2CA 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



shy of second blooms, may redeem their 

 short-comings under more fitvourable con- 

 ditions. Nevertheless, those that have done 

 well are not likely in future to disappoint, 

 and are consequently worth pointing out. 

 I will therefore venture a few further re- 

 marks upon individual varieties, leaving 

 those I have already mentioned to remain 

 as I stated. In making these, I must 

 disclaim any intention of dogmatizing, 

 and confess myself open to correction by 

 more experienced authorities. First as to 

 the newer sorts. I have observed, where 

 roses are largely grown, that Louis XIV. 

 is a much more free bloomer in the autumn 

 than Gloire de Santenay, and is, in my 

 humble opinion, as fine a flower. The 

 following, among the later introductions, 

 also appear excellent autumnal roses : — F. 

 Arago, M. Portemer, and I believe Em- 

 pereur de ilaroc. I cannot, however, speak 

 decidedly as to the last. E. Appert I have 

 not had an opportunity of seeing since the 

 summer, but those I have named are saiH- 

 cient among " the darkies" for any small 

 collection. Of the different shades of rose, 

 V. Verdier, Belle de Bourg la Reine, and 

 Madame E. Verdier do not shrink from 

 tlieir duties beneath the autumn skies ; 

 while Admiral Nelson, M. Boll, with a few 

 others of that class, are not to be trusted. 

 Conitesse ChabrilUmt also has been very 

 shy of her favours, together with his scarlet 

 eminence, the Cardinal, disgusted perhaps 

 at the honour shown to the Solferinos, Ma- 

 gentas, and Victor Emmanuels, which have 

 in some degree cast him into the shade. 

 Of the older sorts, besides those I have 

 formerly mentioned, Oriflamme de St. Louis 

 and Beaux Arts partake of the free habits 

 of their progenitor, the General, and ai"e 

 certainly Just about town ; an advantage 

 in flowers, though not in the human species. 

 Prince Leon is still unsurpassed in every 

 good quality that a rose can possess ; 

 Duchess d'Orleans, Madame de Cambaceres, 

 Madame Knorr, J. Lafitte, Apolline, and 

 M. Domage, I have also found sutisfiic- 

 tory. On the contrary, L. Odier, Acidalie, 

 B. Prevost, Paxton, M. Vidot, W. Griffiths, 

 Alexieff, and d'Angleterre, and several 



ethers of high standing, have been alto- 

 gether the reverse. Abd-el-Kader and 

 most of the dark novelties appear to me to 

 be merely slight modifications of Beaux 

 Arts and Patrizzi, and by no means equal 

 to the older Reveil, T. de Paris, and many 

 of that class. 



If not trespassing too much upon your 

 space, I should like to make a few observa- 

 tions upon Rose Catalogues, several of 

 which lie before me. Mr. Cranston's I 

 consider by far the best, both for systema- 

 tic arrangement and fulnsss of description. 

 The introductory remarks are very in- 

 teresting and instructive ; and the habit 

 of each variety is stated in a separate 

 column, a great assistance to the amateur. 

 Mr. Cants' catalogue for this j'ear follows 

 the same plan, though his lists and descrip- 

 tions are not so full as Mr. Cranston's. 

 Messrs. Fraser's is very copious, but lacks 

 the feature of specifying separately the 

 habit of each sort ; were that supplied it 

 would be excellent. Messrs. Woods' is 

 open to the same remark. Would it not be 

 a great improvement were the letter T, or 

 some distinctive sign affixed to the sorts 

 suitable for the neighbourhood of towns ? 

 Mr. Rivers' catalogue for this year is very 

 meagre, and he has carried the not unde- 

 sirable process of " weeding," when done 

 in moderation, to the extent of placing 

 many of the best roses in the second list, 

 such asE. Appert, d'Angleterre, and others 

 certainly better than some inserted in the 

 first class. The size, too, is inconvenient 

 for binding up with others ; a great draw- 

 back, for a colhiction of good catalogues 

 forms a valuable and interesting addition 

 to a floricultural library. 



One word more to my fellow-amateurs. 

 Buy of the growers. The plants will then 

 have only one check, instead of being 

 moved from " pillar to post," as is usually 

 the case with those procured from subur- 

 ban nurserymen, who do not cultivate for 

 themselves. I once bought a dozen of such, 

 every one of which died before the summer 

 was over. Pkior. 



Homertoti, Nov. 15t7i, 1861. 



THIS SEASON'S BULBS. 



Although much has been already said 

 upon the selection of bulbs, experience 

 proves that current information is more 

 likely to make the desired impression than 

 that which is laid in the volumes of by- 

 gone years or in the tomes of standard 



publications. First, then, your amateur 

 readers need scarcely fear that they will 

 obtain bulbs that will not bloom satisfac- 

 torily this year, for, generally speaking, 

 they are thoroughly well ripened and in 

 firmer condition than they have been for 



