508 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  22,  1899. 
its  congener,  0.  ilicifolia,  seems  poor  and  unsatisfying,  though  it  has 
beauties  too. 
Seeming  to  revel  in  the  drought  and  the  sunlight  are  the  Cistuses  and 
IleliautheiDums.  But  for  their  tenderness  the  former  would  be  among 
the  most  useful  of  our  summer-flowering  garden  plants.  Looking  at 
the  beauty  of  the  few  which  can  be  trusted  to  live  outdoors  for  a 
few  years,  one  is  reminded  of  great  bushes  in  more  southern  gardens 
laden  with  brief-lived  flowers,  dazzling  in  their  brightness  and  loveli¬ 
ness.  I  shall  not  attempt  to  deal  with  the  synonymity  of  the  Cistuses. 
The  Rev.  C.  Wolley-Dod  can  tell  of  it  better  than  I.  It  is  enough  to 
look  upon  a  bush  of  the  one  which  passes  as  C.  corbariensis  with  many, 
but  which  the  Kew  Index  calls  C.  salvifolius,  with  nigh  upon  a 
hundred  open  flowers.  Of  the  Ilelianthenmms  one  has  so  often 
spoken  that  thej'  may  almost  be  left  alone  ;  j'et  there  are  no  better 
<lry  weather  plants.  As  one  gazes  upon  their  bright  little  flowers 
they  recall  a  floe  rock  garden  in  Surrey,  where  on  the  chalk  they  are 
more  deliglitful  than  in  my  own  garden. 
How  much  we  are  influenced  by  imagination  is  realised  when  one 
wanders  to  the  little  Water  Lily  pool  and  studies  the  floating  leaves  and 
swelling  buds  of  the  Nymphaeas.  A  sensation  of  coolness  comes  over 
us  as  we  look  upon  the  pool  with  its  aquatics  and  its  fringe  of 
surrounding  plants  which  delight  in  the  moisture  they  can  draw  at 
will.  Cool  does  it  feel  as  we  look  upon  the  Irises  with  their  fresh 
leaves  and  their  bright  gay  flowers.  They  bring  to  us  the  remem¬ 
brance  of  Longfellow’s  poem,  which  also  seems,  in  some  degree,  to 
waft  to  us  a  thought  of  refreshing  breezes  and  cooling  waters.  We 
may  join  in  spirit  with  the  departed  singer  of  sweet  songs  and  say — 
“0,  Flower-de-luce,  bloom  on,  and  let  the  river 
Linger  to  kiss  thy  feet ; 
0,  flower  of  song,  hloom  on,  and  make  for  ever 
The  world  more  fair  and  sweet.” 
— S.  Arnott. 
CHOIS YA  TERNATA. 
I  CAN  fully  bear  out  all  that  Mr.  Abbey  says  of  this  useful  shrub  on 
page  465,  and  as  to  its  relative  hardiness,  I  think  I  may  venture  a  step 
farther  than  your  contributor,  in  that  the  shelter  of  a  wall  having  a 
sunny  aspect  is  not  absolutely  necessary  in  the  West  of  England.  Here 
in  the  pleasure  grounds  a  plant  has  stood  for  many  years,  and  had  the 
reputation  at  one  time  of  being  one  of  the  largest  seen  in  such  a  position. 
Its  dimensions  are  not  now  what  they  were  six  years  since,  the  two  cold 
winters  of  such  severe  and  prolonged  frosts  cuttirg  all  the  older  stems 
down  to  the  ground.  This  season  it  has  been  finer  than  I  have  previously 
seen  it,  both  in  its  wealth  of  blossom,  robust  health,  and  compactness  in 
growth,  which  satisfactory’  condition  is  the  outcome  of  the  frost,  necessi¬ 
tating  the  removal  of  all  its  branches,  and  the  fresh  and  abundant  sucker 
growth  that  ba.s  since  issued.  It  has  been  most  striking  as  a  landscape 
object,  and  useful  for  filling  vases  in  the  house. 
