132 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
February  15,  1900. 
Pruning  Maeechal  Niel. 
Referring  to  the  interesting  article  on  Marechal  Niel  by  “  H.  S.” 
on  page  92  of  our  Journal,  will  the  writer  please  say  what  became  of 
the  old  shoots  that  were  not  pruned  away  but  left  to  encourage  the 
plants  to  make  new  growth  ?  I  suppose  the  “  long  clean  rods  ”  made 
were  from  the  base  and  not  from  the  old  shoots  left  uncut ;  when  were 
these  old  shoots  removed  or  dealt  with  ? — S.  iS. 
Marechal  Niel. 
I  WAS  interested  in  “  H.  S.’s ”  notes  on  this  grand  Rose  in  your 
issue  for  February  Ist,  as  I  have  tried  both  plans  of  pruning.  It 
seems  to  me  we  really  want  to  take  more  consideration  as  to  the  main 
object  when  pruning  Marechal  Niel.  For  example,  if  the  house  is 
devoted  to  that  Rose  alone,  and  the  roof  covered,  I  would  certainly 
prune  by  cutting  out  weakly  and  old  or  partially  vorn-out  wood  ;  but 
when  a  number  of  other  plants  are  to  be  grown,  as  is  so  frequently 
the  case  among  amateurs,  I  believe  in  hard  pruning  as  soon  as  the 
crop  of  flowers  has  been  secured. 
There  seems  to  be  no  reason  to  assume  that  heat  has  any  effect 
upon  the  colour  of  this  beautiful  yellow  Rose.  Under  the  same  con 
ditions,  and  even  upon  the  same  plant  at  the  same  time,  I  have 
frequently  found  great  variations  in  colour.  Nor  have  I  noticed  any 
permanent  difference  when  upon  any  given  stock.  De  la  Grifferaie, 
Briar  in  all  forms,  various  varieties  of  other  Roses,  such  as  Madame 
Berard  and  Gloire  de  Dijon,  have  all  been  used  as  stocks,  without  any 
appreciable  fixture  of  the  deep  golden  yellow  that  is  so  much  more 
attractive  than  the  paler  forms. 
Pot  Eoses. 
These  need  considerable  care  and  attention  now,  and  if 
neglected  the  results  cannot  be  satisfactory.  Too  much  air  or 
ventilation  is  more  often  than  not  the  primary  cause  of  check,  flower¬ 
less  growths,  and  mildew  attacks.  A  steady  and  uniform  temperature 
will  bring  on  Roses  much  better  and  safer  than  a  too  rapid  excite¬ 
ment.  We  get  our  crop  of  flowers  earlier  in  this  way.  Hard  forcing 
only  exhausts  the  latent  sap  in  the  wood  and  roots  before  the  latter 
can  produce  more,  and  the  inevitable  consequence  is  a  severe  check. 
After  the  roots  are  at  work  a  rise  of  temperature  will  soon  induce 
quick  and  unchecked  growth.  Insects  are  already  troublesome,  and 
will  be  most  harmful  unless  we  attack  them  at  once.  By  no  means 
use  strong  measures.  There  is  no  lack  of  good  insecticides  on  the 
market,  which  must  be  used  according  to  the  advertised  instructions. 
A  Select  Dozen  for  Pots. 
Just  at  present  cut  Roses  are  a  great  help  for  indoor  decoration, 
and  are  seldom  more  appreciated  thnn  during  the  time  of  Narcissus, 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  Roman  Hyacinth,  and  other  white  flowers.  The 
soft  colours  of  the  Teas  and  Noisettes,  with  their  delicate  periumes, 
make  them  doubly  welcome.  But  in  order  to  have  the  best  show  of 
flower  thus  early  in  the  season  we  must  pay  a  little  attention  to  the 
class  of  Rose  grown.  The  following  dozen  cannot  fail  to  please  for 
pot  work  ;  and  ail  foice  well,  flower  freely,  are  quite  distinct,  and  open 
with  freedom : — Niphetos,  Perle  des  Jardins,  Madame  Lambard, 
G.  Nabonriand,  Isabella  Sprunt,  Catherine  Mermet,  Maman  Cochet, 
IMadame  lalcbt,  Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria,  Papa  Gontier,  Gruss  an 
Teplitz,  and  Sunrise. 
