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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  25,  1898. 
The  first  characteristic,  I  repeat,  was  the  unusual  floriferousness 
of  Messrs.  Dicksons’  Roses ;  next,  their  robustness  of  habit,  and,  with 
few  exceptions,  distinct  fragrance.  Chatting  over  these  facts  to  Mr. 
Drew,  he  replied,  “The  reason  simply  is  this,  that  our  firm  never 
offers  a  new  Rose  to  public  notice  until  its  character  has  been 
thoroughly  and  in  every  point  established.  If,  after  being  tested  over 
and  over  again,  the  seedling  (or  sport)  fails  in  constitution  or  size, 
shape,  or  other  quality  of  bloom,  however  eligible  in  other  respects,  it 
is  discarded.  I  believe  this  to  be  the  great  secret  of  our  success.” 
I  had  noticed  several  varieties — some  named,  some  not  yet  named 
— when  on  my  asking  for  particulars  as  to  some  special  features  which 
had  drawn  my  attention,  Mr.  Drew  replied,  “  I  would  rather  not  have 
such  or  such  varieties  commented  on,  if  you  please.  It  is,  as  you  say, 
superb  in  colour  or  shape  (as  the  case  may  be),  but  as  yet  we  do  not 
consider  its  constitution  sufficiently  satisfactory,  so  a  longer  trial  will 
be  given.” 
To  enumerate  a  few  undoubted  acquisitions  now7  before  the  public, 
or  shortly  to  be  so.  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant  will  take  a  leading  place ;  it 
will  be  long  before  I  forget  the  sight  of  those  850  plants,  nearly  all  in 
flower — that  long  thin  ray  of  roseate  light  under  the  warmth  and 
radiance  of  a  charming  evening.  Alice  Lindsay  I  may  be  allowed  to 
commend,  though  not  in  commerce.  Our  leading  amateur,  who  was 
here  lately,  must  have  been  highly  pleased  with  it.  Lady  Moyra 
Beauclerc  struck  me  as  very  distinct,  of  thorny  and  strong  habit. 
And  here  I  must  not  omit  noticing  Mrs.  Conway  Jones — as  first 
named  at  the  Hereford  Rose  Show — a  rich  lake  colour,  and,  I  should 
say,  autumn  bloomer.  But  the  two  varieties  which  for  general  effect 
struck  me  most — an  impression  certainly  not  lessened  on  stooping 
down  to  pay  my  homage  to  their  charms — were  Lady  Clanmorris 
and  Alice  Graham,  the  former  of  a  pearly  whiteness,  of  great  size  and 
substance,  as  proved  by  hundreds  of  blooms,  while  the  latter  requires 
the  poet  and  painter  combined  to  do  anything  like  justice  to  its 
perfections — a  glowing  carmine  centre  nestling  in  a  bowl  of  purest 
white. 
About  this  time  I  began  to  think  Mr.  Editor  would  have  had 
enough  of  me,  so  I  ventured  again  to  ask  Mr.  Drew7  which  of  his  many 
treasures,  I  had  or  had  not  commented  on,  he  would  like  recommended 
to  the  public.  “Well,”  he  replied,  “let  me  answer  you  indirectly, 
but  yet  giving  you  my  candid  opinion.  If  I  were  in  the  unhappy 
position  of  only  growing  twelve  Roses  I  should  certainly  include 
Bessie  Brown  and  Mrs.  Edward  Mawley.”  I  can  quite  understand 
the  manager’s  rapture  over  Bessie  Brown  (I  had  not  yet  come  to  it), 
clearest  of  whites,  immense  substance,  and  of  exquisite  fragrance. 
I  know  no  Rose  like  it  in  the  latter  respect.  Of  Mrs.  Edward 
Mawley  I  had  not  the  same  chance  of  forming  an  opinion,  as  over 
800  buds  had  just  been  cut  and  forwarded  to  Newtownards. 
One  noticeable  feature  in  the  nurseries  is  the  decided,  I  may  say 
almost  superabundant  number  of  pink  Roses.  Evidently  pink  Roses 
are  the  best  breeders,  while  dark  Roses,  which  are  much  wanted, 
especially  by  exhibitors  (Oh  !  that  they  w7ould  travel  better),  are  in  a 
minority,  and  require  much  extra  time  for  trial  before  being  sent  out. 
