 
pleasing appearance. The Crested Moss with its 
fringed buds is most peculiar and beautiful. The 
old Aloss is best pegged down in beds of rich soil, 
annually manured. Some of the strong varieties 
will do as standards and pillar Roses ; they require 
moderate pruning. The White Bath will do pegged 
down. This beautiful variety was firsf produced 
about the year 1S08, in the gardens of Gabriel 
Goldney, Esq., at Clifton, Bristol, from a branch of 
common Moss Rose becoming diseased. It produced 
its flower white, and now if it is grown in rich soil it 
freq uently comes light pink. 
Perpetual Aloss Roses. 
It is not many years that we have had this beauti¬ 
ful class of Rose, but we have now a first-rate variety. 
They differ from the old Aloss Rose by their bloom¬ 
ing in the autumn. They must have rich soil and 
close pruning. 
Bourbon Roses. 
They were introduced from the Isle of Bourbon 
about 1820. They are hardy and free flowering and 
most beautiful Roses with dark shining leaves, thick 
and leathery. They are, strictly speaking, autumn 
Roses, although they flower early as w 7 ell as late. 
Some are moderate growers and some vigorous, 
forming the best of pillar Roses with their fine hand¬ 
some foliage, which is nearly sub-evergreen. They 
can be grown on their own roots, but better on the 
Alanettii stock. They make first-class standards. 
They like a heavy soil when on the Briar. 
The China Roses. 
Rosa Indica is a native of China. From this and 
the old Crimson China have sprung all the varieties 
in this family. This family was introduced in 1789. 
They have a very refreshing scent. Like the Tea- 
scented Rose they are good for pots. Pruning must 
be very light. Thin out the small shoots about the 
end of Alarch. They are very pretty for small beds, 
and produce a great number of flowers throughout 
the summer and autumn. They succeed best in 
warm dry soil, with a good dressing of leaf mould 
and dung. 
The Old Cabbage Roses. 
The old Cabbage Rose is very hardy and sweet- 
scented, of moderate growth, most beautiful for beds. 
Rose de Aleaux, one of the oldest Roses, is a first- 
rate bedder, and a very nice thing for the edging of 
Rose beds. The Provence Rose requires close 
pruning ; the soil rich, but not too heavy. 
The Old French Roses. 
They were introduced into England over 200 years 
ago, and nearly 1,00 varieties have been cultivated. 
But as hybrid perpetuals have increased, they have 
died out. They are of the most perfect form. They 
are very hardy, and will grow 7 in any soil. They 
will do as standards. Do not prune too close. I 
will mention two or three that are good—Com¬ 
mandant Beurrepaire, striped rose, purple, and 
violet ; Shakespeare, velvety purple, centre scarlet; 
Village Maid, w’hite and crimson, striped. 
Mycrophilla Roses 
were introduced from Japan. They make splendid 
shrubs. After flowering, the scarlet hips in the 
autumn look grand. There is a new one -Aladame 
George Braunt, a perfect white, flowering in clusters. 
It was got by crossing Rugosa Alba with Sornbreuil, 
a Tea. These Roses will do well in any soil. 
Austrian Briar Roses. 
These Roses are very hardy and very pretty. They 
make a good bed. In pruning, only the ends of the 
shoots should be taken off, as these varieties bloom 
only on wood of one year old. They require a very 
rich soil. 
Damask Roses. 
There are a few excellent Roses in this class. They 
are beautiful summer Roses. They are very easily 
known by their pale green foliage. Aloderate prun¬ 
ing and a good soil suits them. 
The Scotch Rose. 
This is a pretty summer Rose, very small, but of all 
colours. They like good soil. In pruning thin 
out half of the shoots ; those left cut to half their 
length. 
The Banksian Rose. 
This Rose requires to be grown on a south wall. 
The small white is better to flower than the large one. 
The scent is very much like the Violet. They flower 
in small clusters in June and July, and are sub¬ 
evergreen. No pruning is required until they are 
thick. Then some of the strong shoots should be 
removed ; all the weaker should be left, as they 
produce the flower. The roots like a light soil. 
Ayrshire Roses. 
These Roses are grand for covering trunks of trees, 
arbours, archways, or rough banks, or they may be 
budded on tall stocks, seven or eight feet high. 
Train them over a hoop. The branches trailing 
down, loaded with flowers, look splendid. In pruning 
them, thin the shoots only. 
The Fairy Roses. 
This is a very ornamental class of Roses. The 
flowers being very small, they look pretty for edgings 
of Rose beds. They are also fine for pot culture, 
producing from forty to fifty flowers in clusters. For 
pruning just thin out the shoots. They like a 
light soil. 
--*-»- 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF 
THE ONION.* 
1 here are several distinct types of Onions, notably 
the White and Brown Globe, White Spanish, Dept¬ 
ford or Strasburgh, Blood Red, Tripoli, Giant Rocca, 
A\ hite Lisbon, and the Silver Skin, and these again 
are also represented by several different varieties. 
