CULTURE OF THE ROSE. 23 



THE CULTURE OF THE ROSE. 



BY WILLIAM J. UNDERWOOD. 



Belmont, December IGtIi. 1858. 

 Mr. E. S. Rand, Jr , Cliaiiman of Flower Committee. 



Pear Sir: — At your request 1 send you a short article on the Cultivation of Roses, 

 giving you at the same time, the results of my own experience ; as such, if you consider 

 the remarks of sufficient value, I should be happy to have them embodied in your report. 



Hespectfully, yours, 



W. J. UiNDF.RWOOD. 



The complete success of the Society's show in June, proves that the 

 Rose still holds the first place in otir gardens, and the admiring crowds that 

 thronged the hall, gave evidence of the general admiration for the "Queen 

 of Flowers." The stands were loaded with most beautiful specimens of all 

 varieties, from the tender rose of the greenhouse, to the hardy June rose of 

 the open border, all equally indispensable to the florist and amateur. 



But in September, when prizes were offered for Hybrid Perpetuals, where 

 were our Rose growers ? For two years there has been no competit'on for 

 these prizes; this year but one stand was exhibited, and those evidently 

 culled from a very limited collection, and though there were a few fine 

 specimens from two or three other exhibitors, there was no such general 

 exhibition as might have been expected from the contributors of such mag- 

 nificent collections as graced our tables in June. 



The conclusion to be drawn from this is inevitable; either the perpetual 

 blooming property of these roses has been overrated, or else the proper 

 course of cultivation to produce the fall bloom is to a great extent neg- 

 lected. To express my own convictions, I should say that both these con- 

 clusions are in a measure correct. Beginners in Rose Culture are led to 

 expect too much from this class of roses, and suppose that they need only 

 to plant them properly to have a succession of blooms throughout the whole 

 summer. But the truth is, they require constant care and attention, and 

 only when they receive it do they reward the cultivator with good flowers 

 and a profuse bloom. 



Being mostly strong vigorous growers, they require a very rich soil, and 

 will stand almost any amount of manure that can be applied to them ; if 

 they are well provided for in this respect a good bloom in June is certain, 

 but to obtain the fall bloom it is necessary, as soon as that of June is over, 

 to cut back all the new growth to two or three eyes, and to stimulate the 

 plant with freqxient applications of liquid manure. Neglect of this close 

 pruning will almost certainly prevent the late flowering, and even if a few 

 blooms do appear they will be sm^ll and imperfect. There is too a great 

 difference in the varieties as to this ; some of them, under the best culture, 

 will often fail to bloom a second time. Of those grown by the writer, the 

 following have proved the most reliable and best for late flowering : — Geant 

 des Batailles, Dr. Arnal, Jules Margottin, Baron Prevost, L'Enfant du Mont 

 Carmel, Wm. Jesse, Paul Dupuy, Duchess of Cambaceres, Madame Place, 



