124  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER .  February  e,  ism. 
and  attached  during  frost  or  snow,  grafts  being  put  under  frames 
at  the  thaw.  It  is  essential  to  prevent  them  from  freezing  in  the 
frames.  The  plants  may  be  put  out  towards  the  end  of  April  in  light 
soil  rich  in  humus,  watered  and  shaded  for  the  first  days.  A  layer  of 
short  manure  preserves  moisture  in  the  soil  and  is  a  necessary  condition 
for  success.” 
ROSE  GROWING. 
[Read  by  Mr.  H.  PiiOSSER  at  a  Meeting  of  the  Bournemouth  Gardeners’  Association.] 
There  are  three  essentials  to  successful  Rose  growing — namely 
pure  air,  suitable  soil,  and  constant  attention.  The  first  thing  to 
be  considered  is  the  soil,  which  should  if  possible  be  a  deep  heavy 
loam,  somewhat  clayey,  as  Roses  grown  in  poor,  dry,  sandy  soil  are 
never  of  the  best  quality.  They  lack  colour  and  substance,  and 
consequently  are  not  seen  in  their  proper  character.  If  the  soil  is  a 
heavy  wet  clay,  it  will  be  benefited  by  being  drained  at  a  depth  of 
B  feet,  which  is  an  easy  matter  if  the  Roses  are  planted  in  rows.  If, 
however,  it  is  intended  to  make  beds  for  the  plants  the  soil  should  be 
taken  out  to  a  depth  of  3  feet,  a  foot  of  drainage  to  be  placed  in  the  bottom, 
the  largest  stones  beiDg  at  the  base,  and  the  smallest  at  the  top,  covering 
the  whole  with  a  layer  of  fresh  cut  turf,  grass  downwards,  which 
prevents  the  fine  soil  from  choking  the  drainage.  The  soil  which  has 
been  taken  out  may  be  used  again,  working  in  a  good  supply  of  decayed 
manure,  old  mortar  or  lime,  crushed  bones,  a  little  charcoal,  and  chopped 
turf,  but  I  should  recommend  where  such  is  possible  to  re-make  the  beds 
entirely  of  new  compost.  A  mixture  admirably  suited  to  Roses  may  be 
made  of  the  following  ingredients  in  the  proportions  given  :  —  One 
load  of  clayey  loam  half  a  load  of  decayed  manure,  two  barrowfuls  of 
mortar  rubbish,  one  barrowful  of  broken  charcoal,  and  one  barrowful 
of  half-inch  fresh  bones. 
Let  us  now  consider  the  nature  of  light  soil,  which  is  generally 
shallow,  or  not  sufficiently  deep,  and  must,  therefore,  be  taken  out  to  a 
depth  of  at  least  3  feet,  filling  the  beds  with  the  mixture  previously 
recommended.  I  am  aware  that  good  loam  is  scarce  in  some 
localities,  and,  therefore,  is  expensive  to  get,  but  if  first  quality  blooms 
are  desired,  it  will  pay  the  cultivator  to  obtain  it.  Should  it  be 
impossible,  he  will  have  to  direct  his  efforts  in  making  the  soil  heavier, 
which  may  be  done  by  placing  a  foot  of  clay  on  the  bottom,  instead  of 
drainage.  The  bed  may  then  be  refilled  with  the  old  soil,  in  which 
should  be  mixed  about  one-third  of  the  amount  of  pulverised  clay, 
together  with  some  thoroughly  decayed  manure,  crushed  bones,  old 
mortar  rubbish,  and  chopped  turf. 
There  is  another  suggestion  I  will  make  before  passing  from  the 
preparation  of  the  soil.  Borders  that  have  been  made  in  naturally  light 
soil  without  an  addition  to  make  them  heavier  can  be  much  improved 
by  placing  on  the  surface  a  good  top-dressiDg  of  fine  dry  clay,  applied 
at  any  time  before  winter,  when  the  borders  are  mulched.  This 
will  eventually  be  carried  down  into  the  soil  by  the  rain.  Should  the 
ground  in  which  it  is  intended  to  plant  Roses  be  new  pasture  very  little 
will  be  needed  beyond  a  good  dressing  of  manure. 
Planting  Roses. 
