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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  3,  1903. 
Bedding  Rose,  Ccrallina. 
Already  this  fine  decorative  Rose  has  found  its  place,  vliich 
is  in  the  front  rank  of  good  garden  varieties.  It  was  a  pleasure 
to  see  bunches  of  it  staged  by  a  Norfolk  firm  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
Clirysanthemum  Show  recently.  The  variety  was  sent  out  by 
W  in.  Paul  and  Son  in  1899.  It  is  a  splendid  free-flowering 
autumnal,  the  flowers  of  fine  shape  and  good  substance,  and 
coloured  rosy  red — one  cannot  say  rosy  crimson  at  this  season ; 
thougli  a  dry  autumn  would  most  likely  increase/  the  crimson 
in  tlu>  petals.  At  all  events,  no  one  can  do'  wrong  in  adding  this 
dwarf  newcomer,  to  a  collection  of  decorative  Roses. — John 
Avenel. 
Crimson  Ramblers  for  Easter. 
The  two-year-old  of  Crimson  Rambler  (obseiwes  the 
“American  Florist”)  will  soon  arrive  from  the  nurseries,  and 
should  be  potted  in  heavy  clay  soil  as  soon  as  received.  If  the 
canes  are  six  or  seven  feet  long,  shorten  them  back  to  three  or 
four  feet.  These  canes  can  be  twisted  and  bent  into  any  desired 
.shaiDe  ;  they  .should  never  be  left  straight  or  the  breaks  will  be 
uneven.  Start  them  in  a  cool  house,  a,s  near  to  40deg  as 
possible,  until  about  twelve  week.s  before  they  are  wanted  in 
bloom,  when  the  temperature  can  be  gradually  increased  each 
week  until  oodeg  at  night  is  reached,  nhich  will  bring  them  into 
flower  nicely  for  Easter  (April).  Success  in  forcing  Ramblers 
for  Easter  depends  largely  upon  the  way  they  are  handled  now. 
Start  them  gradually,  water  sparingly  as  long  as  there  is  little 
root  action,  gradually  increasing  the  water  supply  as  the  tem¬ 
perature  is  raised  and  growth  commences. 
Roses  in  America. 
Like  “  W.  R.  Raillem,”  I  have  not  been  in  America  myself, 
but  through  various  channels  I  glean  a  little  respecting  American 
horticulture.  A  friend  of  mine  who  own.s  a  large  nursery  in 
Hants,  spent  some  of  his  time  in  the  States,  and  when  he  informed 
mo  that  they  grew  their  Roses  under  such  a  system  I,  like  your 
able  rosarian,  was  surprised.  Rut  Americans  are  ever  after 
quick  returns,  and  the  methods  of  Carnation  culture  and  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  culture  for  market  are  equally  surprising.  We 
growers  would  be  shocked  to  see  Mums  planted  direct  into  huge 
houses  from  the  cutting  bench,  and  kept  there  throughout  the 
season.  Yet  they  get  the  finest  of  blooms,  which  fetch  from  a 
(piarter  to  a  whole  dollar  apiece.  Re.specting  the  Roses,  how 
could  they  sell  4in  or  Gin  plant.s  of  such  as-  Papa  Gontier,  Etoile 
do  Lyon,  Marion  Dingee,  Marie  Guillot,  Sun.set,  Rainbow,  La 
France,  Meteor,  Madame  Abel  Chatenay,  Maman  Cochet,  Ac., 
at  prices  from  three  to  twenty  cents  apiece  were  it  not  for  some 
method  of  lightning  culture.^  and  that  method  is  heat-struck 
cuttings.  If  Roses  budded  on  the  Manetti  are  desired  one  can¬ 
not  get  them  under  forty  or  fifty  cents  each.  Naturally  the 
latter  give  the  quickest  returns  to  the  amateur,  but  very  few  are 
sold  compared  with  the  cutting  plants,  which,  if  allowed  to  do  so, 
generally  flower  the  same  season.  Some  three  years  ago  I  had 
one  of  these  tiny  wisir-like  plants  sent,  me,  the  variety  being 
American  rai.sed,  named  Champion  of  the  World.  I  potted  it, 
and  it  flowered  in  the  house  within  tlii'oe  months.  Allowing  it  to 
do  .so  undoubtedly  checked  it,  for  not  until  this  season  has  it 
exhibited  the  trait  claimed — cha.mpion  in  growth  and  other 
points.  However,  the  wood  is  not  stout  enough  to  bear  good 
flowers,  but  next  season,  after  hard  cutting  back,  should  prove 
it  thoroughly.  Apparently  the  flowers  resemble  La  France  some- 
Avliat,  but  it  is  a  Tea,  and  said  to  be  absolutely  mildew-proof. 