Its  situation  would  not  strike  one  as  being  very  suitable,  for  it  is 
fihaded  by  tall  adjacent  trees,  and  occupies  a  position  at  the  foot  of  a  deep 
bank  furnished  with  other  shrubs.  The  spot  is  a  delightfully  cool  one  in 
summer,  and  still  more  so  in  winter,  for  while  the  summer  sun  is  filtered 
by  trees  and  shrubs  on  the  south  and  west,  cold  winds  from  the  north, 
west,  and  east  furnish  an  extreme  that  would  soon  tell  its  tale  unfavoui- 
ably  on  anything  not  possessed  of  a  good  constitution.  It  certainly  is  a 
position  that  would  be  seldom  chosen  for  the  planting  of  a  tender  shrub, 
such  as  It  was  treated  at  the  time  it  was  planted  here,  and  the  soil  being 
of  a  clayey  nature  would  seem  adverse  rather  than  favourable  to  its 
welfare. 
Taking  all  these  points  into  view,  I  can  scarcely  define  the  shrub  as 
a  tender  one,  needing  the  sheltering  influence  of  a  sunny  south  or  west 
wal .  1  should  not  hesitate  to  plant  in  less  favourable  situations,  com¬ 
paratively  speaking,  than  those  advised  by  Mr.  Abbey,  and  considered 
necessary  by  planters  generally.  At  the  same  time  I  consider  that  as  a 
wall  shrub  nothing  could  give  a  better  display  than  the  Choisya  when 
a  position  suited  to  its  requirements  is  available. 
•  *  Bristol  garden  I  once  saw  a  very  fine  and  spreading  plant  growing 
m  the  angle  of  the  mansion  which,  when  in  flower,  pervaded  the  rooms 
with  Its  pleasant  perfume  through  the  open  windows  adjoining.  This  had 
a  favourable  spot,  and  the  extent  of  growth  proved  that  the  plant  was 
well  suited  both  in  soil  and  aspect. 
Mr.  Abbey-’s  advice  to  plant  outdoors  may  well  be  repeated,  especially 
to  those  who  have  been  content  to  cultivate  them  in  pots,  and  that,  too 
without  much  satisfaction  from  a  floral  point  of  view.  Being  strong  in 
root  growth,  small  pots  cannot  long  support  them,  at  any  rate,  not  to 
urnish  flowers  sufficient  to  satisfy  greenhouse  requirements.  I  should 
hesitate  to  plant  it  in  a  conservatory  unless  the  structure  was  of  large 
dimensions,  for  the  fragrance  of  a  big  bush  would  prove  too  much  in 
a  limited  space.  It  is  curious  that  a  shrub  so  long  cultivated  by  British 
gardeners  should  not  have  become  more  often  planted  outdoors,  but  the 
lact  of  its  being  cultivated  in  pots  accounts  to  some  extent  no  doubt  lor 
neglect  outdoors. 
There  is  an  advantage  in  planting  in  sunny  and  shaded  places  in  that 
a  longer  succession  of  flowers  for  cutting  is  furnished,  and  the  additional 
feature  which  it  produces  while  in  flower  in  other  than  the  sunny  situa- 
tion,  but  the  one  here  plainly  shows  that  it  is  not  particular  as  to  soil.— 
vv .  S ,  i?ooi  Asliion. 
Rose  Show  Fixtures  in  1899. 
June  24th  (Saturday). — Windsor. 
„  27th  (Tuesday). — Westminster  (R.II.S.)  and  Southampton®. 
„  28th  (Wednesday). — Bath,  Croy’don,  Maidstone,  Richmond, 
and  Ryde. 
„  29th  (Thursday). — Canterbury  and  Sutton. 
July  1st  (Saturday). — Crystal  Palace  (N.R.S.). 
„  4th  (Tuesday). — Gloucester  and  Harrow. 
„  5th  (Wednesday). — Brockham,  Ealing,  Hanley®,  Ilitchiu, 
Reigate  (Redhill),  and  Tunbridge  Wells. 
„  6th  (Thursday). — Co'chester  (N.R.S.)  and  Farningham. 
„  7th  (Friday). — Hereford. 
„  8th  (Saturday). — Manchester. 
„  11th  (Tuesday). — Reading  and  Wolverhampton. f 
„  13th  (Thursday). — Bedale.  Brentwood,  Eltham,  Helensburgh, 
Norw’ich,  and  Woodbridge. 
„  14th  (Friday). — Flverston. 
„  15th  (Saturday). — New  Brighton. 
„  19th  (We  inesrlay). — Cardiff®,  Newcastle-on-Tyne.f 
„  20th  (T.iursday). — Salterhebble  aud  Sidcup. 