The Globe, White Spanish, and Blood Red are used 
for spring sowing ; the Tripoli and Giant Rocca for 
autumn sowing; and the. Silver Skin for pickling. 
There are also the Tree or Bulb bearing Onion, and 
the Potato or underground Onion, but neither of 
these types are cultivated to any great extent. 
Spring Sowing. 
1 he place chosen for the spring sowing should be 
an open situation, where they can obtain plenty of 
sun and air. The treatment of the soil will, to a 
certain extent, depend upon its character whether 
light or heavy, but in either case it should be 
liberally enriched with manure. If it is a light 
gravelly soil, a good dressing of cow or pig manure, 
dug in during the autumn or winter, would prove 
A Prize Essay by Mr. C. Edwards, gardener, The Elm 
Castle Bar, Ealing, a member of the Ealing and District Ga 
deners Mutual Improvement Association 
very beneficial. But where the soil is heavy, rest¬ 
ing on a subsoil of clay, it may be greatly improved 
by adding a good dressing of road sweepings, mortar 
rubbish, wood ashes, or any other material that 
tends to keep the ground open. I would also 
recommend that, instead of using cow or pig 
manure, a dressing of horse manure should be used, 
and that the digging should be done early in spring, 
as I have found by experience that where the ground 
is heavy it takes a much longer time to get it in a 
dr}' friable condition for sowing if dug in the autumn 
than it does if dug early in the spring. 
Presuming then that the ground has been dug and 
liberally enriched with manure, it should be in 
excellent condition for sowing the seed towards the 
end of February or the beginning of Alarch, but on 
no account should the seed be sown before the 
ground is dry enough to be worked properly. Before 
sowing the seed the ground should be raked down 
level and all the rough stones taken off; then apply 
a good dressing of soot all over, and rake it well in, 
This will be found very beneficial to the crop, besides 
acting as a check to that troublesome pest the Onion 
Fly. The rows should then be set out 1 ft. apart, 
and if it is a very large bed a 2 ft. space should be 
left ever} 7 6 or 8 ft. to allow for weeding and thinning 
etc. Shallow drills should then be drawn, and the 
seed sown moderately thin, taking care to label each 
variety as the sowing proceeds. After the seed is 
sown the bed should be raked over with a fine rake 
just sufficient to fill up the drills and to give the 
bed a neat appearance. 
If the soil is stiff and heavy it will not require any 
treading or beating, but if light, it should be well 
trod or beaten with the back of the spade, or receive 
a good rolling till it is quite firm. Nothing more 
will be required till the seedlings are up, when the 
bed should be lightly hoed, and subsequent hoeings 
will be found necessary during the summer to keep 
the ground clear of w 7 eeds. The plants should be 
thinned out as soon as they are large enough to from 
4 to 6 in. apart. They are very useful when small 
for salading, and may be thinned out gradually till 
they are the proper distance apart, but in all cases 
the thinning should be completed before the bulbs 
commence swelling. If the summer be dry, water¬ 
ing will be required, to keep the crop growing, for if 
the bed is allowed to get too dry, the bulbs will 
commence to ripen early, and will consequently be 
small. A good watering with liquid manure or weak 
soot water will greatly assist the swelling of the 
bulbs. 
Towards the end of August or the beginning of 
September, w 7 hen the tops begin to turn yellow, they 
should be pulled up and laid with their base towards 
the sun, choosing dry w’eather for the operation, so 
that they may ripen thoroughly. If it should 
happen to be a showery time when they are puiled 
up, and there is no chance of their ripening well, 
they should be laid out in an open shed, or some 
place under cover where they will get plenty of air, 
for thorough maturation is very essential if they are 
wanted to be kept any length of time. 
The varieties most suitable for spring sowing 
are :— 
Improved Reading. This I regard as one of the 
best main crop Onions, as it grow ? s to a large size, is 
mild in flavour, and a good keeper. 
Bedfordshire Champion. This is another good 
Onion, of fine shape, and an excellent keeper. 
James's Long Keeping is a variety that evervone 
should grow on account of its excellent keeping 
qualities, remaining as it does in good condition lorg 
after other varieties have become useless, though it 
is rather strong in flavour. I have frequently had 
this Onion in sound condition till the middle of .May. 
Brown Globe is one of the most useful and best 
keeping varieties grown. 
Blood Red is a medium sized variety of strong 
flavour, and is a good keeper. 
White Spanish is a large and admirable variety, 
very mild in flavour, and one of the best for general 
cultivation. 
I do not think a long list of varieties is of any use, 
in fact, those who do not wish to be encumbered 
with a lot of varieties could not do better than 
choose the three first named, but should they require 
more then the other three may be taken as being 
well worth cultivation. 
Autumn Sowing. 
Onions may be sown in the autumn for producing 
large bulbs to come into use before those sowm in 
