February  13,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
137 
the  home  producer,  but  simply  a  matter  of  business,  just,  for  instance, 
as  the  General  Post  Office  carries  a  parcel  weighing  12  lbs.  at  a  relatively 
greater  reduced  rate  over  a  small  one  of  1  lb. 
But  the  companies  referred  to  have  shown  that  they  desire  to 
help  home  producers  if  possible,  whilst  endeavouring  to  foster  for  them¬ 
selves  a  widely  extended  home  trade  ;  hence  they  have  not  only  reduced 
ra'es  for  the  transit  of  fruit,  vegetables,  butter,  eggs,  and  poultry,  very 
materially,  but  have  done  all  that  is  possible  to  make  these  concessions 
known  over  the  districts  served  by  their  respective  lines.  Then  we  have 
OQe  company,  the  Great  Eastern,  actually  preparing  useful,  cheap,  non- 
returnable  boxes  or  packages  for  the  conveyance  of  small  quantities  of 
home  produce  to  respective  customers.  So  that  it  may  indeed  he  said 
that  ail  this  does  present  a  new  departure,  and  one  likely  to  be  of 
immense  value  ultimately.  But  the  response  to  this  concession  in  rate 
reduction  does  not  seem  to  have  been  so  general  as  was  anticipated. 
Practically  the  so-called  preference  rates  were  useful  to  form 
elements  of  complaint  or  abuse,  and  their  removal  does  but  oddly 
enough  form  another  of  the  grievances  under  which  certain  of  the 
home-producing  element  labours.  We  may,  indeed,  see  the  time  when 
so-called  pre'erence  rates  shall  be  reimposed  at  the  demand  of  the 
agriculturists,  just  as  now  they  seem  to  be  anxious  to  serure  the 
reimposition  of  the  malt  tax.  But  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  a  large 
degree  the  demand  for  reduced  rates  of  transit  for  home  produce  was 
premature,  for  the  obvious  reason  that  home  growers  or  raisers  have  not 
prepared  themselves  for  the  new  state  of  things.  They  have  spent  so 
much  time  in  grumbling  that  now  the  chance  offers  they  have  little  or 
nothing  to  send  to  market. 
The  proper  course  to  follow  now  is  that  of  raising  the  very 
best  possible  of  products,  suitable  for  purchase  by  town  consumers, 
and  which  are  equally  suitable  for  the  cheap  modes  of  transit.  On  how 
many  farms  is  fruit  or  vegetable  culture  understood  ?  indeed,  the  same 
may  almost  be  said  of  poultry  or  butter  productions.  Country  caterers 
for  these  commodities  must  remember  that  the  town  dweller  compares 
home-raised  products  with  those  obtained  from  abroad,  and  humbled 
indeed  should  we  too  often  be  when  we  see  how  inferior  in  every  way 
our  products  are.  Patriotism  may  be  a  strong  feature  of  the  Britisher, 
but  it  chiefly  consists  in  shouting.  When  it  becomes  a  question  of 
pocket,  then  the  cheapest  and  best,  come  from  whence  it  may,  is  always 
purchased.  Thus  we  see  the  weak  feature  of  the  new  railway  rates  con¬ 
cession  to  home  producers  is  the  latter’s  comparative  inability  to  compete 
with  the  foreigner,  not  because  of  preferential  rates,  but  because  of  his 
superior  excellence  of  produce.  Are  our  rural  producers  willing  to  go 
to  school  again,  and  unlearn  all  the’r  old  faults  in  favour  of  modern 
ideas  such  as  shall  place  them  on  a  footing  with  the  now  superior 
foreigner  ? 
We  are  fond  of  boasting  of  our  men,  our  ships,  our  money  ;  but 
the  secret  of  a  nation’s  greatness  and  prosperity  lies  deeper  than  these 
superficial  things.  It  is  found  in  the  intelligence,  enterprise,  energy, 
and  integrity  of  the  people.  Given  these  qualities,  and  Great  Britain 
may  always  be  found  the  foremost  of  nations.  In  this  matter  of 
production  we  have  the  men,  we  have  the  land,  we  have  the  markets, 
we  have  indeed  a  glorious  climate,  but  the  needful  knowledge  and 
intelligence  is  sadly  lacking.  Nothing  seems  so  difficult  a3  to  induce 
the  mind  to  accommodate  itself  to  fresh  conditions  and  new  require¬ 
ments.  The  new  facilities  for  local  trade  now  offered  by  the  railway 
companies  have  rendered  it  more  than  ever  needful  that  the  instructor 
in  better  methods  Bhould  be  abroad. 