Some  strange  points  about  it  are  its  freedom  from  green  fly  and 
maggot,  its  pale  foliage,  wliich  is  shiny,  and  reminds  one  of  a 
Wichuraiana.  To  hark  back  to  market  men,  only  a  ferv  varie¬ 
ties  are  cultivated,  not  more  than  a  dozen  or’ fifteeji  at  the 
outside. — A.  W. 
Rose,  Madame  Antoin  Mare. 
This  Rose  was  raised,  I  think,  by  M.  Mare,  of  Nice,  who  kept 
the  stock  for  some  years,  but  eventually  consigned  it  to  Jupeau 
(?)  of  Paris,  from  whom  Mr.  Arthur  Paid,  of  Wm.  Paul  and  Son, 
Waltham  Cr^s,  secured  plants.  The  variety  is  a  free  grower, 
and  was  certificated  in  September,  1902. 
Roses,  Old  and  New.- — Mr.  J.  T.  Strange,  Aldermaston,  gave 
an  admirable  lecture  on  “  Roses,  old  and  new  ”  recently  at  Tlieale. 
He  traced  the  history  and  development  of  the  Rose  from  the  old 
Clabbage,  Damask,  and  Sweet  Briar  to  the  many  beautiful  kinds 
of  the  present  day,  gave  an  account  of  the  first  raising  of  Hybrid 
Teas,  and  referred  to  some  of  the  foremost  Roses  grown  from 
“  snorts.” 
Adaptation  in  a  Pelarganinm 
The  illu.stration  on  the  next  page  is  interesting  as  an  example 
of  a  double  flower  reverting  to  the  single  form.  Of  course,  we 
have  not  here  any  sexual  influence,  only  a  morpholo-gical 
difference.  Reversion  in  hybrids  and  crosses  is  hardly  yet 
definalde,  although  observers  are  fast  building  up  theories ;  but 
where  purely  morphological  differences  evince  themselves,  we 
can  trace  the  cause  almost  invariably  to  new  conditions  of  culture, 
in  garden  plants,  or  fresh  surroundings,  if  in  Nature.  This  is 
called  adai>tation.  Double  '  flowers  all  arise  from  single 
flowers,  bj'^  the  transformation  of  stamens  and  pistils  into  petals. 
This  cannot  be  traced  in  every  instance  where  double  flower.s 
exist,  but  it  can  in  tuberous  Begonias,  Water  Lilies,  Dahlias, 
and  many  othens.  In  the  Pelargonium  here  noticed,  it  appears 
that  the  .stamens  and  pistil  have  developed  perfectly,  thu.s  making 
the  “single”  flower;  while  in  the  inflorescence  of  the  one  first 
produced,  the  mal-fcrmed  or  double  flower  was  formed.  The 
photograph  came  from  Mr.  Tyler,  Halstead,  Essex. 
i  Q  ^  ■ - 
Floral  Decorations. 
Realism  in  Floral  Designs. 
“The  Florist.s’  Exchange”  figures  a  panel  representative  of 
General  Grant  on  horseback.  The  frame  u.sed  was  a  panel  5ft 
by  6ft,  and  was  first  covered  completely  with  green  moss,  then 
the  figure.s  were  worked  out  with  Immortelles  of  the  proper 
colours,  100  bunches  of  these  being  required  for  the  purpose. 
