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GARDEyERS' CHRONICLE 



Departments of Foreign Exchange and Book Reviews 



ROSE MAReCHAL NIEL 



IN the Spring of 1870, when quite a small boy, the writer remem- 

 bers going with his father one night to visit a friend who had 

 in his greenhouse a wonderful rose in blo.s.si i.i. a variety which 

 had only been "out" a few years, and was creating something of 

 a sensation. As the night was cold we were told to make our way 

 to the greenhouse while the owner went for a light. On opening 

 the door we were immediately conscious of a most delicious per- 

 fume, and when tlie lamp was brought it revealed a room simply 

 crowded with glorious yellow roses amid tender green foliage. 

 Fifty years after that lirst introduction to Marechal Niel no other 

 rose has quite taken the place of this old favorite as a climber for 

 the greenhouse. 



It soon achieved a reputation as an indoor rose, and there were 

 very few greenhouses indeed in which in the early 'seventies one 

 was not to he found. Its productiveness, its beautiful color and 

 form, and its delightful fragrance earned for it many admirers, 

 and when it made its di'but in the year 1864 it marked an epoch in 

 the rose world, crowds flocking to see it wherever it was exhibited. 

 People who owned a greenhouse, on beholding it for the first time, 

 were fascinated by its beauty. To see was to desire, and so it came 

 about that for a long time Marechal Niel held sway among roses. 

 From the commercial standpoint it must have proved a most 

 remunerative sort to the distributors of tliose days ; a brisk busi- 

 ness in the blossoms were certainly done about Easter time among 

 nurserymen, for it was no uncommon thing to see house after 

 house with the roofs covered with flowers. 



It had not long been introduced before it began to be whispered 

 that it was subject to canker; that it was a mistake to keep it in 

 the house all the year, and so it came about that after it had flour- 

 ished, been cut back and the new growths made, one saw this 

 prince among roses turned out of doors for its annual airing, much 

 the same as Azaleas and Camellias and other hard-wooded plaiits. 

 That Marechal Niel was, and is, liable to canker is a point vvhich 

 few who grow it to-day would dispute, but in the writer's judg- 

 ment at any rate, it is largely caused through limited root-space 

 and through over-feeding, especially where highly stimulating ar- 

 tificial manures are employed. In its early days many people 

 grew it on its own root, and it was not long before the flowers 

 were observed to be paler in color than those on the plants origi- 

 nally set out. 



About this time some friends of ours who had sufifered loss of 

 plants through canker, obtained fresh ones, which were set in an 

 outside border and the shoots taken through the wall and under 

 the rafters, Vine fashion. This was followed by a larger output of 

 blooms, and also involved more rigorous pruning after the flower- 

 ing season. Another difflculty sometimes presented itself, in the 

 debiUtated state of the plant through inability to turn them oiit 

 of doors for open air treatment. It w-as generally believed that if 

 plants were procured on briar stocks much deeper colored flowers 

 would result, but this could never be relied upon, although in 

 some instances blossoms were certainly deeper in tint. 



It cannot be said that Marechal Niel was ever very popular 

 for outdoor growing, although in certain sheltered districts to-day 

 it is to be found growing on south walls. Its true sphere, however, 

 is that of an indoor climber either in a house where little fire is 

 kept or in a cold house. Outside, its flowers are not, as a rule, 

 very freely produced or very good in size, form or color ; it is 

 when given the shelter of a roof than one sees it at its best. Splen- 

 did examples arc often seen in cold houses, particularly where 

 there is convenience for drawing the lights down on the roof or 

 for affording abundance of air in the Summer. In a house where 

 the conditions tend to dryness it not infrequently leads to shoots 

 dying off, but this can be obviated to a large extent by syringing 

 those newly planted. Another disease to which Marechal Niel is 

 prone is mildew ; this often appears near the flowering period and 

 is chiefly caused through ill-judged ventilation. 



Possibly to-day we do not set so great a value upon this sterling 

 sort as did gardeners of fifty years ago, and this may be accounted 

 for by the introduction of many other climbing subjects, but if we 

 could imagine that Marechal Niel had to make its entrance into 

 the rose world now would it not cause an even greater sensation 

 than it did in the 'sixties? .\fter all, it is unique, and one still 

 often hears it said: "There is nothing quite like Marechal Niel." 