Paul  Nabonnand. 
A  Rose  that  has  come  into  our  markets  rather  freely  during  this 
and  last  winter  does  not  appear  in  many  English  catalogues.  At  the 
last  annual  meeting  of  the  National  Rose  Society  more  than  one 
member  inquired  its  name,  and  some  replied  it  was  Red  Safrano. 
One  of  our  most  prominent  prizewinners  among  amateur  growers  was 
told  the  same,  but  he  at  once  said  it  had  no  connection  with  Safr.mo. 
The  proper  name  of  this  really  charming  Rose  is  Paul  Nabonnand, 
one  of  the  many  grand  decorative  varieties  sent  out  by  Nabonnand 
(1878),  and  also  one  that  has  apparently  been  overlooked  by  most 
growers  on  this  side  of  the  Channel.  Paul  Nabonnand  is  a  good 
grower,  very  free-blooming,  carries  the  flowers  boldly  upon  st  ff  and 
long  stalks,  lasts  well,  and  is  one  of  the  best  forcing  Roses  we  have. 
Its  colour  is  a  very  soft  but  quite  clear  rose,  much  deeper  in  the  centre, 
and  simply  grand  for  cut  work  and  in  the  bud  stage. 
Mrs.  Robert  Garrett. 
Another  Rose  that  growers  must  not  miss  is  IMrs.  Robert  Garrett, 
a  beautiful  soft  salmon  pink  form  of  Caroline  Testout,  and  rather 
better  formed.  It  has  been  exceptionally  good  with  me.  There  are 
several  new  Roses  of  last  season  that  deserve  mention,  and  I  will 
endeavour  to  name  a  few  of  the  best,  giving  a  brief  description,  in  an 
early  issue. — Practice. 
CALADIUMS. 
Noble  foliage  plants  indeed  are  these,  with  such  quaint  markings- 
and  beautiful  colouration  of  leafage,  that  when  well  grown  they 
invariably  command  unstinted  admiration.  Yet  notwithstanding  all 
these  good  qualities,  it  is,  I  think,  an  undoubted  fact  that  they  are 
not  so  generally  ^rown  in  gardens  as  they  were  twenty  years  ago. 
This  is  certainly  not  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  their  culture,  as 
few  plants  are  more  easily  grown,  and  many  of  the  best  varieties  are 
specially  suitable  for  decorative  purposes.  When  arranged  with  other 
plants  they  add  materially  to  the  general  effect  on  account  of  the 
distinctness  of  their  leaves. 
The  miniature  C.  argyrites  is  well  nigh  indispensable  for  dotting  in 
groups  or  furnishing  the  edges  of  jardinieres  and  plant  stands,  and 
this  silvery  leaved  Caladium  is,  I  think,  grown  more  largely  than  any 
other.  Varieties  of  holder  growth  are,  however,  to  my  mind  quite  as 
useful,  as  when  placed  in  isolated  vases  or  howls  they  are  particularly 
striking  in  appearance.  For  such  purposes,  however,  they  need  to  be 
well  and  sturdily  grown,  and  also  placed  in  an  intermediate  house  for 
a  few  days,  or  they  do  not  last  well  in  dwelling  rooms,  but  when 
properly  treated  they  will,  during  summertime,  remain  in  good 
condition  in  such  positions  as  long  as  the  majority  of  plants  employed  for 
decorative  purposes,  if  we  except  such  plants  as  Palms  and  Dracaenas. 