As  a  finish  to  the  formal  design,  the  natural  flowers  had  been 
exceedingly  well  placed.  There  was  a  clu.ster  of  Lilies  at  the 
lower  left-hand  corner,  and  a  cluster  of  American  Beauty  Roses 
at  the  upper  right-hand  corner.  The  arti.st  had  known  just  how 
large  to  make  those  clusters  to  jirovide  a  setting  for  the  picture 
without  ovcr.shadowing  the  features  of  either  the  rider  or  the 
horse.  It  is  not  always  po-ssible  to  get  live  green  moss,  and  in 
the  absence  of  that  material  one  would  have  to  u.se  the  ordinary 
.sphagnum  moss  instead.  It  would  then  be  necessary  to  use 
green  Galax,  or  Ivy,  leaves  as  a  covering  for  the  inos.s  in  forming 
the  background  for  the  picture,  though  the  leaves  need  not  be 
placed  until  the  figures  had  been  worked  out  with  the  Immor¬ 
telles.  Around  the  edges  of  the  panel,  leaves  that  have  been 
stemmed  two  or  three  together  should  be  put  in  and  left  so  as  to' 
.stand  a  few  inches  away  from  the  edge,  thus  making  a  suitable 
frame  for  the  picture. 
Another  uniiiue  design  that  came  to  our  notice  recently  was 
one  furnished  by  Timothy  F.  Creedon,  florist,  at  Middleboro’, 
Mass.  This  was  a  representation  of  a  child’s  cart,  and  was  sent 
by  .sympathising  friends  to  the  funeral  of  a  little  girl  whose  chief 
pastime  had  been  the  wheeling  of  her  little  cart.  A  small  cart, 
standing  about  2ft  high,  was  used  as  a  frame,'  the  back,  sides, 
and  foot  rest  were  filled  in  with  white  flowers  and  the  seat  with 
pink.  The  arm  rests  were  composed  of  Admiral  Cervera  Carna¬ 
tions,  bordered  with  small  pink  Chrysanthemums,  and  Roses  were 
used  plentifully,  both  in  the  body  of  the  carriage  and  on  the  arm¬ 
rests.  The  fact  of  our  writing  about  realism  in  floral  ae.ngns 
will  not,  we  hope,  lead  to  the  belief  that  we  are  an  advocate  of 
that  class  of  work  for  funeral  occasions.  At  patriotic  celebra¬ 
tions  or  political  gatherings  one  can  with  iiropriety  give  full 
.scope  to  his  arti.stic  abilitjq  and  make  any  design  or  figure  that 
is  called  for ;  but  for  funeral  purposes  we  think  they  are  out  of 
place. 
Simple  Dinner-table  Decoration. 
For  the  centrepiece  a  common  wicker  plaque  is  the  most 
desirable  to  use.  This  is  first  filled  with  damp  moss,  then  the 
moss  is  tied  in  place  with  green  thread.  After  the  mossing  is 
completed,  Adiantum  or  some  other  .suitable  Fern,  is  .stemmed 
and  u.sed  to  cover  the  basket,  hiding  the  moss  completely,  and 
also  leaving  sprays  to  hang  well  down  over  the  edge  of  the  plaque. 
The  Roses  are^  then  put  in  position,  and  to  have  them  so  that 
they  will  stay  firm  in  the  moss,  it  is  best  to  wire  them  on  to  the 
regular  flower  .sticks.  AVhen  arranging  the  Roses,  they  should 
never  be  left  high  enough  to  obstruct  the  view  of  those  who  are 
sitting  at  the  table.  Many  otherwise  pretty  table  decorations 
have  been  spoiled  by  the  centrepiece  being  too  high.  Low  effects 
are  alway.s  the  mo.st  desirable  on  a  round  or  oval  table,  and  the 
smaller  the  table  the  less  towering  .should  the  arrangement  of 
flower.s  be.  From  the  centrepiece  to  within  about  20in  of  the 
edge  of  the  table,  sprays  of  Ferns  may  be  laid  here  and  there.  A 
few  Roses  can  be  placed  among  the  Ferns  to  advantage,  though 
Roses  here  are  not  an  absolute  necessity.  We  have  seen  fronds 
of  Nephrolepis  used  in  the  .space  between  the  glasses  and  the 
centrepiece  with  pleasing  effect,  and  that  without  havdng  any 
flowers  intermixed  with  them.  The  favours  for  the  guests  must 
not  be  forgotten ;  they  may  be  Gardenias,  Carnations,  Roses,  or 
Cattleyas.  This  m  ’e  of  arrangement  of  a  table,  setting  can  be 
varied  at  wid.  Cainations  and  Asparagus  may  be  u.sed  in  place 
of  Ro.scs  and  Fm’u';.  or  Cattlevas  and  Adiantum  Farleyense  can 
be  substituted.  This  would  be  much  more  expensive. 