We  must  educate  the  producer  up  to  the  requirements  of  the 
consumer  as  they  have  been  created  by  superior  foreign  productions  ere 
the  former  can  hope  to  compete  equally  with  his  great  competitor.  Even 
such  an  agricultural  leader  as  Lord  Winchelsea  does  this,  for  he  adopts 
the  shibboleths  of  the  advanced  teacher,  horticultural  or  otherwise. 
There  will  be  later  also  need  for  the  establishment  of  collecting 
agencies,  for  with  this  work  the  railway  companies  will  have  nothing 
to  do,  but  ere  these  be  established  they,  to  make  them  profitable, 
must  have  something  to  collect.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  there 
must  also  be  town  agencies  or  some  other  forces  in  operation  to 
obtain  customers.  A  collecting  agency  and  a  town  sales  agency  with  the 
e'en  lowered  railway  rates  would  between  them  leave  very  little  for  the 
producer,  whilst  the  consumer  would  be  unable  to  purchase  cheaper 
than  in  any  other  way. 
How  is  the  distant  producer  to  find  customers  in  town  unless  through 
some  town  agency  ?  and  even  if  there  be  good  fortune  in  that  direction, 
what  will  be  the  general  effect  on  the  produce  trade?  Already  prices 
universally  are  so  low  that  it  is  marvellous  the  original  producer  can 
live.  The  effect  of  turning  large  consignments  of  produce  in  small,  or  say 
personal,  quantities,  on  to  the  town  markets,  could  only  operate  to  the 
lowering  of  prices  still  further.  How,  then,  would  the  rural  producer 
gain  ?  The  towns,  and  London  especially,  benefit  exceedingly  because 
the  great  masses  of  destructible  produce  is  consigned  to  them,  whilst 
the  small  towns  and  large  villages  benefit  nothing. 
After  all  would  not  the  rural  producer  be  wiser  if,  putting  aside 
collecting  or  selling  agencies,  railways,  and  their  costs,  he  seeks  ont 
private  means  of  disposing  of  his  own  produce  in  his  own  district  or 
area,  where  he  can  deliver  to  his  customer  at  once  poultry,  eggs,  butter, 
fruit,  and  vegetables  ?  Such  customers  would  be  far  more  regular  and 
reliable  than  town  ones  are,  and  they  would  not  have  bad  their  tastes 
rendered  so  very  critical  by  the  wayB  and  commodities  of  the  foreigner. 
We  have  much  more  to  face  in  connection  with  this  interesting  matter 
than  is  found  in  a  useful  reduction  of  railway  rates. — A.  D. 
I  greatly  appreciate  the  genial  note  of  the  Rev.  David  R.  William¬ 
son  (page  123),  and  I  do  so  none  the  less  because  his  acumen  in 
detecting  an  error  is  quite  equal  to  the  keen  interest  he  takes  in  all 
matters  relative  to  the  “  Queen  ”  of  our  gardens.  I  much  regret  that 
I  have  caused  Mr.  Williamson  to  make  so  fruitless  a  search  for  a  variety 
of  Moss  Rose  not  yet  in  existence,  as  he  supposes.  The  one  I  referred  to 
was  the  old  “  White  Bath,”  but  I  originally  penned  the  word  in  such 
a  way  that,  like  the  printer,  I  took  it  for  *•  Bush,”  hence  the  slip  of  the 
pen  in  regard  to  the  derivation  of  the  name.  The  variety  is,  however, 
well  adapted  for  growing  in  bush  form.  We  have  two  fine  bushes  of  it, 
and  as  is  the  case  with  all  other  Moss  Roses,  the  flowers  are  so  greatly 
in  demand  that  but  few  are  allowed  to  fully  expand  before  being  cut  for 
making  sprays  and  buttonholes,  or  for  other  decorative  purposes.  When 
in  that  fascinating  state,  the  bud,  their  peculiar  charms  seldom  fail  to 
win  the  admiration  of  all. — H.  D. 
ROSE  GROWING. 
( Concluded  from  page  124.) 
Pot  Culture. 
