January  12,  1,00. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
2% 
FORGING  ROSES. 
To-day  (January  3rcl)  I  cut  a  number  of  really  good  Roses,  and 
was  struck  with  their  beauty  and  delicate  perfume  when  compared 
w’iJi  the  majority  of  flowers  available  at  this  season.  After  all, 
Roses  take  the  palm  at  all  times,  provided  the  flow^ers  are  clean 
and  fresh  in  colour.  I  note  that  a  correspondent  has  been  inquiring 
more  than  once  upon  how  to  force  Roses  successfully,  and  especially 
1  ow  to  get  them  sufficiently  matured  to  start  into  growth  at  the  present 
date.  I  must  confess  to  surprise  that  anyone  should  experience 
difficulty  in  getting  jjlants  ripened  by  the  early  part  of  the  year. 
Even  our  plants  in  the  ojen,  their  roots  in  wet  soil,  and  the  season 
very  mild,  are  well  matured,  and  have  been  for  this  two  months  past, 
so  that  I  am  sure  there  is  something  very  wrong  in  the  treatment  if 
your  coiresponelent  fails  to  ripen  them  in  pots,  where  he  has  the  decided 
advantages  of  water  control,  and  the  fact  that  pot  Roses  have  made  the 
bulk  of  their  growth  before  those  in  the  open  are  barely  on  the  move. 
If  one  wishes  for  Roses  at  Christmas  and  January,  tliey  must 
select  the  right  varieties.  It  is  almost  useless  to  try  those  with  very 
double  blossoms,  although,  in  those  cut  to-day  and  previously,  there 
were  Jean  Ducher,  Maman  Cochet,  Catherine  Mermet,  and  Brides¬ 
maid  ;  but  in  this  case  the  plants  have  been  well  matured,  and 
forced  for  several  years  in  succession.  Of  course,  as  they  are  in  full 
bloom  now,  they  will  naturally  have  made  their  second  crop  quite 
early  in  the  season  ;  for  Teas  in  pots  should  be  allowed  to  flower 
a  second  time  the  same  season,  in  accordance  with  their  natural  habit 
outdoors.  Most  of  the  Hybrid  Rerpetuals,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
better  removed  to  another  house,  and  the  space  occupied  by  a  second 
set  of  plants.  It  seldom  pays  to  keep  the  Hybrid  Rerpetuals  for 
a  second  crop  under  glass  during  the  same  season. 
The  pjlants  that  are  now  in  flower  were  housed  early  in  November. 
They  would  have  been  under  cover  three  weeks  carlur  had  not  the 
weather  been  so  mild.  After  they  had  flowered  the  second  time  last 
season  they  were  removed  to  a  sheltered  place  outside,  d'his  was 
some  time  in  Mayor  June.  By  not  overwatering,  the  wood  left  below 
where  a  flower  was  cut,  and  also  that  producing  no  bloom,  got  much 
harder  and  riper  than  would  have  been  tlie  case  if  not  fully  exposed. 
It  is  true  that  most  of  the  plants  were  active  sldl,  producing  sevcr.il 
small  flowers  and  young  growths  from  the  point;  but  I  would  not 
have  it  otherwise,  even  if  it  were  possible.  Wo  never  see  a  Tea- 
scented  Rose  at  complete  rest,  unless  very  severe  weather  ha-i  been 
experienced.  Then  why  expect  it  during  summer  ?  The  jilants  .^tood 
in  this  position  until  early  in  September,  when  they  were  turned  out 
of  the  po  s,  as  much  of  the  old  compost  rubbed  off  as  could  be  without 
seriously  disturbing  the  roots,  and  rep)otted  into  a  gool  and  rich 
loamy  compost. 
It  seems  a  rooted  idea  that  no  pot  Rose  must  have  its  roots 
disturbed  under  any  consideration,  or  the  growths  will  go  blind.  This 
is  wrong,  and  no  doubt  arose  from  the  fact  that  if  we  are  to  get  the 
best  results  from  our  most  vigorous  growers  the  season  following 
their  roots  should  not  be  disturbed.  But  the  two  cases  were  not  quite 
similar.  WTlh  our  medium  growers  we  prune  back  to  ripe  eyes,  and 
cat  away  a  considerable  amount  of  the  wmod.  In  the  other  case  we 
cannot  prune  without  sacrificing  the  best  flowering  wood,  and  conse¬ 
quently  if  the  roots  are  lo  develop  the  whole  of  the  eyes  upon  long 
rods  of  growth,  they  must  be  more  established  than  is  necessary  with 
w.  aker  grow’ers.  Climbers  in  pots  are  generally  repotted  at  the  same 
lime  as  the  others,  but  they  need  quite  different  treatment  during 
summer,  and  are  simpfly  repotted  without  removing  much  of  the  old 
compost.  These  will  be  alluded  to  again  in  due  course. 
