March 21, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



363 



British Rose Culture 



THE NATIONAL SOCIETY 



In spite of the increased attention which is being 

 paid in Britain to the carnation and sweet pea — fos- 

 tered b}' their special societies — the cult of the rose has 

 made no decline. It is only fitting that the great 

 national emblem, and the flower which has played an 

 important part in British history should still hold its 

 own against all rivals. In recent years the increased 

 observance of St. George's day by wearing a rose has 

 given a further impetus to the demands made upon the 

 trade growers. The work of the National Eose Society 

 has also borne good results. By the holding of first- 

 class shows, and disseminating practical information 

 for the use of rosarians, a vast amount of useful work 

 has been accomplished. The Society was founded in 

 1876, at a meeting of enthusiast? presided over by the 

 late Dean Hole, wliose famous book on roses is a 

 standard work on that subject. For 38 years Dean 

 Hole rendered sterling service as the president, and his 

 death was an irreparable blow to the Socieity. The 

 actual founder of the Society was the late Eev. H. 

 Honywood D'Ombraih, who from 1876 to 1902 dis- 

 charged tlie duties of senior honorary secretary. His 

 ■contributions to the horticultural press, under the title 

 of D. Deal, were read by numerous admirers for over 

 lialf a century. The memory of these noted horticul- 

 tural clerics is being perpetuated by The National Eose 

 Society. A Dean Hole medal has been established by 

 ■public subscription, and a D'Ombraiu cup. American 

 readers will be interested to know that the last year 

 those silver cups were presented by Mr. W. E. Nicker- 

 son, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, U. S. A., who has 

 promised to give twelve more silver cups for the raisers 

 of specially good roses for ordinary garden purposes 

 which will be awarded by the committee during the 

 course of the ensuing year. 



A GOOD RECORD 



The National Eose Society continues to increase in 

 popular favor. During last year 597 new members 

 have joined, this being a greater number than in any 

 previous year. This brings up the total number of 

 members to 2,484. In 1903 the membership totalled 

 890. The Society has arranged a very attractive pro- 

 gram for this year. In July the Metropolitan exhi- 

 bition will be held at the Eoyal Botanic Gardens, 

 Eegents Park. The provincial show will take place at- 

 Manchester on Tuesday, July 31st. in the grounds of 

 the Eoyal Botanical and Horticultural Society of Man- 

 chester. Arrangements have also been made with the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society to hold an autumn sliow in 

 the Society's hall in London. The Society is issuing a 

 new work on "Enemies of the Rose," and a new edition 

 of the "Rose Annual," which has met with so mucli 

 favor amongst the members. 



The other publications issued to members are a 

 "Handbook on Pruning Eoses," a new "Official Cata- 



logue" of tlie leading varieties, a revised edition of 

 "Hints on Planting Eoses," and a "Eeport on the Con- 

 stitution of Eose Soils." It will thus be seen that the 

 Society .is continuing the educational part which has 

 always been a ]3rominent feature of its work. One 

 great factor which has distinguished the Society is the 

 united efforts made by both the trade and amateur sec- 

 tions to further its interests. The leading trade grow- 

 ers have always been ready to contribute their finest 

 specimens to add to the attractiveness of the shows. 

 The prizes given for new seedlings have generally 

 aroused a keen competition amongst the raisers, besides 

 enabling the amateurs to see novelties which are worthy 

 attention. Financially the Society is also sound. At 

 the annual meeting the balance was reported to be £391, 

 9s. -id, the receipts for the year having amounted to 

 £3,344, 7s, 3d. 



NEW EOSES 



At the National Society's summer show a gold medal 

 was awarded to two new roses — Queen of Spain and 

 Lady Helen Vincent. The former is a pale flesh-col- 

 ored H. T. variety, shown by Messrs. S. Bide and Sons, 

 of Farnham, Surrey. Lady Helen Vincent is also a 

 new H. T. of a delicate pink tint. The central petals 

 form a pointed cone, but the outer ones droop and ex- 

 pand. This was raised by Messrs. Alex Dickson & 

 Sons, Newtownards, Ireland, who also received an award 

 of merit from the Eoyal Horticultural Society. Three 

 other new roses from this firm were also given an award 

 of merit by the Society. These were Souvenir of Stella 

 Gray, Mrs. Munt, and Mrs. Harold Brocklebank. The 

 first named is a Tea variety with graceful buds of a 

 soft yellow shade. When open the petals assume a 

 ruddy bronze tint. Mrs. Munt is a creamy-white 

 H. T. variety of shapely form. The petals expand 

 fully from the centre, and their edges are rolled back- 

 wards. Mrs. Harold Brocklebank is another addition 

 to the list of H. T.'s. It is similar in color to Mrs. 

 Munt but different in shape. It somewliat resembles 

 tlie Duchess of Portland, another of Messrs. Dickson's 

 gold medal winners. An award of merit has also been 

 obtained by Joseph Lowe, a H. T. variety of a rosy-pink 

 tint,. stated to be a sport from Mrs. W. J. Grant. The 

 well formed blooms have conical centres. This was 

 shown by Messrs. Lowe and Shawyer, of Uxbridge. 

 Goldfinch is a new rambler, with terminal corymbs of 

 semi-double flowers which are of a coppery yellow shade 

 developing to rich creamy white in the older flowers. 

 This has emanated from Messrs. Paul & Son, Old Nur- 

 series, Cheshunt, who also received a card of commenda- 

 tion from the National Eose Society. 



OTHER MERITORIOUS VARIETIES 



Mrs. Henry Weller (raised by Mr. H. Weller, 

 Leatherhead, Surrey) is a decorative garden rose, re- 

 sembling Killarney. The blooms are of a deep rosy 

 carmine tint. Tlie parentage was stated to be Mme. 



