102 THE HTBRID PERPETUAL ROSE. 



have been crossed with different varieties of China 

 and Bourbon Eoses. From seed thus produced 

 we have gained a new race of autumnal roses, 

 bearing abundance of flowers during the whole of 

 the summer and autumn, and now called Hybrid 

 Perpetuals. Certainly a more beautiful and in- 

 teresting class of roses does not exist ; their flowers 

 are large, very double, most fragrant, and pro- 

 duced till the end of October. Their habit is 

 robust and vigorous in a remarkable degree ; and, 

 above all, they are perfectly hardy, and will grow 

 well in any climate in Great Britain, however 

 far north ; but caution will be required in select- 

 ing varieties for cold and damp localities, as those 

 only that open their flowers freely should be 

 planted. Some that are fine roses in a dry 

 southern climate, and also when forced, in a 

 moist climate Avill seldom or never open their 

 flowers. 



It is difficult to estimate at its full value the 

 great advance made in the few years since Mon- 

 sieur Lafi'ay gave his seedling perpetual Madame 

 Laffay to the rose world. The extraordinary bril- 

 liance of the dark crimson roses developed since 

 their progenitor, General Jacqueminot, appeared, 

 is nearly incredible ; and this development con- 

 tains abundant evidence that the limit of excel- 

 lence in form and colour has not yet been reached. 

 The classes from which the future triumphs of 

 rose excellence are to be won are the Hybrid Per- 