The  borders  having  been  prepared  in  the  manner  recommended,  all 
will  be  ready  for  planting,  which  should  be  done  as  early  as  possible  in 
November.  The  trees  must  be  lifted  and  transferred  to  the  beds  as 
quickly  as  possible,  as  delay  in  transit  causes  the  roots  to  shrivel,  and 
has  much  to  do  with  the  future  of  the  trees.  If  the  roots  are  at  all  dry 
when  the  trees  arrive  they  should  be  placed  in  water  for  about 
twelve  hours,  and  the  check  will  not  be  so  keenly  felt.  Trees  planted 
in  a  careless  slovenly  manner  rarely  live  long,  are  generally  poor,  and  fail 
to  produce  flowers  of  good  quality.  Here,  then,  iB  a  lesson  to  be  learnt — 
that  we  must  devote  as  much  care  and  attention,  combined  with  skill, 
as  is  possible,  to  achieve  the  success  we  so  desire.  The  holes  for  the 
plants  must  be  a  foot  deep,  and  of  sufficient  width  to  allow  the  roots  to 
be  spread  out,  and  in  proper  position. 
A  layer  of  decomposed  manure,  and  a  few  crushed  bones  should 
be  placed  over  the  bottom,  then  add  a  little  soil  to  prevent  the 
roots  coming  in  direct  contact  with  the  manure.  Before  putting  in  the 
plant  carefully  examine  the  roots,  removing  any  that  are  thick  and 
hard  with  a  sharp  knife  to  induce  the  formation  of  others  more  fibrous, 
these  being  the  mainstay  of  the  tree.  Remove  any  buds' which  appear 
below  the  junction,  or  where  the  bud  was  inserted,  lor  if  these  are 
allowed  to  remain  they  will  produce  suckers  and  materially  weaken  the 
tree  proper.  Having  put  the  tree  into  its  place,  spread  out  the  roots  in 
their  proper  position,  cover  with  some  fine  soil,  and  work  it  well  amongst 
them,  then  fill  up  with  the  ordinary  soil,  and  firmly  ram  or  tread  it 
round  the  tree. 
Having  finished  planting  a  good  top-dressing  of  manure  should  be 
placed  on  the  surface,  as  it  will  aid  materially  in  keeping  the  frost 
from  injuring  the  roots.  Dwarf  plants  should  be  placed  2  feet  between 
the  rows,  and  18  inches  from  plant  to  plant.  Such  an  amount  of  room 
may  seem  wasteful,  but  the  plants  will  be  benefited  by  having  the  sun 
and  air  to  ripen  the  wood,  without  which  we  cannot  have  good  blooms, 
though  all  the  other  requirements  have  received  the  best  attention. 
Varieties  to  Grow. 
In  visiting  a  Rose  show  one  always  sees  several  persons  taking  the 
names  of  varieties  they  admire,  and  which  they  do  not  happen  to  have 
in  their  own  collections.  This  is  quite  right,  and  the  proper  way  to 
become  acquainted  with  new  kinds,  but  persons  do  not  always  con¬ 
sider  whether  it  is  possible  in  their  own  circumstances  to  grow  this  or 
that  variety.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  tnat  the  air,  position,  and  the 
locality  are  important  factors,  and  have  much  to  do  for  or  against  the 
different  varieties,  for  where  one  thrives  another  may  perish  ;  therefore 
it  is  better  to  grow  varieties,  so  far  as  possible,  which  are  suitable 
to  the  locality  in  which  they  are  to  be  planted. 
I  will  now  give  the  names  of  a  few  reliable  and  useful  Hybrid 
Perpetuals  in  each  section  which  will  form  a  good  collection  for  intending 
planters,  but  let  it  be  understood  these  are  for  general  use,  and  if  Roses 
are  required  for  exhibition  it  will  be  necessary  to  get  the  varieties  which 
stand  highest  in  the  analysis  for  that  purpose. 
Bark  Varieties. — Abel  Carri&re,  Horace  Vernet,  Xavier  Olibo,  Fisher 
Holmes,  Louis  Van  Houtte,  Prince  Camille  de  Rohan,  Charles  Lefebvre 
Ferdinand  de  Lesseps,  and  La  Rosi&re. 
White  Varieties. — Boule  de  Neige,  Helen  Paul,  Merveille  de  Lyon, 
Violet  Bouyer,  and  The  Puritan. 
Pink  Varieties. — La  France,  Baroness  Rothschild,  Bessie  Johnson, 
Captain  Christy,  Her  Majesty,  John  Hopper,  Madame  Therese  Levet, 
Marguerite  de  St.  Amand,  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  and  Paul  Neyron. 
Red  and  Light  Red  Varieties. — A.  K.  Williams,  Alfred  Colomb, 
Ulrich  Brunner,  Dr.  Andry,  Marie  Baumann,  Madame  Victor  Verdier, 
Beauty  of  Waltham,  General  Jacqueminot,  Mardchal  Vaillant,  and  Duke 
of  Edinburgh. 
Tea  Roses. 
