JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  '28,1898 
3r.6 
Rose  Show  Fixtures  in  1898. 
June  15th  (Wednesday). — York.* 
„  16th  (Thursday). — Colchester. 
„  23rd  (Thursday).— Bath  (N.R  S.). 
„  25th  (Saturday). — Windsor. 
„  28th  (Tuesday). — Southampton, f  Sutton,  and  W estminster  (R.H.S.). 
„  29th  (Wednesday). — Canterbury,  Croydon,  and  Richmond  (Surrey). 
„  30th  (Thursday). — Eltham,  Gloucester,  and  Norwich. 
July  2Qd  (Saturday). — Crystal  Palace  (N.R.S.). 
„  5th  (Tuesday). — Harrow  and  Hereford. 
„  6th  (Wednesday).  -  Farningham,  Hanley ,•!■  Redhill  (Reigate),  and 
>  Tunbridge  Wells, 
„  7th  (Thursday). —Woodbridge. 
„  8th  (Friday). — Ulverston. 
„  9th  (Saturday). — Manchester. 
„  12th  (Tuesday). — Wolverhampton.* 
„  13th  (Wednesday). — Ipswich  and  Newcastle-on-Tyne.* 
„  14th  (Thursday).— Halifax  (N.R.S.),  Canterbury  (Hospital  Fund) 
and  Helensburgh. 
„  21  *t  (Thursday). — Sidcup. 
„  26th  (Tuesday). — Tibshelf. 
*  Shows  lasting  three  days,  f  ShoWs  lasting  two  days. 
The  next  list  of  fixtures  will  appear  early  in  May.  In  the  meantime 
I  shall  be  glad  to  receive  the  dates  of  any  Rose  shows,  or  other  horticul¬ 
tural  exhibitions  where  Roses  form  a  leading  feature,  for  insertion  in  that 
list. — Edward  Mawley,  Eosebank,  Berkhamsted,  Herts. 
American  Raised  Roses. 
The  question  is  frequently  put  to  me,  Why  are  there  not  more 
American  seedling  Roses  of  merit  raised  ?  The  reply  to  this  may  be 
given  from  several  standpoints,  two  or  three  of  the  most  important  reasons 
being  as  follows  : — 
The  first  is,  that  in  a  general  way  the  process  from  the  fertilisation 
of  the  flower  till  the  plants  bloom  takes  too  long  for  our  ideas  of  getting 
the  desired  results.  For  proof  of  this  we  have  only  to  turn  to  the 
Carnation  and  Chrysanthemum.  Here  it  takes  only  a  few  months,  six  to 
nine  at  most,  to  determine  what  our  efforts  have  produced,  and  as  a 
result  we  have  plenty  of  sterling  varieties  of  both  these  flowers  con¬ 
tinually  being  offered.  But  with  the  Rose  it  is  quite  different,  as  it  takes 
three  or  four  times  as  long  to  get  any  indication  of  what  the  results  are 
likely  to  (be.  Then  if  out  of  several  hundred  seedlings  there  should 
happen  to  be  one  or  two  that  are  promising  on  first  blooming,  it  takes  a 
much  longer  time  to  work  up  sufficient  stock  to  give  a  fair  trial  to  test 
the  many  desirable  qualities,  such  as  colour,  size,  free  blooming,  healthy, 
vigorous  constitution,  distinctiveness,  and  several  other  qualities  necessary 
to  make  it  worth  putting  on  the  market,  and  then  when  the  raiser  has 
satisfied  himself  on  all  these  points  it  takes  a  still  longer  time  to  work 
up  sufficient  stock  to  enable  him  to  offer  it  for  sale. 
This,  of  course,  is  presuming  that  the  first  blooms  hold  their  charac¬ 
teristics  good  continuously,  which  often  happens  to  be  the  reverse,  then  a 
double  disappointment  is  the  result.  This  long  waiting  and  often  final 
failure  to  obtain  the  desired  result  deters  many  from  trying  again  after 
their  first  attempt.  On  this  score  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  mention 
the  fact  that  many  seedling  Roses  do  not  show  their  full  character  the 
first  time  of  flowering  ;  often  the  most  promising  at  the  first  are  the 
most  disappointing  later  on,  and  others  with  less  attractiveness  on  first 
blooming  turn  out  much  better  with  further  acquaintance.  Thus  there  is 
always  a  great  amount  of  uncertainty  attached  to  it  which  deters  many 
from  taking  up  this  branch  of  our  business  that  otherwise  would  and  could 
do  so  with  great  advantage  to  horticulture. 
