We have here a house 16x75 feet, which is used as a Marechal Niel rose-house. This house is span-roofed, and contains five plants, two of which will have to come out in the spring, as they are getting too much crowded. These vines are planted in one line through the center of the house, and are both budded and on their own roots as follows: Plant No. 1 is worked on Noisette, Madame Longchamps. No. 2 is on its own roots, as also is plant No. 3. No. 4 is worked on a free-growing pink Noisette, name unknown. No. 5 is worked on Solfaterre. As this house has become noted hereabouts for its production of buds, it may be of general interest to note the difference in these plants. No. 1 is at the southwest end of the house (which runs northeast and southwest), and in winter is shaded by the brick gable end of the house more than the others. It has made strongest growth of any, and produces more bloom than any two of the others, but seldom gives as many buds at Christmas, on account of its position in reference to the sun at that season, though its eastern bloom is usually magnificent. Nos. 2 and 3 have made a fair but moderate growth, but nevertheless are the most unproductive plants in the house. No. 4 has grown splendidly, and next to No. 1 is the most productive of all.

This is our Christmas plant. No. 5 has grown enormously, and though in the most favorable position in the house has as yet proved rather unproductive in comparison with the other budded plants. These roses are now in their eighth winter, and the stems of Nos. 1 and 5 measure in circumference over twelve inches each. I have never kept any account of the number of buds cut in a season, but have on more than one occasion cut 250 buds at one cutting, nine-tenths of which were from the three budded plants. Just now I am in a quandary. The house is too full of wood, and some of the plants must be removed. A gentleman in this neighborhood, of large experience, prophesies that my budded plants will eventually die from decay at the point of insertion of the bud stock. There is, in fact, some bursting of bark and slight decay at this point. The plants at the extreme ends of the house (Nos. 1 and 5) would fill the house in one summer if all the others are removed, but before removing any I would like to hear the experience of others with budded roses under glass, as to their permanency.

My practice with these roses has been to remove the glass from over them in May and let them grow unchecked during the summer.

The sashes are replaced in October and the plants pruned. At this Autumn pruning I try to preserve a full supply of strong, well-ripened canes of the summer's growth, and prune out the weak growths and the old stunted stubs. These long canes will, if well ripened, soon be strung with buds on short side shoots. These are the buds for Christmas and midwinter. After this crop is about over, I go over the plants again, and spur in the shoots that have bloomed close to the cane. This usually gives me an abundant bloom for Easter, and on till the glass comes off again. Many critics say I prune too much, but with me "the proof of the pudding is the eating of it." I get as large crops of buds as any one I know of, and am perfectly satisfied with the pruning. Your correspondent, on page 360 of December number, says the plants on their own roots will decay, though mine show no signs of it. Now which am I to remove, the budded plants or those on their own roots?