XII MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 217 



Alfred Colomb has not, to my knowledge, had any 

 seedlings of note, save Comtesse de Casteja (Margottin, 

 1882), which is valueless. 



Alfred K. Williams (Schwartz, 1877). — Makes long 

 shoots as a maiden, or at times on good soil as a cutback, 

 but the constitution is weak. Thorny, with good foliage, 

 and Avill stand some rain. This is a Rose of great repu- 

 tation, because the blooms nearly always come perfect, 

 forming first-class examples of the popular " imbricated " 

 shape, i.e. something after the form of a camellia. Not 

 a good bloom to last, or of the largest size, but prominent 

 as a show Rose from its shape and bright colour. It is 

 not a very free bloomer but comes again pretty fairly in 

 the autumn. It is quite a late Rose with me, as the 

 shoots, though not very stout, run up to some height ; 

 but it comes early with some growers. The plants are 

 not hardy or longlived, and fresh ones should be budded 

 every year, preferably on the briar, as, though some do 

 well as cutbacks, maidens are more to be depended on : 

 some find it answers best as a standard. Grand Mogul 

 is said to be a seedling from this beautiful Rose. 



Alphonse Soupert (Lacharme, 1883). — Very thorny 

 growth, but not strong with me. This Rose is included 

 in the exhibition sorts in the N.R.S. Catalogue, but the 

 blooms are rather loose and by no means first-class. 

 They are large and may be valued where the first Roses 

 are esteemed, as they are quite among the earliest. 

 The petals are rather thin, and the shape is somewhat 

 uncertain : still it is said to be a " showy " Rose, which 

 in catalogue-English generally means " showy at a 

 distance," i.e. that it will not bear a close inspection. 

 Said by some to be a good pot Rose. 



Anna de Dieshach (Lacharme, 1858). — Of very strong 

 hardy gi^owth, but has the same fault of general loose- 



