1S69.] THE ROSE. 101 



certainly the belle of the ball. In its integrity, it is,' I believe, the 

 most glorious of all Roses. No true rosarian ever forgets the first 

 perfect bloom he sees of it. " Even at this distance of time," writes 

 Mr Rivers in 1867, "I have not forgotten the delight I felt on seeing 

 this Rose in full bloom at Angers in 1843. Its flowers were like 

 large golden bells." Why, then, have I not given it precedence ? 

 Simply because, were such a compliment offered, the Rose would 

 scarcely ever be there to receive it. Because in this climate it is so 

 rarely realised, that I do not remember to have seen it, full grown, 

 more than three or four times in my life. Puny personifications and 

 dreadful imbecilities arrogating the name I have met with frequently, 

 but the grand gold goblet, to hold nectar for the gods, is seen but on 

 state occasions — a chalice for the coronation of kings. It is " a shy 

 bloomer," " wants a warm wall," "good for the conservatory," they 

 tell us who know it best. And yet (so capricious is beauty) I have 

 seen noble specimens of this flower upon the walls of a cottage five 

 miles from my home, and the gentleman to whom the cottage be- 

 longed was never, I believe, more happy than when he came to dine 

 with me, wearing in his coat a huge bud which he had begged from 

 his tenant, and which resembled in size the ^^g of a turkey, or rather, 

 in my eyes, of a roc. 



Alas ! this tree perished years ago. Its fate was the common lot of 

 its race — to be cut down by cruel frost. And yet I would advise 

 amateurs to do as I do, persevere in growing it. One year's harvest 

 will be recompense enough for the ploughing and sowing of a decade. 

 If other Roses boast of their fecundity, this may answer, as the queen 

 of beasts to the fox, " My children are few, but they are lionsy Try 

 it on a south wall ; try it on verandah and arcade (I have seen it 

 flowering freely on the latter) ; try it budded on the Celine Hybrid 

 Bourbon, which is also most congenial for Climbing Devoniensis ; try 

 it on the Banksian and Manetti Stocks ; try it on its own roots, pro- 

 tecting it during the winter months with some good thick surface- 

 dressing. I do not recommend matting, or other material, which keej^s 

 light and air from the plant. A sickly unnatural gowth is often caused 

 thereby, which renders the plant more powerless than ever to resist its 

 enemies — insects and vernal frost. 



The other Rose referred to is Marechal Niel. Since the time when, 

 a baby in floriculture, I first began to "take notice" of Roses, more than 

 twenty years ago, three new stars of special brightness have glittered in 

 our firmament — Gloire de Dijon, Charles Lefebvre, and Marechal Niel. 

 The latter is, I think, the greatest acquisition, because we had, previous 

 to its introduction, no hardy Yellow Rose, realising, as this does — in the 

 wonderful beauty of its flowers, their size, shape, colour, fragrance, 