The  next  factor  in  this  case  is  that  so  few  of  our  rosarians  in  this 
country  feel  they  can  afford  the  time  necessary  to  pursue  the  subject 
with  that  minute  detail  and  study  necessary  to  make  it  a  success.  This 
is  particularly  true  of  the  commercial  florist  generally.  No  one,  I  think, 
will  dispute  the  fact  that  this  class  of  men  have  all  they  want  to  do  to 
manage  their  business  successfully  and  pay  their  way,  having  no  time  for 
indulging  in  anything  that  does  not  promise  quick  returns. 
But  this  does  not  apply  to  many  amateurs  who  could,  if  they  would, 
take  up  the  raising  of  seedling  Roses,  and  find  a  great  amount  of  pleasure 
in  the  occupation.  I  di  not  mean  by  this  that  anyone  with  just  enough 
knowledge  of  horticulture  to  know  what  a  Rose  is  could  do  so  ;  but  those 
who  have  made  a  study  of  flowers  for  their  own  pleasure,  and  who  olten 
become  expert  judges  of  the  different  qualities  necessary  in  any  flower, 
could  select  the  parents  having  the  best  developed  qualities,  which,  when 
blended,  would  produce  the  best  and  most  distinct  forms  desired. 
No  country  to-day  offers  the  inducement  that  ours  does  for  anything 
that  is  really  an  improvement  in  Roses.  The  field  is  a  broad  one,  and 
those  having  the  time  and  means  to  devote  to  the  subject  need  have  no 
fear  of  over-production,  or  of  not  finding  in  our  Republic  an  appreciative 
people  willing  to  endorse  a  really  good  thing,  even  though  it  be  a  queen. 
— John  N.  May  (in  “  American  Florist  ”). 
[We  did  not  know  that  even  in  America  Carnations  and  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  could  be  raised  and  flowered  in  six  to  nine  months  after 
fertilisation  was  effected.] 
APRIL  CHARACTERISTICS. 
April  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  all  seasons,  because  it  is 
essentially  the  period  of  hope.  It  has  been  described — not  without 
expressiveness — as  “  the  month  of  smiles  and  tears.”  Of  late  the  latter 
have  greatly  predominated,  most  fortunately  for  the  horticulturist  ;  for 
previously,  while  frost  prevailed  during  the  night,  the  strong  sunlight 
could  only  do  damage  among  his  treasures  during  the  day.  Then  the 
vegetative  capability  of  Nature  was  dormant ;  now,  since  the  rain  has 
fallen  so  beneficently,  the  fair  green  earth  has  visibly  gladdened,  and 
millions  of  Daisies,  with  “silver  crest  and  golden  eye,”  are  brightening 
the  fields.  In  the  glens  and  by  the  waysides  those  wild  flowers  that  make 
late  spring  so  attractive  are  beginning  to  appear.  The  blossoms  of  the 
Gorse  are  marvellous  in  their  varying  golden  colours,  reminding  me 
instinctively  of  the  beautiful  hue  of  that  queen  of  Noisettes,  the  Marechal 
Niel  Rose  ;  and  the  Blackthorn  is  assiduously  pouring  forth  daily  its 
far-shining  masses  of  snow-white  flowers.  I  do  not  know  if,  within  the 
boundaries  of  Nature,  it  would  be  possible  to  find  fairer  revelations  than 
these. 
Our  gardens  also,  even  at  this  early  period,  have  much  fascination. 
We  are  already  on  the  confines  of  the  bloom  of  the  Auricula,  one  of  the 
most  fragrantly  attractive  of  all  flowers,  and  the  charming  Lily  of  the 
Valley  is  gradually  unfolding,  in  sheltered  recesses,  its  capabilities  of 
growth.  Narcissus  ornatus,  contemporaneously  with  those  great  Daffodils, 
Sir  Watkin  and  Horsefieldi,  is  flowering  earlier  than  usual  this  year.  A 
highly  effective  companion  of  these,  by  reason  of  its  brightness,  is 
Narcissus  odorus,  also  called  the  Campernelle  Jonquil. 
On  many  fruit  trees  there  is  already  an  abundance  of  blossom, 
especially  on  certain  varieties  of  the  Almond  and  the  Plum.  The 
Cherries  also  are  covered  with  flower  buds,  almost  ready  to  expand. 