These  will  be  found  more  difficult  than  the  H.P.’s  to  grow  in  the 
open,  on  account  of  the  sharp  frosts  of  the  winter,  and  because  they  do 
not  possess  the  robust  constitution  enjoyed  by  the  previously  named 
section.  Considerable  difficulty  is  sometime*  found  in  ripening  the 
wood,  consequently  they  are  often  served  badly  by  the  frost;  water 
standing  about  the  roots  is  also  fatal  to  them,  therefore  if  the  soil  is  very 
stiff  or  clayey  they  would  do  better  if  planted  on  raised  beds.  Tea  Roses 
should  not,  in  my  opinion,  be  planted  in  November,  as  they  do  not 
become  established,  and  the  losses  from  a  severe  winter  (following  the 
planting)  would  be  great.  The  middle  of  May  is  the  most  suitable  time 
to  place  them  in  the  beds,  but  instead  of  using  plants  lifted  from  the 
open  procure  some  which  have  been  grown  in  5-inch  pots.  This  method 
will  allow  the  trees  to  become  established  by  the  following  winter.  In 
November  they  should  have  a  band  of  hay  tied  round  the  base  of  the 
stem,  and  be  mulched  with  a  thick  coating  of  manure. 
Another  method  adopted  by  some,  and  which  has  much  to  commend 
it,  is  to  grow  Tea  Roses  in  pots,  and  plunge  them  in  the  beds.  These 
can  be  taken  up  and  placed  in  a  cold  house  or  frame,  and  so  save  the 
risk  of  a  severe  winter. 
Teas  Under  Glass. 
These  do  better  under  glass  than  in  the  open,  for  the  reason  that 
they  are  not  exposed  to  atmospheric  changes  or  frost.  They  may  be 
planted  out  or  grown  in  pots,  and  by  either  system  will  give  a  supply  of 
blooms  later  in  the  autumn  much  superior  to  those  grown  in  the  open. 
The  colours  of  the  flowers  are  well  brought  out  in  such  delicacy,  which 
cannot  be  seen  from  those  in  the  open  ground.  They  may  be  given  a 
longer  season  of  growth  in  which  to  mature  the  wood,  this  being  a 
great  advantage. 
Teas  Suitable  for  Trellis. 
For  this  purpose  my  experience  is  that  they  are  best  budded  on 
the  Briar,  though  some  recommend  them  grown  on  their  own  roots.  If 
worked  on  the  former  they  give  a  quicker  supply  of  bloom,  and  are  much 
more  free  in  flowering.  I  will  admit  if  grown  on  their  own  roots  they 
are  longer  lived,  but  they  make  rampant  growth,  which  i*  so  difficult  to 
ripen,  and  though  the  blooms  are  finer  they  are  much  more  scarce.  I 
have  seen  trees  of  Mardchal  Niel  budded  on  the  standard  Briar  com¬ 
pletely  covering  the  roof  of  a  large  house,  and  one  of  the  trees  was  said 
to  be  carrying  upwards  of  2000  blooms  of  excellent  quality  at  the  time 
when  I  saw  it. 
The  varieties  best  suited  for  training  on  the  roof  trellis  are  Mardchal 
Niel,  Niphetos,  Madame  Lambard,  Catherine  Mermet,  Lamarque, 
Climbing  Devoniensis,  and  W.  A.  Richardson. 
(To  be  co:  tinned. ] 
SHORT  JOTTINGS  ON  PEAS 
The  First  Crop. 
When  one’s  neighbour  is  able  by  four  and  twenty  hours  to  win  the 
race  with  early  Peas,  one  overlooks  his  exultation,  hoping  that  the  places 
may  another  year  be  changed.  Serving  a  family  which  commands  a 
garden  a  few  degrees  nearer  the  equator  than  this  where  I  write,  I  am 
not  pressed  for  very  early  Peas.  Nevertheless  I  like  to  have  them  as 
early  as  possible.  For  several  years  I  have  relied  on  Chelsea  Gem  for  a 
first  crop,  trying  alongside  it  others  as  they  have  been  offered,  with 
the  result  that  that  named  is  still  being  cultivated.  Several  varieties 
are  very  like  this,  and  those  who  grow  any  of  them  will,  I  have  no  doubt, 
have  equal  satisfaction  with  those  who  cling  to  Chelsea  Gem.  Regarding 
early  Marrow  Peas,  my  experience  has  been  that  whatever  their  value 
in  other  respects,  they,  from  a  given  piece  of  ground,  certainly  fail  in 
filling  the  basket,  and  the  latter  is  a  point  that  it  is  impossible  to 
overlook. 
Methods  of  Production. 
Sowing  out  of  doors  is  no  doubt  the  method  requiring  the  least 
labour,  but  the  system  of  raising  the  plants  in  pots  is  that  which, 
other  things  being  equal,  is  certain  to  give  the  quickest  return.  Few, 
however,  have  the  space  at  command  to  forward  the  crop  in  this  way. 