Roses  grown  in  pots  are  most  useful,  as  they  may  be  gently  forced, 
and  are  convenient  for  the  embellishment  of  the  drawing-room  or  the 
conservatory.  But  a  selection  of  both  Teas  and  Hybrid  Perpetuals  must 
be  made  for  the  purpose,  as  some  will  be  too  rampant  and  others  too 
weak  for  pot  culture.  Roses  should  be  potted  in  lighter  soil  than  those 
planted  in  beds,  and  the  following  makes  an  excellent  mixture  : — One 
barrowful  of  good  loam,  half  a  barrowful  of  decayed  stable  manure,  half 
a  barrowful  of  leaf  mould,  and  a  quarter  of  a  barrowful  of  broken 
charcoal.  The  pots  must  be  properly  drained,  a  few  pieces  of  crushed 
bone  placed  over  the  crocks,  then  some  broken  turf  to  prevent  the  fine 
soil  from  choking  the  drainage.  The  roots  of  the  plants  must,  if  possible, 
be  disentangled  in  potting,  keeping  the  junction  of  the  scion  and  stock 
just  below  the  surface,  as  by  so  doing  the  plant  has  two  chances,  beiDg 
partly  on  its  own  roots  and  partly  on  those  of  the  Briar, 
Hold  the  plant  in  position  with  the  left  hand,  work  in  the  soil, 
making  it  firm  with  a  rammer,  as  I  believe  the  great  secret  in  getting  a 
good  root  formation  is  to  make  the  soil  sufficiently  firm.  They  should  be 
repotted  as  they  require  it,  but  May  and  October  are  the  most  suitable 
times  for  doing  this  work.  If  the  operation  is  carried  out  in  the  latter 
month  plants  must  be  placed  in  a  cool  house,  and  if  possible  plunged  in 
leaves  or  ashes,  damping  occasionally  with  the  syringe.  They  must  be 
started  very  gently,  or  the  result  will  be  a  rapid  head  growth  before  the 
roots  have  commenced  to  grow. 
To  have  the  plants  flowering  at  a  certain  date  requires  judgment  and 
forethought.  If  Roses  are  desired  about  Easter  they  should  be  started 
early  in  January.  They  will  not  require  a  very  high  temperature,  and 
of  course  they  can  be  had  much  earlier  under  special  circumstances. 
Plants  that  have  become  root-bound  should  be  supplied  with  stimu¬ 
lants  in  a  mild  form,  the  drainings  from  the  stable  or  cowsheds,  diluted 
to  the  colour  of  pale  brandy,  suiting  them  admirably.  Soot  placed  in 
securely  tied  bags  and  allowed  to  stand  in  a  tub  of  water  is  an  excellent 
manure  for  them  ;  but  whatever  is  used  must  be  with  care,  commencing 
with  it  very  weak  and  increasing  until  the  blooms  are  opening.  This 
treatment  will  be  found  suitable  for  Teas  and  Hybrid  Perpetuals  alike, 
except  that  the  soil  should  be  made  a  little  heavier  for  the  latter. 
Varieties  Adapted  to  Pot  Culture. 
Teas  — Catherine  Mermet,  The  Bride.  Grace  Darling,  Innocente 
Pirola,  Madame  Lambard,  Madame  de  Watteville,  Gloire  de  Dijon, 
Madame  Falcot,  Niphetos,  Perle  des  Jardins,  Safrano,  Souvenir  d’Elise 
Vardon,  Souvenir  d’un  Ami,  Jules  Finger,  and  Madame  Cusin. 
Hybrid  Perpetuals. — John  Hopper,  La  France,  Merveille  de  Lyon, 
Madame  Lacharme,  A.  K.  Williams,  Madame  Victor  Verdier,  Dupuy 
Jamain,  Baroness  Rothschild,  Boule  de  Neige,  Marie  Baumann,  Dr. 
Andry,  La  Rosiere,  Hardchal  Vaillant,  Ulrich  Brunner,  and  Helen  Paul. 
Pruning, 
This  must  depend  entirely  on  the  season  and  locality.  I  find  it  is  a 
great  mistake  to  prune  too  early,  because  bright,  mild,  sunny  days  cause 
the  plants  to  break  into  growth  quickly,  and  they  are  in  danger  of 
being  cut  off  by  late  spring  frosts.  Where  good  blooms  are  desired 
pruning  must  be  done  in  a  systematic  manner,  removing  weak,  puny 
growth,  retaining  only  strong,  well  ripened  wood,  which,  as  a  rule, 
should  be  cut  back  to  one  or  two  buds.  Of  course  the  shape  of  the 
tree  must  be  taken  into  consideration,  and  where  a  gap  occurs  it  will  be 
necessary,  by  leaving  a  suitable  growth,  to  fill  it.  Strong  growing 
varieties  should  not  be  pruned  quite  so  closely  as  the  freer  flowering  and 
weaker  ones,  as  by  doing  so  they  make  very  vigorous  growth  and  produce 
few  flowers. 
Plants  which  have  been  planted  so  that  the  junction  of  the  scion  and 
stock  are  under  the  soil  will  most  likely  throw  up  strong  growth,  which, 
if  made  early  in  the  season,  will  be  well  ripened  and  matured.  This  is 
