xl MANNERS AND CUSTOMS © 307 
because they are lovely in themselves, do not lose 
their colour, and go well with everything, but also 
because they are considered the most appropriate on 
the three great occasions of birth, marriage, and 
death. It so happens that Niphetos, the purest of 
all white Roses, has a long bud especially suitable for 
bouquets and wreaths, and is also free-flowering and 
bears forcing well. It is no wonder therefore that it 
is, and has been, cultivated for market purposes to an 
astonishing extent. It opens very easily and freely, 
and for this reason will probably continue to hold 
its own for winter forcing against the newer white 
Roses which are better for exhibition. For this 
latter purpose it is no longer of use against their 
increased competition, for, though capable of attain- 
ing a very large size, with fine long outer petals, it 
is almost always malformed or divided in the inner 
centre if not throughout, the shape is very fleeting, 
and when the outside petals do come down they fall 
completely, giving the idea of a total collapse. It 
is free-blooming throughout the season, but the 
autumnal buds do not come large and require fine 
weather. It does not do as a dwarf, for the blooms 
come smaller, and, the wood being neither stiff nor 
upright, the petals get much injured by wind and 
rain unless the flowers are well held up above the 
ground. A good Rose, if fully fed, for a low wall. 
Perle des Jardins (Levet, 1874).—Of good stout 
stiff growth, with reddish wood and fine foliage, 
doing well as a dwarf, but-a Rose of shocking bad 
manners. We want much a well-shaped Tea of 
a good decided yellow to take the place of Maréchal 
Niel when it is off bloom; and Perle des Jardins is 
always promising to do this, and very, very seldom 
x2 
