xn MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 241 



lasting. Of the two here mentioned, the former is very 

 thin and not suitable for exhibition, but has a charming 

 bright bud for button-holes ; and the other is early, large, 

 with fine foliage, and sometimes a good autunnial and 

 a fine show Rose, but requires rich soil. 



Horace Vcrnd (Guillot 1866).— A typical show Rose; 

 grand in the extreme in every way on the exhibition 

 table, equalled by few, and surpassed by none ; but to be 

 sedulously avoided by those who grow Roses for ordinary 

 garden purposes. The plant is of a thoroughly weak 

 constitution ; and in a general way cannot be kept in 

 health and strength beyond a year or two. Indeed it is 

 in many places useless as a cut-back ; no other Rose is 

 more worthy of the annual system of culture — budding 

 anew on fresh strong stocks every year and cutting away 

 the old plants to get the strongest buds — and for none is 

 it more necessary. When thus treated, the growth and 

 foliage are good enough, one would think, to keep the 

 stock roots in health ; but the plant is almost sure to 

 dwindle if preserved, lasting best, I am told, on the 

 seedling briar. Not very liable to mildew or to be 

 injured by rain. The blooms generally come good ; and 

 good they are, with the stoutest of petals which shut up 

 at night, capital centre, perfect shape (pointed, passing 

 to imbricated), good dark colour, and lasting qualities of 

 the first order. Not a free bloomer or a good autumnal : 

 these are " lions," to be made much of, and we must not 

 expect many of them. Cut away the plant, as soon as 

 it has bloomed, with a ruthless hand, to get the best 

 and biggest buds for propagating. Waste none on weak 

 stocks or on manetti, and bud a good many, not delaying 

 too long, for some may fail and require rebudding ; 

 and, whether you keep the old plants or not, you will 

 not cut from them so long as you have young plants to 



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