 For indoor cultivation it stands alone and has never been super- 

 seded. When well grown its half-opened buds are beautiful, its 

 fully developed deep yellow blooms magnificent, and its foliage is a 

 perfect setting for both, leaving nothing to be desired. To crown 



all, it possesses the greatest charm which any rose can have- 

 delicious fragrance — so sadly lacking in many more recent intro- 

 ductions. It is seldom seen to-day in quite the form it displayed 

 even twenty years ago, but it is to be hoped that it will be many 

 seasons yet before all that remains of this grand old rose is a 

 fragrant memory. — The Garden. 



SOME WILD ROSES 



DURING the last twenty years a number of roses have been 

 introduced from China, anl although they do not command 

 the attention bestowed on the various Hybrid Teas, they never- 

 theless deserve a place in every garden where space can be found 

 for them. Wild Roses appeal to me, short though their flowering 

 season be, for in Autumn the numerous highly colored hips pro- 

 duced by some species render them conspicuous and exceedingly 

 bright at the time when most other plants are past their best. 

 The first eff'ect is brought about by grouping the various spices 

 in the shrubbery border, on the fringe of the wild garden, or 

 wherever they can be allowed to ramble without much pruning. 

 Thinning out the old growths is all the pruning they need. One 

 of the most noteworthy is R. Hugonis, introduced from China by 

 the French missionary, Peter Hugo, some twenty years ago. The 

 single sulphur-yellow flowers, about two inches across, appear 

 towards the end of Ma}-, the graceful arching growths being more 

 or less clothed with blooms. The habit of the plant is semi-erect 

 and certainly not stifT, and will attain a height of six to eight 

 feet. It is suitable for covering large stones on the rock garden 

 or as isolated specimens near the lawn, while it should be useful 

 for making a hedge around a formal Rose garden. The foliage is 

 pleasing at all times, and the flowers are followed by hips of a 

 tlark crimson color. No pruning is needed except cutting out a 

 few of the old growths when they become crowded. 



R. U''i!Imoti(F. — This pretty and very distinct species was named 

 after the well known amateur, Miss Willmott of Warley Place, 

 and it was discovered in Western China by Messrs. Veitch's col- 

 lector, Wilson, some fifteen years ago. The single rosy-carmine 

 flowers, which are about one inch across, are freely produced 

 during June. They are borne singly on short stems on vifood of 

 the previous year's growth. The fruits are orange-red, and the 

 elegant foliage and arching growths add greatly to the value of 

 a species which is quite distinct from the majority of Roses in 

 cultivation. 



A'. Moyesii. — No species of hybrid of recent introduction has 

 attracted so much attention as this delightful plant. It is quite 

 distinct in habit, and no other Rose produces just that shade of 

 color — it stands alone. It was first collected by Mr. A. E. Pratt 

 about 1890 in the mountains of Szechuan at an elevation from 

 7,000 feet to 9,000 feet, and it was named in honor of the Rev. 

 J. Moyes, a missionary in China. Introduced to cultivation by 

 Messrs. Veitch in 1903, it was, when shown by them on June 9th, 

 1908, given an award of merit by the R.H.S. When it was ex- 

 hibited by Mr. J. C. Allgrove on June 30th, 1916, it gained the 

 coveted first-class certificate, an award thoroughly well deserved. 

 A'. Moyesii is quite hardy, a free grower, and will form a bush 

 six feet to ten feet high. The flowers are about two inches across, 

 dark red, the younger blooms being a shade of cardinal rod, while 

 an additional charm is the large cluster of tawny yellow stamens. 

 The erect grow-ths are covered with stout prickles, the leaves are 

 small, and the pear-shaped orange-red hips are a <lecided ac- 

 quisition during the Autumn months. 



When R. Moyesii was growing at Messrs. Veitch's Coombe 

 Wood Nursery the plants exhibited some variation in color, and 

 the best form was figured in the Botanical Maaaciiie. t. 8338. 

 Messrs. Veitch only increased their stock from the best variety, 

 but since the dispersal of that famous firm no doubt a number 

 of R. Moyesii have been raised from seeds, and consequently in- 

 ferior varieties are to be found in some gardens today. 



It is increased by budding and grafting, but I think such a 

 vigorous plant should be on ils own roots, then we are not likely 

 to be brithercd with suckers. This Rose is allied to R. vuicro- 

 phylhi, which is found both in China and the Himalayas. 



Both A'. Moyesii and R. vmcrophylla are at all times very note- 

 worthy plants in the garden, but never more so than in Autumn, 

 when their curious bottle-shaped hips change color. In R. inacro- 

 phylla these arc crowixd by the very large persistent sepals. 



—The Garden. 