Another  point  which  should  strongly  recommend  Caladiums  to 
cultivators  generally  is  that  they  do  not  take  up  valuable  space  in 
winter,  and  when  such  plants  are  grown  they  make  room  in  the 
autumn  for  large  stocks  of  those  indispensable  winter  flowering 
plants,  Poinsettias  and  Eujihorbias. 
The  end  of  February  or  early  in  March  is  an  excellent  time  to  start 
a  few  tubers,  following  with  the  main  batch  a  few  weeks  later.  Shake 
away  the  old  soil,  and  place  each  tuber  in  a  small  pot,  using  a  light 
compost  formed  of  turfy  loam,  peat,  and  leaf  soil  in  equal  pro^xirtions, 
with  plenty  of  sharp  sand  added.  If  possible  bottom  heat  should  be 
given,  and  a  night  temperature  ranging  from  60°  to  65°,  with  daily 
syringings,  and  the  moist  atmosphere  maintained  in  stoves  generally. 
The  tubers  will  soon  start  into  growth,  and  when  well  rooted  are 
ready  for  shifting  into  larger  pots,  fl'hose  from  5  to  7  inches  in 
diameter  are  suitable  sizes  for  plants  intended  for  decorative  purposes, 
but  if  large  specimens  are  required,  from  six  to  eight  tubers  should  be 
placed  in  a  10  or  12-inch  pot.  The  soil  for  the  final  potting  ought  to 
be  used  in  a  rough  state,  so  that  the  large  quantities  of  water  needed 
may  pass  Ireely  through  it,  and  to  the  ingredients  already  named  a 
little  dried  cow  >  anure,  brokm  in  pieces  with  the  hand,  or  rubbed 
through  a  half-inch  sie'e,  maybe  added.  When  using  I'rge  pots 
fully  (  ne-t bird  of  their  depth  should  he  occupied  by  drainage,  using 
rough  potsherds  for  the  lower  layers,  and  finishiug  off  with  smaller 
ones,  these  to  be  covered  with  rough  peat  or  fibrous  loam. 
After  potting  the  plants  should  if  possible  be  given  a  little  bottom 
heat  for  a  time;  indeed,  bottom  heat  is  of  great  assistance  in  promoting 
clean,  strong,  healthy  growths,  quite  up  to  the  time  that  the  plants 
are  fully  developed.  Old  houses  are  often  well  adapted  for  growing 
Caladiums,  because  in  such  lean-to  structures  there  is  often  a  central 
bed  well  furnished  with  pipes  for  supplying  bottom  heat.  These  beds 
are  usually  rather  deep,  having  originally  been  used  for  Pine  growing, 
and  their  surface  is  within  4  or  5  feet  of  the  glass ;  here,  then,  is  an 
ideal  position  for  growing  Caladiums.  Plunge  the  pots  about  half 
their  depth  in  cocoa-nut  fibre,  syringing  two  or  three  times  daily 
during  bright  weather,  and  shade  for  a  few  hours  ;  the  plants  will  then 
make  rapid  growth,  and  in  time  develop  highly  coloured  leaves. 
Haat  and  moisture  are  the  great  essentials  to  success  throughout  the 
growing  season,  but  a  dry  hot  atmosphere  Caladiums  detest,  as  it 
causes  the  leaves  to  go  brown  at  the  edges,  and  sometimes  to  flag 
badly.  Very  little  air  is  needed  even  in  summer  time,  with  the 
exception  of  a  week  before  the  plants  are  required  for  exhibition  or 
decorative  pur;  oses,  but  the  moistening  of  floors  and  walls  must  be 
regularly  attended  to. 
When  rapid  growth  is  being  made,  and  the  roots  are  active, 
copious  supplies  of  water  are  needed  ;  the  soil  ought  never  to  be 
allowed  to  get  quite  dry,  as  the  plants  seem  to  revel  in  rough  soil 
kept  constantly  moist,  but  when  grown  on  an  ordinary  stage  without 