There  are  several  I  saw  at  Uplands,  however,  which  I  venture  to 
predict  will  be  worthy  successors  of  the  Earl  of  Dufferin. 
So  much  for  my  sketchy  notes  on  this  successful  firm  of  Rose 
nurserymen.  I  had  a  grand  opportunity  of  judging  the  Roses  in  the 
.bulk,  as  there  w7eie  thousands  in  bloom,  though  a  more  practised  pen 
could  have  descanted  more  convincingly  on  the  merits  they  to 
demonstration  possessed.  I  was  much  struck  as  I  Deft,  with  a  large 
and  strong  plantation  of  standard  Briars,  too  strong  in  fact  for  the 
H.  T.’s  and  Teas ;  they  have  been  reserved  for  the  H.P.’s.  Notice¬ 
able  also  were  two  most  useful  breadths  of  seedling  and  cutting  Briars, 
foster  parents  to  the  rosey  treasures,  in  whose  company  I  have  spent 
on  a  per  ect  evening  for  w7armth  and  light  a  couple  of  the  pleasantest 
hours  I  have  dune  for  some  time,  not  the  less  enhanced  by  the  kind 
hospitality  of  Mrs.  D  ew  and  her  popular  husband,  to  know  whom, 
in  his  business  or  private  capacity,  is  to  esteem. — Herefordshire 
Incumbent. 
EXPERIENCE  WITH  STRAWBERRIES. 
I  am  glad  to  give  my  Strawberry  experience  for  small  amateurs. 
I  have  now  settled  down  to  three  varieties  only,  all  raised  by  Messrs. 
Laxton — No.  1,  Royal  Sovereign,  and  Latest  of  All — and  from  these 
I  had  abundance  of  the  finest  Strawberries  in  the  open  for  over 
six  weeks.  The  first  early  is  the  weak  point.  It  is  a  good  thing  to 
know  what  we  want,  and  what  is  now  required  is  a  Strawberry  a  little 
earlier  than  No.  1,  and  equal  in  size,  quality,  and  productiveness  to 
the  best  midseason  varieties.  It  will  be  done,  no  doubt,  sooner  or 
later.  I  can  remember  the  time  when  first  early  Peas  were  so  small 
as  hardly  to  be  worth  eating. 
I  am  obliged  to  find  one  fault  with  Royal  Sovereign — the  leafage 
is  so  abundant,  and  the  leafstalks  so  long  and  pliable,  that  when  a 
long  continued  rain  comes  at  the  time  the  Strawberries  are  ripe  the 
masses  of  fruit  hidden  under  the  beaten-down  wet  foliage  do  not  get 
a  fair  chance  of  drying  when  the  rain  is  over,  and  are  liable  to  decay 
wholesale.  At  the  same  time  the  flowers  are  very  susceptible  to 
frost  even  before  they  are  expanded,  so  that  these  long  and  abun¬ 
dant  leaves  are  necessary  for  their  protection.  The  crop  is  so  heavy 
that  I  find  no  gap  between  it  and  Latest  of  All,  which  I  like  very 
much  with  its  short  sturdy  leaves,  its  excellent  flavour,  large  size,  and 
abundant  produce. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
Cypripedium  Olivia. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  held  in  the 
Drill  Hall  on  Tuesdav  the  9th  inst.,  Messrs.  H.  Low  &  Co.,  Bush 
Hill  Park  Nurseries,  Enfield,  showed  C.  Olivia,  which  is  admirably 
represented  in  the  woodcut  (fig.  26).  This  Cypripedium  is  a  hybrid 
that  resulted  from  a  cr^ss  between  C.  niveum  and  C.  tonsum,  and  it 
is  of  chaste  beauty.  The  form  of  the  flower  is  handsome,  but  the 
delicacy  of  its  colour  is  perhaps  its  chief  merit.  The  dorsal  sepal  is 
of  great  breadth,  the  around  colour  being  cream  with  a  greenish-white 
patch  at  the  base.  The  petals  are  cream  with  a  pink  suffusion,  and 
have  occasional  small  brown  spots.  The  fine  pouch  is  of  a  similar  hue. 