The  Irish  Peach  Apple  is  already  revealing  the  bright  colour  of  its 
flowers,  while  Duchess  of  Oldenburg  is  almost  equally  advanced.  Rose 
trees,  so  long  retarded  by  late  pruning  and  the  influence  of  the  frost, 
inspired  by  genial  rains  and  consequent  mildness,  are  beginning  to 
exhibit  their  brightly  coloured  shoots.  Oriental  Lilies,  particularly  such 
forms  as  Lilium  giganteum,  L.  auratum  platyphyllum,  and  L.  Henryi, 
are  growing  with  great  rapidity  ;  while  Browui,  Szovitzianum,  and 
Washingtonianum  have  not  yet  appeared.  But  their  period  of  activity 
will  soon  be  at  hand.- David  R.  Williamson. 
HINTS  ON  POTTING. 
Potting,  or  giving  fresh  soil  and  increased  root  room  to  plants,  is 
divided  into  two  well-defined  methods — namely,  repotting  and  potting  on. 
The  former  method  is  carried  out  when  plants  do  not  require  larger  pots, 
but  yet  need  fresh  soil  or  clean  drainage. 
Palms,  numerous  Ferns,  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  and  many  hardwooded 
plants,  the  rooting  medium  of  which  may  have  become  sour,  occasionally 
need  turn  ng  out,  the  roots  examined  and  pruned  to  healthy  parts,  old 
inert  soil  carefully  picked  away,  as  well  as  choked  drainage,  afterwards 
placing  the  plants  in  similar  sized  pots.  In  some  cases,  however,  turning 
the  plants  completely  out  of  the  pots  may  not  be  necessary  or  convenient, 
but  simply  the  loose  inert  soil  dug  out  down  to  the  roots,  filling  up  the 
space  with  fresh  material.  This  is  termed  top-dressing,  and  is  adopted 
chiefly  where  roots  are  not  abundant  in  the  surface  soil,  or  where  the  loss 
of  a  few  along  with  the  impoverished  material  is  not  of  much  consequence. 
The  added  soil  should  be  pressed  firmly  down.  Top-dressing  is  effective 
for  clearing  the  surface  of  mossy  growths  which  accumulate  by  repeated 
waterings. 
All  softwooded  plants  in  small  pots,  and  needing  to  be  increased  in 
size,  must  be  potted  on  as  a  fair  quantity  of  roots  reach  the  sides  of  the 
pots  and  begin  to  appear  through  the  drainage.  Fuchsias,  Pelargoniums, 
Begonias,  Tomatoes,  and  Chrysanthemums  all  require  special  attention 
at  this  season,  in  order  that  the  plants  do  not  become  root-bound,  until 
they  have  reached  the  size  pots  in  which  they  are  to  flower. 
There  are  a  few  small  but  important  details  to  be  attended  to  when 
potting  which  help  largely  in  insuring  the  success  of  the  operation. 
Before  proceeding  to  pot  any  plant  into  a  larger  size  it  is  imperative  that 
the  roots  and  soil  be  moist,  but  not  wet,  so  that  the  soil  is  sticky 
and  greasy,  rendering  it  unsuitable  for  the  operator  to  handle.  Plants 
to  be  potted,  therefore,  should  be  examined  some  hours  previously, 
watering  those  well  which  may  be  dry. 
The  compost  for  potting  is  the  next  consideration.  It  must  be 
composed  of  the  various  ingredients  required  in  their  proper  proportion, 
and  when  the  materials  are  properly  mixed  the  whole  ought  to  be  in  a 
sufficiently  moist  condition.  If  afterwards  it  becomes  dusty  and  dry 
before  it  can  be  used  sprinklings  of  warm  water  and  several  turnings  will 
restore  it  to  a  healthfully  moist  state. 
The  fresh  pots  to  which  the  plants  are  to  be  introduced  must  be 
thoroughly  clean  and  dry.  Plants  in  a  young  state  requiring  several 
shifts,  specially  need  this  attention,  as  in  pots  that  are  dirty  inside,  the 
young  roots  will  adhere  so  fast  that  a  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in 
turning  the  plants  out  with  unbroken  roots,  which  is  injurious  if  the  balls 
of  soil  and  roots  have  to  be  dragged  from  the  pots. 
The  crocks  employed  in  draining  require  also  to  be  clean  and  dry. 
The  crocks  ought  to  be  carefully  placed  in  the  pots,  and  not  more 
numerous  than  absolutely  necessary,  some  quick-growing  plants  only 
needing  one  well  placed  crock  over  the  hole  of  small  pots.  The  amount 
of  drainage  in  larger  pots  does  not  depend  on  the  quantity  placed  in,  as 
upon  its  systematic  arrangement,  for  effectiveness.  These  details  are 
applicable  without  exception  to  all  plants  when  potting. — E.  D.  S. 
