244 THE FLORIST. 



This, said I, is a subject for the consideration of those grave coun- 

 sellors, Time and Experience. To them, therefore, will I refer it. 



It so happened that at the period when this " war of the Roses" 

 was at its height, I had determined to plant some thirty or forty- 

 beds in my flower-garden with autumnal-blooming varieties, worked 

 on short stems, some 800 plants being required for the purpose. As 

 I could better afford to wait patiently than to purchase on so exten- 

 sive a scale, I came to the conclusion of working the plants myself, 

 being somewhat of an enthusiast as regards Roses, and having ail 

 the leading varieties, up to that time, already in my possession. 

 Here was an opportunity of testing, to a certain extent, the capa- 

 bilities of different stocks, of which I resolved to avail myself. In 

 due time my plans were matured, and my determination carried out. 

 The lapse of a few years has enabled me to realise the effects of the 

 experiment. 



My first consideration was the selection of the sorts I proposed 

 to include in the trial. Those decided on were chosen more, I 

 believe, because I happened to have a sufficient quantity of them 

 ready for my purpose than for any better or more philosophical 

 reason. They consisted of the following : 



a. Common Dog Rose. 



b. Blush Boursault. 



c. Crimson Boursault. 



d. Manetti. 



e. Plants raised from cuttings of the stronger-growing Bourbons, 

 as Splendens, Madame Desprez, Bouquet de Flore, and the like. 



With strong thriving plants of the above, in equal proportions, 

 each bed, having been previously well dug and manured, was planted 

 in November. Three summers elapsed before they were all budded. 

 They have bloomed in perfection through two succeeding seasons, 

 and I have derived no small amount of pleasure in watching their 

 progress. My problem was, to ascertain the best stock or stool 

 for autumnal Roses; and my requirements were chiefly these — 



1st. Free growths. 



2d. Fine blooms. 



3d. Immunity from suckers. 



4th. A prolonged season, in which the operation of budding may 

 be performed. 



5th. Facility in procuring the stocks themselves. 



Let us now briefly inquire in what manner the five sorts with 

 which the experiment was made answered to these several require- 

 ments, and we shall then have some guide towards forming a correct 

 estimate of their respective merits. 



1. Growth. — There is no room for choice on this head. The 

 whole of them grew with remarkable freedom ; and, had time per- 

 mitted, might all have been worked early in the summer succeeding 

 their planting. We may therefore assume that in this particular 

 the five varieties are about equal in point of excellence. 



2. Blooms. — In this respect the cultivated varieties obtained a 

 complete victory over the wild stock ; the flowers produced on the 



