402 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  22,  1R98. 
Buttonhole  Roses. 
If  Mr.  F.  Geeson  will  grow  either  of  the  following  Rosea  for  the  above 
'purpose  I  feel  certain  the  result  will  be  satisfactory.  As  a  deep-coloared 
Tea  Francis  Dubreuil  is  a  grand  acquisition,  and  is  one  of  the  deepest 
crimsons  we  have  in  that  class.  Souvenir  de  Th^rS^e  Levet  and  Princesse 
de  Sagan  are  also  good  and  deep-coloured  Teas.  Niphetos  is  by  far  the 
best  white,  Madame  Falcot  and  W.  A.  Richardson  are  good  apricot  and 
orange  shades,  and  Dr,  Grill  is  a  reliable  coppery  yellow.  G.  Nabonnand 
is  one  of  the  clearest  and  best  shaped  salmon  yellows,  while  Isabella 
Sprunt  will  produce  pale  yellow  and  long  pointed  buds  from  early  June 
onwards.  The  same  varieties  will  bloom  equally  well  under  glass,  and 
are  among  the  best  for  winter  culture. — Practice. 
Rose  Analysis, 
Mb.  E.  Mawley’s  most  interesting  notes  and  analysis  are  looked 
forward  to  yearly,  and  the  one  published  in  your  issue  of  the  8th 
contains  several  pleasing  features.  Among  others  I  note  that  no  fewer 
than  thirty-one  out  of  the  seventy-fomr  H  P.  and  H,  Teas  tabulated  are 
of  home  origin,  sixteen  of  which  have  been  introduced  during  the  last 
ten  years,  the  post  of  honour  being  occupied  by  one  of  these.  It  is 
among  the  Teas  and  Noisettes  that  our  home  raisers  appear  to  be 
weakest ;  but  I  note  that  six  out  of  the  thirty-one  here  tabulated  are  of 
recent  introduction. 
The  oldest  H.  Perpetual  is  General  Jacqueminot,  sent  out  in  1853, 
and  now  standing  at  No.  28  in  the  analysis.  La  France  (1867)  is 
the  oldest  H.  Tea,  and  occupied  the  exalted  position  of  No.  4.  The 
eldest  Tea  is  Niphetos,  sent  out  in  1844,  and  now  standing  at  No.  11. 
Here  we  have  old  favourites  holding  their  own  against  the  grand 
varieties  introduced  during  the  past  thirty  years  ;  and,  as  if  to  prove 
there  is  still  room  for  improvement,  we  find  an  1893  H.P.  (Marchioness 
of  Londonderry)  as  high  as  No.  8,  and  a  Tea  introduced  the  same 
year  (Maman  Cochet)  taking  the  fifth  place  in  its  division. 
Among  new  Roses  I  observe  that  Mrs.  R.  G.  Sbarman  Crawford  and 
Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria  occupy  the  first  and  second  positions,  while 
Marchioness  of  Londonderry  and  Helen  Keller  are  fifth  and  sixth 
respectively.  Here,  too,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant  comes  much  before  the  same 
varieties  that  are  placed  far  above  it  in  the  general  analysis  ;  while  the 
positions  of  the  two  new  Teas  that  are  tabulated  correspond. 
It  may  also  be  of  interest  to  note  that  Mons.  Guillot  sent  out 
thirteen  (four  H  P.  and  H.T.,  and  nine  Teas)  ;  Messrs.  A.  Dickson  and 
Sons,  ten  (nine  H.P.  and  H.T.,  with  one  Tea),  all  of  which  have  been 
distributed  during  the  last  ten  years.  Mons.  E.  Verdier  also  gave  us 
ten,  all  of  which  are  H.  Perpetuals  ;  and  six  introduced  during  the  sixties. 
Mr.  Bennett  is  responsible  for  eight  (six  H.P.  and  H.T.  with  two  Teas), 
and  takes  first  place  with  his  Mrs.  J.  Laing  (1887);  Guillot  having  the 
premier  Tea  in  our  old  favourite  Catherine  Mermet  (1869),  a  white  sport 
(The  Bride,  1885),  from  which  divides  it  from  Comtesse  de  Nadaillac, 
another  grand  Tea  from  the  same  raiser,  and  sent  out  twenty-five  years 
ago. — A.  Piper. 
Rose  Catalogues. 
These  have  been  dropping  in  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  British 
Isles  lately,  and  although  most  of  them  are  interesting,  and  some  really 
instructive,  yet  not  a  few  are  woefully  inaccurate  and  misleading.  I 
picked  up  one  to-day  issued  by  a  first-class  firm,  and  found  the  following 
Roses,  among  others,  marked  as  vir/orous  growers  ; — Augustine  Guinois- 
seau,  Duke  of  Wellington,  Emilie  Hausburg,  Gustave  Piganeau,  Horace 
Vernet,  Madame  Vidot,  Monsieur  Noman,  Xavier  Olibo,  Etienne  Levet, 
and  Louis  Van  Houtte. 
