314 ANNUAL REPORT 



Mrs. Gould from the Committee on Floriculture presented the 

 following report: 



EOSE CULTUEE. 

 By Mrs. M. S. Gould, Excelsior. 



That choice roses can be successfully grown in Minnesota, is 

 no longer questioned. June roses will endure more cold and 

 neglect than any others, and are therefore still valuable, especi- 

 ally to people who can have no others. Some are fragrant and 

 beautiful, but are not equal in attractiveness to the newer varie- 

 ties, and the public generally are not satisfied with a rose that 

 will bloom but once. 



For open air culture in our climate Hybrid Perpetuals are the 

 most valuable class; none surpass them in attractive qualities 

 sought for in the rose, viz., size, form, color, fragrance and 

 habit. While it can not be claimed that these give such con- 

 stant bloom throughout the season as the Teas, Bon-bons, Ben- 

 gals, etc., commonly called monthly, or ever-blooming roses, yet 

 they may be depended on to produce a good quantity long 

 after the last June rose has disappeared. 



Monthly roses are too tender for outdoor culture, as they can 

 not endure the amount of cover needed to j)rotectthemin winter. 

 To be more explicit, they are liable to rot or mould, the wood 

 not being sufficiently ripened at the time they must be covered. 



The Hybrid Perpetuals need covering to ensure them through 

 an average winter, and they will endure the ordeal, coming out 

 well rested from the long sleep. Notwithstanding the severity 

 of last winter (1887-8) we lost not more than two per cent. 



After giving one hundred varieties (selected on account of 

 their suj^erior merits as claimed by numerous individual growers) 

 a fair trial, we have decided on the following as among the besb 

 for our use, and for general cultivation: 



Gen. Jacqueminot, brilliant crimson, fragrant and hardy. 



Fisher Holmes, dark crimson, a superb rose. 



Alfred Colomb, brilliant carmine crimson; one of the most 

 useful for general cultivation. 



Baroness Eothschild, light pink; without fragrance, but of 

 beautiful form and a late bloomer. 



Caroline de Sausal, pale flesh color, deepening toward the cen- 

 tre, a lovely rose. 