When  the  medium  growers  are  repotted  they  are  stood  on  a  fairly 
sheltered  border,  and  frequently  syringed  if  the  weather  is  dry.  This 
prevents  wood  shrivelling  from  the  slight  root  disturbance.  Tlirec 
wcebs  or  so  afterwards  the  plants  arc  pruned,  but  remain  in  the  same 
position  as  long  as  the  weather  is  mild.  The  fact  of  their  being  faitly 
ripe,  the  slight  root  distuibance,  and  their  contact  with  fresh  soil, 
induces  new  roots  to  form  rapjidly.  All  of  us  have  noticed  how  very 
soon  a  Rose  puts  out  new  roots  when  laid  into  fresh  soil.  This  is  so, 
even  in  the  dead  of  winter.  How  much  more  so  during  the  genial 
days  of  autumn  ?  It  is  self-evident  that  with  only  ripened  eyes  left  on 
the  plant,  and  the  roots  puGiing  into  vigorous  growth,  the  eyes  must 
move  as  well.  And  they  do.  It  is  our  place  lo  see  that  thir  spurt  of 
activity  does  not  receive  an  injurious  check.  This  is  where  so  many 
fail.  Remove  the  plants  to  cover  as  soon  as  frost  appears,  or  even  cold 
weather.  Asalreaiy  remarVcl,  the  last  autumn  did  not  necessitate 
this  until  much  later  than  usual,  nor  was  there  need  of  artificial  heat 
for  some  little  lime  after  housing. 
Early  in  December  the  plants  had  healthy  young  growths  from 
2  to  4  inches  long,  and  were  then  hurried  by  a  little  fire  heat ;  iu  fact, 
we  endeavour  from  the  first  to  bring  them  on  as  naturally  as  possible; 
and  we  never  find  full  summer  weather  while  the  plants  iu  the  opec 
are  quite  or  nearly  dormant.  Yet  so  many  introduce  a  ripe  plant  into 
an  almost  stove  temperature  before  the  sap  has  become  act  vc.  A 
little  thought  would  surely  prevent  this.  I  need  not  say  that  only 
the  ripest  and  most  promising  plants  are  chosen  for  winter  forcing., 
the  others  are  saved  to  come  on  as  a  second  and  third  supply. 
Now  to  come  a  little  closer  to  the  point  that  I  gatlur  your 
correspondent  finds  some  little  difficulty  in.  After  the  later  plaute 
h  ive  flowered  and  been  placed  in  the  open  they  are  treated  the  same 
as  the  first,  except  that  they  are  not  potted  quite  so  early,  auJ.  are 
housed  in  pits  instead  of  remaining  in  the  open  again  for  a  time.  The 
])it-!  are  merely  used  to  keep  off  excessive  rains  and  the  chilly  weather; 
otherwise  the  treatment  is  similar,  the  Roses  being  taken  to  a  tempe¬ 
rature  of  40"  or  45°  eaTy  in  the  year.  This,  together  with  the  remark- 
ablo  influence  the  s.im  has  upon  all  plant  life  after  theda^s  have 
turr.ed,  causes  healthy  and  strong  breaks  of  new  groavths.  I  Iwlieve 
in  working  Roses  in  pots  on  much  the  s.ame  priucip’o  as  we  adopt 
with  Tuli[)s,  Hyacinths,  and  other  bulb.a.  We  get  some  root  action 
first  hero,  and  do  not  put  tlic  bulb  into  a  greenhouse  heat  at  once. 
Do  wo  net  find  a  steady  root  advance  in  tlie  open  before  our  Roses 
break  into  growth,  and  before  early  summer  weather  is  expeiionce.d  ? 
The  general  routine  of  culture  under  glass  I  will  not  dwell  upon 
now  ;  it  has  been  given  so  often.  But  I  do  feed  certain  that'  most 
failures  to  force  Roses  early  can  he  put  down  to  the  few  errors  of 
judgment  I  have  endeavoured  to  point  out. 
