VAKIETIES DESCRIBED. 93 



esteemed varieties of this family. Our old red 

 and white monthly roses have, no doubt, contri- 

 buted their share of sweet assistance ; for, in many 

 of them, the powerful fragrance of these two very 

 old damask roses is apparent, and no perfume can 

 be more pleasing. 



As an old rose lover one feels regret that these 

 once unique and charming autumnal roses must 

 pass away. In fragrance they are equalled by 

 our next group, and in freedom of blooming in 

 autumn, brilliancy of colour, vigorous growth, 

 and, in short, perfection of all that a rose can be ; 

 Hybrid Perpetual Roses infinitely surpass the 

 varieties of this once interesting family. It is, 

 however, quite fit and proper that their history 

 should be given here, or our New Zealanders, A.D. 

 2500, may be at a loss to know what roses we 

 cultivated in the middle of the nineteenth century. 

 I record their qualities with a sentimental sigh 

 worthy of a young lady who has finished reading 

 her first novel. 



Bernard is a most beautiful rose, with rather 

 small flowers ; but these are very double and finely 

 shaped* of a delicate pink tinted with salmon, and 

 very fragrant. This rose will flourish better on 

 the Manetti stock than on the Dog Rose : it is a 

 most desirable rose. 



The Crimson Perpetual, Rose du Roi, or Lee's 

 Crimson Perpetual, deserves a few extra words 

 of comment. This fine rose was raised from seed, 