The  Orchid  Committee  recommended  an  award  of  merit. 
Oncidium  Lanceanum. 
The  blossoms  of  this  fine  Orchid  are  charming,  the  beautiful 
combination  of  greenish  yellow  with  chocolate-brown  on  the  sepals 
and  petals,  and  the  fine  bright  rose  of  the  lip,  being  very 
uncommon  among  Orchids.  The  large  deep  green  spotted  foliage,  too, 
is  striking,  and  handsome.  The  plant  bears  no  pseudo-bulbs,  the 
leaves  springing  direct  from  a  short  rhizome.  The  plant  does  best  in 
abundant  heat  and  moisture,  and  likes  a  light,  almost  unshaded 
position,  especially  towards  the  end  of  the  season. 
A  slight  diminution  of  root  and  atmospheric  moisture  is  advisable 
when  the  foliage  is  fully  grown,  and  while  the  plants  are  at  rest  in 
winter  very  little  water  at  the  roots  suffices.  Baskets  suit  this  species 
well,  and  these  must  be  fairly  large,  in  order  to  prevent  as  far.  as 
possible,  or  at  all  events  to  postpone  rebasketing,  this  always  being 
fraught  with  a  certain  amount  of  danger.  For  compost  it  is  well  to  use 
rather  more  moss  than  peat,  as  it  does  not  so  rapidly  become  close  or 
sour.  Drain  the  baskets  or  pots  well,  and  keep  the  base  of  the  leaves 
a  little  above  the  surface  of  the  compost. — H.  R.  R. 
HINTS  ON  FRUIT. 
Mr.  George  Bunyard  sends  us  a  collection  of  articles  which 
appeared  in  the  “  South-Eastern  Gazette  ”  last  year,  and  which  he 
thinks  are  too  good  to  be  lost.  He  has  therefore  had  them  reprinted 
in  the  form  of  a  mixed  manual,  but  whether  for  selling  or  otherwise 
is  not  made  clear.  He  says  the  contributions  are  by  a  “  practical 
man.”  Of  that  there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  we  are  induced  to  give  a 
few  samples.  After  perusing  them  our  readers  will  agree  that  Mr. 
Bunyard  knows  the  work  of  a  “  practical  man  ”  when  he  sees  it. 
Axioms  for  Apple  Growers. 
I  wish  I  could  persuade  our  home  growers  to  take  half  the  pains 
and  care  that  Americans  bestow  on  their  Apples.  A  few  advanced 
men  are  giving  this  matter  their  serious  attention,  and  as  years  go  on 
no  doubt  we  shall  improve,  but  progress  is  painfully  slow.  The  secret 
of  success  may  be  summed  up  in  a  very  few  words : — “  Grow  few 
sorts  ;  keep  the  trees  well  pruned  and  thin  the  boughs;  manure  well 
and  intelligently;  and  pack  well.”  These  four  axioms  thoroughly 
carried  out  will  in  a  year  or  two  more  than  double  a  man’s  proceeds 
from  Apple  growing,  and  yet  few  people  appear  to  see  matters  in  this 
light.  There  is  one  other  item  in  connection  with  the  management  of 
Apples  that  deserves  attention,  and  that  is  picking  and  storing.  Of 
course  it  goes  without  saying  that  the  (prudent)  man  who  has  gone  to 
all  necessary  labour  and  expense  in  other  directions  will  in  no  way 
neglect  his  fruit  at  the  gathering  time. 
Improving  Old  Trees. 
The  argument  that  one  is  always  met  with  when  advocating  the 
better  management  of  orchards  and  plantations  is,  “  What  are  growers 
to  do  with  existing  trees  of  unsuitable  kinds  ?  ”  I  would  advise  such 
people  in  two  ways.  Firstly,  cut  the  trees’  heads  off,  and  graft  with 
some  approved  sort.  This  can  be  done  to  almost  any  tree,  no  matter 
if  it  is  aged,  so  long  as  it  is  not  tottering  to  decay.  In  the  alternative. 