The  difference  wlien  glowing  climber-s  in  pots  lies  in  cutting  there 
down  as  soon  as  the  crop  is  over.  Maiechal  Niel  and  othe  s  seldom 
give  us  a  second  crop  tlie  same  season,  and  it  is  well  to  secure  more 
long  rods  of  maiden  growth  f  r  the  next  season.  This  is  why  the 
plants  arc  kept  under  glass  and  fedi  freely  until  such  rods  are  obtained, 
after  which  they  are  removed  to  the  open  lo  ripen  and  mature,  ready 
for  eaily  forcing  once  more.  If  your  correspondent  has  any  further 
difficulty,  and  will  give  a  dtscription  of  it,  as  well  as  his  treatment  of 
the  jdants,  I  will  gladly  help  him  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and  when 
I  say  that  fully  twenty  years  ago  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure 
one  of  the  R.H.S,  medals  at  South  Kensington  for  cut  Ro^cs  grown 
iji  the  winter,  and  have  been  more  or  loss  among  pot  Roses  ever  since, 
he  will,  perhaps,  believe  I  have  a  right  to  the  nom  de  plume  of — 
Practice. 
SOIL  ANALYSES. 
Your  Forest  Hill  coircspondont,  “  H.  H.  R.,”  refers  in  (lie  issue 
of  December  29th  last  (page  500)  to  some  observations  of  my  own  on 
the  above  sn' jeet  in  a  previous  issue.  I  had  satisfied  myself  by 
experience  that  it  was  easkr  to  lose  money  than  make  it  by  extensive 
series  of  soil  analyses,  and  to  found  thereon  a  system  of  special  mauuruig 
for  various  kinds  of  crops.  After  apiJying,  on  scientific  advice,  what 
were  considered  appropriate  food  materials  for  certain  kinds  of  vege¬ 
tables,  fmils,  and  flowers,  and  finding  that  no  small  amount  of  time, 
with  some  money  and  reputation,  was  being  wasted  in  the  process, 
an  escape  xvas  made  from  the  fanciful  routine. 
Most  of  us  are,  I  suspect,  prone  to  indulge  in  imaginings  even  if 
they  be  vain,  as  mine  has  proved  in  respect  to  “  H.  H.  R.”  1  c  nild 
not  bring  myself  to  think  of  him  as  a  profe.ssional  gardener-,  though 
I  had  an  idea  he  might  be  something  rrrore-a  philosopher  learned  in 
tlie  sciences.  I  arir  surprised  to  Icatn  on  his  own  aritherriiy  on 
pace  500  that  he  is  “  no  chemist.”  Tliat  being  so,  I  am  driven  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  neither  derives  inspiration  from  practice  in  the 
garden  nor  from  original  scientific  research. 
Such  nren  are  often  ar-Jeut  lov(>ts  of  gardut.ing,  and  suicerely 
desiroris  of  being  helpful  in  it;  aud  arc,  in  my- experieme,  jut  the 
men  lo  think  that  wonders  may  be  wrought  as  the  result  of  acting  iu 
accordance  with  the  revelations  of  soil  analyses.  I  have  not  the 
smallest  hesitation  in  saying  that  is  a  mistake.  '1  he  greatest 
sirccesscs  in  cultivation  have  been  attained  witlioirt  anytniiig  of  the 
kind.  If  the  soil  must  be  analysed,  to  find  what  it  docs  and  dees  not 
Contain,  so  must  the  plants  and  crops  intended  to  be  gr-own  in  it,  or 
wo  shoitld  be  “no  forrader”  in  our  dream  of  so-calUd  scieutific 
manuring  ;  and  then  as  the  constiiiierits  differ  in  the  same  kjnds  of 
plants  as’grown  in  soils  of  diverse  natiu'e,  where  arc  wo  ?  Noting 
flood  of  light,  but  rather  in  somewhat  of  a  ffg. . 
I  have  been  fogged  many  times  by  scientific  elucidations  (?)  ami, 
rightly  or  wronglyq  have  arrived  at  this  conchrsiou— namely,  if  a  man 
cannot  make  the  best  of  a  garden  in  jiroducing  what  is  itquircd  to  be 
grown  in  it  without  all  the  diving  iuto  lire  mysteries  which  merr  with 
a  scientific  tur'n  of  mind  desire,  that  such  man  is  not  endowed  with 
the  instincts  of  a  gardener.  I  have  been  what  I  once  thought 
guided,  hut  now  call  bothered,  by  i.nmhci-s  of  analyses,  and  foitml 
tl  erii  of  no  practical  use,  hrrt,  on  the  cjutrarj’,  more  or  lest 
bewildering. 