The  following  are  marked  as  robust  Cheshunt  Hybrid,  Thomas 
Mills,  Belle  Lyonnaise,  Climbing  Devoniensis,  Gloire  de  Dijon,  and 
Mardchal  Niel.  I  always  imagined  Marquise  de  Castellane  as  a  type  of 
the  robust. 
Her  Majesty  is  described  as  a  “  bad  grower,”  and  Hippolyte  Jamain 
receives  the  compliment  “  one  of  the  best.” 
In  another  catalogue  the  following  are  recommended  as  exhibition 
Roses  Antoine  Ducher,  Madame  Boutin,  Madame  Julie  Daran, 
Marechal  Vaillant.  Souvenir  de  Spa,  John  Hopper,  Abel  Grand,  Alice 
Dureau,  Rev,  J.  B.  M.  Camm,  Elise  Boelle,  Mabel  Morrison  ;  while 
Beauty  of  Waltham,  Camille  Bernardin,  F.  de  Lesseps,  Salamander, 
Victor  Hugo,  Gustave  Piganeau,  Ulrich  Brunner,  Heinrich  Schultheis, 
Marie  Finger,  Marie  Verdier,  Mrs.  John  Laing,  Margaret  Dickson, 
Captain  Christy  and  Jeannie  Dickson,  are  not  thought  good  enough  for 
exhibition  purposes. 
It  is  a  pity  that  catalogues  of  Roses  sent  out  by  firms  of  such  first- 
class  repute  should  not  be  more  carefully  compiled  and  revised  every 
year. 
I  find  that  the  catalogues  of  those  firms  who  constantly  exhibit  are 
for  the  most  part  very  accurate  in  describing  the  colour,  habit,  together 
with  the  general  or  particular  use  of  the  Rose  specified. 
It  is  very  interesting  to  pick  up  a  Rose  catalogue  of  twenty  or 
twenty-five  years  ago  and  compare  it  with  these  of  the  present  season. 
Moreover,  in  these  last  lists  we  perceive  that  there  is  a  considerable 
demand  for  decorative  Roses.  The  single  and  Polyantha.  such  as  Uardou 
Job,  Paul’s  Carmine  Pillar,  Hebe’s  Lip,  Janet’s  Pride,  Rosa  Polyantha, 
Crimson  Rambler,  and  the  dwarf  Rosettes,  as  represented  by  Mignonette, 
Etoile  d’Or,  and  Ma  Paquerette. 
Again,  we  have  now  a  wide  choice  in  "  buttonholes  ’ — c.g,,  Madame 
Chedane  Guinoisseau,  Madame  Pernet- Ducher,  W.  A.  Richardson,  Ma 
Capucine,  Madame  Pierre  Cochet,  L’Ideal,  Gustave  Regis,  and  many 
others.  Where  there  are  now  so  many  flowers  in  each  class  the  diflaculty 
with  the  amateur  is  in  not  being  able  to  purchase  as  he  would  like  to, 
owing  to  either  want  of  ground  for  planting  or  length  of  purse  for 
payin  g.— Ex-  Exh  ibitor. 
KENOVATING  VINE  BORDERS. 
Vines  thrive  indefinitely  in  a  soil  suited  to  their  requirements,  and 
where  the  rooting  area  is  unlimited.  Bat  all  natural  soils  are  not  suited 
to  the  growth  of  Grapes,  and  borders  have  to  be  made,  and  these  in  time 
renovated  or  renewed  as  the  soil  becomes  effete. 
Of  the  substances  used  for  making  or  renovating  Vine  borders  turfy 
loam  is  the  most  approved,  it  being  rich  in  nitrogenous  elements,  and 
containing  other  food  in  a  readily  availab’e  form.  Turf,  however,  may 
and  often  does  settle  into  a  close  mass  unfavourable,  through  lack  of 
disintegrated  mineral  matter,  to  keep  it  open  as  a  rooting  area.  Then 
turf,  which,  by  containing  particles  of  sand,  limestone,  and  other  rocks 
would  keep  porous,  is  often  converted  into  a  close  soapy  mass  by  a  too 
liberal  admixture  of  manure  and  vegetable  refuse  ;  but  the  most  frequent 
need  of  renewing  Vine  borders  is  occasioned  by  heavy  mulchings  of  stable 
manure  and  immoderate  applications  of  liquid  manures,  particularly  of 
that  class  which  leave  a  considerable  deposit.  These  deposits  fill  the 
interstices  of  the  soil,  and  by  so  doing  exclude  the  oxidising  influences 
of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  soil  become  soddened  and  sour. 
