NOVEMBER. 245 



former were larger and of finer form. I am unable to decide between 

 the claims of Manetti, Bourbon, and Crimson Boursault ; these must 

 be pronounced equal. Blush Boursault was a good fourth, and the 

 Wild Brier last. 



3. Suckers. — Not one of the five has been free from these pests. 

 They have all thrown up suckers in great luxuriance. In this respect 

 Manetti has failed to realise that which was promised for it by its 

 sponsor. Bourbon has rather the advantage here, the others being 

 on a par. 



4. Period of budding. — Here again the cultivated sorts are much 

 superior to the Wild Brier. Often, very often, in hot, dry weather, 

 when the bark of the latter would not "run," there has been no 

 difficulty in working the former. Perhaps the Crimson Boursault is 

 it to receive the bud more days in the year than either of the others ; 

 but I have not found the operation succeed so frequently on this as 

 on the rest. I have experienced fewer failures in operating on the 

 Manetti than on any stock I have hitherto manipulated. The 

 ibsence of spines in the Boursaults renders them very pleasing sub- 

 jects to handle. I would recommend them to ladies especially on 

 account of this quality. The Dog Rose is undoubtedly the roughest 

 customer to tackle. Bourbon is a good stock for budding ; it is 

 generally in a fit state, and the operation usually successful. 



5. Facility of procuration. — Again 1 must consign our old friend 

 the Wild Rose to the place it most affects — the shade. It is not 

 pleasant to be obliged to ransack your neighbour's hedges, and to 

 receive every now and then a significant hint about trespass. And 

 even when, after much toil and tribulation, we have procured a supply, 

 how many of the number do we find with large, hard, woody roots, 

 nearly destitute of fibre, and of which we can make nothing ! I 

 would counsel those who still pin their faith to the Dog Rose, if they 

 are endowed with the virtue of patience, to raise their stocks from the 

 suckers produced in their own gardens. All the other kinds may be 

 raised from cuttings, which succeed best when taken towards the 

 end of September. In the facility with which these make roots, 

 there is, however, a striking difference; and here Manetti has a 

 decided advantage. My own experience gives me the following pro- 

 portions which the plants raised bear to the cuttings put in : 



Manetti 80 per cent. 



Blush Boursault .... 63 ,, 



Bourbon 47 „ 



Crimson Boursault ... 24 ,, 



It must be confessed the cuttings have been taken and planted in a 

 rough, unworkmanlike manner; but I attach no great importance to 

 this circumstance, as all the sorts fared precisely alike. 



I forward this paper for publication, hoping it may interest some 

 of the readers of the Florist. They can form their conclusions from 

 the evidence I have adduced. I refrain from giving my own, as my 

 purpose is more to narrate facts than to draw inferences ; and I have 

 no desire to appear dictatorial, or to speak as " one having authority/' 



