252 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



colour, a row of it in full bloom looking most charming 

 just as the dusk of a July evening comes on. Water 

 appears to wash the colour off the petals and leave 

 them transparent, for they are of the most delicate 

 texture and Avill show the ravages of thrips very 

 readily ; and as these are sure to come in some places 

 in hot dry weather, and wet is even more fatal, 

 Madame Lacharme has often a bad time of it. The 

 shape is good and lasting, globular mth the centre well 

 filled, but the size is not up to the average. It will 

 come again well in the autumn, if it should be par- 

 ticularly dry and fine, but as the best white H.P. it has 

 been completely eclipsed by Merveille de Lyon, and 

 must put up with the quahfication " best under glass." 



Madame Noman (Guillot, 1867).— Another pure white 

 H.P., but a weak bad grower with small foliage. The 

 blooms also are quite small but of exquisite form and 

 the purest colour. This Rose and Boule de Neige are 

 much better shaped than Madame Lacharme or Mer- 

 veille de Lyon, but are so very small in comparison as 

 to be completely out of it. 



Madame Prosper Laugier (Verdier, 1875). — Of good 

 strong stiff growth with characteristic appearance and 

 habit. Distinct also in colour, but unreliable and not 

 to be recommended for ordinary purposes. 

 . ^ Madame Victor Verdier (Yerdier, 1863).— A very 



^ strong grower with fine foHage beautifully coloured in 



the early spring. Not especially liable to injury from 

 mildew or rain. A well known crimson Rose, forming 

 large clusters of buds which should be carefully thinned. 

 The later blooms on the longest and strongest shoots 

 are the best, and occasionally these are very fine, full, 

 lasting and bright. Fairiy free-flowering and good 

 as an autumnal, but though it is a hardy good grower 



