THE 



FLORICULTURAL CABINET, 



NOVEMBER 1st, 1835. 



PART I. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



ARTICLE I.— A Description of Roses. By Mr. T. 

 Rivers, juri., Nurseryman, Sawbridgeworth, Hert- 

 fordshire. 

 In attempting a descriptive catalogue of Roses, I hope to be 

 excused errors, which it seems almost impossible wholly to avoid. 

 Roses vary so much in their form and colour in different seasons 

 and situations, as sometimes scarcely to be recognised : I have 

 seen those two dark varieties, George the Fourth and the Tuscany, 

 lose their colour and become blush, and changes as extreme take 

 place in others : what I hope to accomplish is, to give an idea of 

 what they ought to be in form and colour, under favourable cir- 

 cumstances of soil and situations ; and where there is so much 

 confusion as at present in the names and arrangement of Roses, to 

 be among the first in attempting a correct nomenclature. This 

 has now become more than ever necessary, as several auction sales 

 of Roses took place the last planting season in London, when many 

 worthless sorts were sold with good names appended to them, and 

 many ancient varieties as " new seedlings." Some of the descriptions 

 to these Roses were as near accuracy as the name given in one of 

 these sale catalogues, to the " hybrid purple Laburnum," viz., 

 " dark-red Laburnum" ! ! However, this powerful and imposing 

 name tempted many to buy plants at prices varying upwards from 

 90s. each, although plants of the same variety were selling by 



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