This  is  well  known  to  experienced  growers,  and  instead  of  soaking 
the  border  with  liquid  manure,  as  in  watering,  they  bring  the  soil  into  a 
healthfully  moist  condition  with  water,  and  then  apply  the  liquid 
manure,  by  which  process  the  thicker  particles  of  matter  in  the  liquid 
are  kept  at  the  surface,  and  the  interstices  of  the  soil  are  not  so  soon 
choked.  When  thick  liquid  is  poured  on  parched  and  cracked  borders 
the  soil  slowly  but  surely  becomes  choked  with  the  settlings  of  the  liquid 
manure. 
Soil  for  Vines  must  have  air ;  for  the  Grape  Vine  is  a  hill  country 
plant,  and  never  found  in  land  where  Rushes  and  Sedges  thrive  ;  it  wants 
the  water  to  enter  the  surface  of  the  soil,  percolate  through  it,  and  the 
surplus  to  pass  away  freely  by  natural  or  artificial  drainage ;  thus  by  air 
oxidising  the  soil  components  and  water  diluting  them  the  Vine  roots 
are  supplied  with  wholesome  food,  and  foliage  being  healthy  these  are 
readily  assimilated.  This  is  the  art  of  Vine  culture,  and  of  applying 
solid  manure  in  liquid  form,  their  abuse  being  one  of  the  chief  reasons 
the  surface  soil  has  to  be  frequently  renewed,  and  want  of  proper 
drainage  and  improperly  constructed  borders  are  causes  of  unhealthy 
Vines  and  unsat'sfactory  crops. 
Where  Vines  are  not  sturdy  in  growth,  produce  long  jointed  wood, 
thin  flabby  foliage,  bunches  that  curl  and  twist  instead  of  developing, 
no  time  should  be  lost  as  soon  as  the  leaves  fall,  or  even  change,  in 
removing  the  soil  down  to  the  roots,  and  picking  it  from  amongst  them 
so  that  as  much  fresh  soil  as  possible  may  be  placed  around  and  over 
them  without  burying  them  too  deeply.  If  the  border  is  very  unsatis¬ 
factory,  and  the  roots  deep  and  few,  it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  aT 
the  soil  and  make  a  new  border,  commencing  with  drainage  which  may 
be  formed  of  clean  rubble  a  foot  thick, brickbats  answering  well,  placing 
the  roughest  at  the  bottom  and  the  smallest  at  the  top,  and  over  this 
3  inches  thickness  of  old  mortar  rubbish  freed  from  pieces  of  wood. 
The  border  must  have  4-inch  tile  drains,  so  as  to  keep  the  drainage  free 
from  stagnant  water. 
Two  feet  depth  of  border  is  suitable,  not  having  it  deeper  than 
30  inches  for  Muscats.  Turfy  loam  off  alluvial  soil  lying  dry  or 
calcareous  that  grows  good  Clover  answers,  and  preferably  moderately 
strong,  but  not  heavy,  though  that  overlaying  clay  is  preferable  to 
turf  incumbent  on  sand.  Good  friable  loam,  interspersed  with  calcareous 
gravel  or  plants,  such  as  occur  on  limestone  formations  is  excellent. 
The  turf  should  be  pared  oil  about  3  inches  thick  and  broken  up 
roughly,  and  if  heavy  add  a  sixth  of  old  mortar  rubbish  and  a  similar 
amount  of  road  scrapings  ;  if  light  add  a  fourth  of  clay  marl  dried  and 
pounded,  incorporating  all  well  together.  If  wanting  a  special  mixture 
use  twelve  parts  loam,  two  of  old  mortar  rubbish,  one  of  wood  ashes,  and 
one  of  “  nuts  ”  charcoal,  with  a  hundredweight  of  crushed  half-inch  bones 
to  every  eight  cartloads,  or  2  cwts.  for  the  lot  if  parts  correspond  to 
cartloads.  Wood  ashes  are  not  always  to  be  had,  but  what  answers 
nearly  as  well  may — namely,  kainit  and  basic  slag  phosphate,  using 
1  cwt.  of  kainit  and  1^  cwt.  of  basic  cinder  phosphate  to  the  twelve 
loads  of  loam  or  whole  mixture.  Incorporate  all  well  together.  This 
will  do  for  new  borders  wherein  to  plant  young  Vines,  or  for  old  ones,  to 
which  we  will  adhere. 
Lift  the  roots  carefully,  keep  them  as  much  as  possible  from  the  air, 
shading  the  house  and  enveloping  the  roots  in  damp  mats,  but  perform 
the  work  with  as  much  dispatch  as  possible.  Lay  the  roots  out  evenly 
in  the  top  foot  of  soil,  encouraging  those  from  the  collar  by  laying  any 
that  proceed  therefrom  only  just  beneath  the  surface.  The  whole  should 
be  made  firm,  and  the  compost  be  moderately  dry.  Afford  a  good  water¬ 
ing  with  tepid  water,  and  mulch  the  surface  with  a  little  short  material, 
preferably  fresh  stable  manure  with  the  straw  shaken  out.  Outside 
borders  should  be  covered  with  a  few  inches  of  leaves  and  a  little  litter 
