THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



273 



ROSE GOSSIP.— No. VI. 



CATALOGUES. 



Few tilings are more calculated to 

 indicate the advance made in flori- 

 culture during the last few years, and 

 the still increasing taste for its pur- 

 suit, than the elaborate and well got 

 up catalogues issued annually by the 

 great nursery firms. Many of these 

 go far beyond the mere purposes of 

 trade, and abound not only in well- 

 arranged matter for the instruction 

 of amateurs, but display a consider- 

 able amount of literary merit, and 

 scientific research. A collection of 

 good catalogues upon various subjects 

 forms 80 important an addition to a 

 floral library, that at the risk of tres- 

 passing somea-hat upon the editorial 

 province, and without the design of 

 invidious comparison, I am induced 

 to select some few rose catalogues, 

 •which appear to me to possess dis- 

 tinctive features of interest and 

 utility for those engaged in cultivat- 

 ing that pop,ular flower. I should 

 recommend amateurs to obtain them 

 all, together with Mr. Hibberd's 

 treatise on the rose in " Garden Fa- 

 vourites," and Mr. Cranston's little 

 work, " Cultural Directions for the 

 Hose." These, bound up with some 

 pages of blank paper for observa- 

 tions and remarks, will constitute a 

 volume of reference, or vade mecum, 

 replete with as much valuable infor- 

 mation as can well be required or 

 obtained. It may be as well to pre- 

 mise that all the lists hereafter no- 

 ticed, have useful cultural directions 

 and remarks prefixed to every section, 

 whether of the summer clasr^es, or 

 continuous bloomers ; and that the 

 kinds most eligible for pot culture, 

 pillars, or for exhibition, are pointed 

 out in some special way. 



To begin with the lists in the 

 order in which they came to hand, 

 Messrs. Wood and Son's (Maresfield, 

 Sussex) is usually the pioneer, being 

 published early in September. The 

 old-established reputation of this 

 firm is a guarantee for an unexcep- 

 tionable collection, and one note- 

 worthy feature in their catalogue, 



which I wish were generally imitated, 

 is that the number of the nursery 

 tally is afiixed to the description of 

 every variety, thereby saving trouble 

 in writing orders, and, what is better, 

 enabling visitors to the grounds to 

 make a tour of inspection at their 

 leisure, without the restraint of an 

 attendant for the purpose of explana- 

 tion. This season, also, the letter T 

 has been appended to such varieties 

 as have been found, or are likely, to 

 succeed in the vicinity of towns. 

 There is, likewise, a very numerous 

 selection of "teas," many of which 

 are obtainable of a half specimen 

 size, suitable at once for forcing, or 

 growing under glass. 



Mr. William Paul's (Waltham 

 Cross), as might be expected from his 

 writings on the subject, is a very com- 

 plete and able catalogue, in which he 

 has made a closer analysis of the 

 various classes by dividing the H.P.'s 

 into three sections, two of which, 

 Bourbon perpetuals (might be ex- 

 tended I think) and those resembling 

 in character Gloire de Rosamene, are 

 new. Town roses are indicated in 

 this list, and the habit of every 

 variety is pointed out. 



Mr. Cranston (of King's Acre, 

 Hereford) has always a remarkably 

 well got up catalogue, of a very ex- 

 tensive collection. H.P.'s and Bour- 

 bons are each divided into two 

 sections, according to merit. The 

 habit of every variety is added as 

 part of the description ; and a most 

 interesting feature, in which this list 

 is alone, is that the names are given 

 of the raisers of the newer intro- 

 ductions. Town roses, however, are 

 unfortunately not pointed out. 



Messrs. J. and J. Eraser (Lea 

 Bridge Eoad) have included their 

 rose list in the general catalogue, 

 though of sufiicient importance to 

 form one of itself. This arrange- 

 ment, however, aS'ords amateurs an 

 opportunity of becoming acquainted 

 with other objects of garden and 

 greenhouse decoration, as well as with. 



