132 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



most congenial for Climbing Devoniensis ; try it on the 

 Banksian and Manetti stocks ; try it on its own roots, 

 protecting it during the winter months with some good 

 thick surface-dressing. I do not recommend matting, or 

 other material, w^hich keeps light and air from the plant. 

 A sickly unnatural growth is often caused thereby, which 

 renders the plant more powerless than ever to resist its 

 enemies — insects and vernal frost. 



The other Rose referred to is Marechal Kiel. Since the 

 time when, a baby in floriculture, I first began to ''take 

 notice" of Roses, more than twenty years ago, three new 

 stars of special brightness have glittered in our firmament 

 — Gloire de Dijon, Charles Lefebvre, and Marechal Niel. 

 The latter is, I think, the greatest acquisition, because we 

 had, previous to its introduction, no hardy Yellow Rose, 

 realising, as this does — in the wonderful beauty of its 

 flowers, their size, shape, colour, fragrance, longevity, abun- 

 dance, in the amplitude of its glossy leaves, and the general 

 habit of the plant — our every desire and hope. We pos- 

 sessed some approximation to Gloire de Dijon in our Tea 

 and Bourbon Roses. Charles Lefebvre was a development 

 of General Jacqueminot; but of a hardy Golden Rose, more 

 precious and more welcome a thousand times than those 