„  22nd  (Saturday). — Newton  Mearns. 
„  25th  (Tuesday). — Tibshelf. 
Aug.  3rd  (Thursday). — Liverpool  J 
®  Shows  lasting  two  days.  f  Shows  lasting  three  days, 
J  Show  lasting  four  days. 
— Edward  Mawley,  RosebanJc,  Berkhamsted,  Herts. 
Hon.  Edith  Gifford. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  charmirg  of  the  Tea  Roses,  its  fine  flowers 
being  of  great  substance,  white  with  a  blush  centre.  It  is  also  one  of 
the  hardiest  and  best  growers,  though,  unfortunately,  not  so  free  as 
Marie  Van  Houtc,  Madame  Larabard,  and  one  or  two  more  of  the  best 
known  kinds.  What  beautiful  flowers  these  delightful  Roses  give  us 
at  this  time  of  year,  buds  and  fully  expanded  blooms  being  equally 
beautiful,  though  the  latter  are  not,  of  course,  so  useful  for  cutting.  It 
is  a  mistake  to  prune  these  kinds  too  hard;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
many  growers  leave  in  far  too  much  weakly  spray. — H. 
Roses  in  Pots  Unsatisfactory. 
“  I  REPOTTED  ray  Roses  early  last  autumn  in  (as  I  now  fear) 
soil  unsuitable  by  being  too  light,  I  then  left  them  out  in  the 
open,  and  they  were  subjected  to  very  heavy  rain  for  some  time. 
This,  I  fancy,  had  the  effect  of  washing  out  the  nutriineut  and 
clogging  the  drainage.  In  spite  of  liquid  and  artificial  manures  I 
failed  to  get  good  results  in  the  spring.  Should  I  repot  with  better 
compost  now,  or  leave  them  alone  till  the  usual  and  proper  time  in 
the  autumn  ?  It  is  in  February  and  March  that  1  should  prefer  to 
secure  bloom,  starting  the  Roses  with  Vines  about  that  time.” — Bryn. 
[We  publish  the  above  letter  as  convenient  for  giving  a  reply  that 
may  be  useful  to  others  as  well  as  “  Bryn.”  As  to  repotting  in  the 
autumn,  unless  the  Roses  need  it,  and  the  work  is  done  in  the  right 
manner,  in  suitable  soil,  and  this  kept  suitable,  repotting  them  may 
easily  do  more  harm  than  good. 
If  the  pots  of  the  failing  Roses  were  fairly  filled  with  healthy  roots, 
turning  the  plants  out,  rectifying  the  drainage,  and  protecting  it  with 
turf  or  moss;  rubbing  off  the  loose  surface  soil  with  any  inert  particles, 
returning  to  the  pots,  then  adding  sound  and  slightly  enriched  turfy 
loam,  working  it  down  with  a  stick ;  then  pressing  the  whole  firmly 
together,  and  standing  the  pots  on  tiles  or  laths  with  an  inch  of  space 
between  them  for  the  free  escape  of  water,  the  plants  would  have 
flourished  much  better  than  by  shifting  them  into  larger  pots  in  too 
light  and  insufficiently  firmed  soil,  and  taking  no  special  precautions 
for  effective  drainage. 
However  unsuitable  the  soil  used,  it  was  made  averse  by  saturation. 
Overwatering  after  repotting  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  evils,  and  the 
greater  the  bulk  of  soil  unoccupied  with  roots  the  greater  the  evil 
must  be.  If  the  drainage  was  “clogged  ”  with  soil,  either  the  crocks 
were  not  properly  protected,  or  the  pots  stood  on  a  base  which 
prevented  the  escape  of  superfluous  moisture.  In  this  case  the 
nutriment  would  not  he  washed  out,  but  retained,  and  the  saturated 
soil  by  lack  of  air  circulating  through  it  would  be  soured — poisoned ; 
while  the  roots,  because  they  could  not  breathe,  would  sicken  and  die. 
Giving  liquid  or  artificials  under  such  conditions  would  make 
matters  worse,  as  such  applications  can  only  do  good  when  there  are 
active  healthy  roots  to  imbibe  them,  while  if  given  too  strong  such 
roots  as  there  are  must  be  injured.  We  suspect  our  correspondent  has 
