HARDY SHRUBS. 169 



in the soil before germinating is owing to their being inclosed by a 

 horny substance. This should be softened before sowing, by allowing 

 the seeds to remain in boxes of finely sifted sand during the Winter, the 

 boxes to be buried several inches below the surface of the soil out-of- 

 doors. In removing the seeds from the sand previous to sowing, use a 

 sieve with a small mesh; empty the sand (which is likely to be wet) 

 into this, and force the sand through the meshes with the aid of a stream 

 of water from the hose. The seeds should then be sown before getting 

 dry. Care must be talien to remove them from their Winter quarters 

 before vegetating, which they are apt to do, even when they are deep 

 in the soil, as soon as the temperature of their surroundings reaches 

 40 degrees. 



Teas and Hybrid Teas are the most important of all the classes, 

 because they include the Roses mostly grown under glass to supply 

 flowers all the year round. Although the varieties annually raised are 

 numerous enough, those mostly grown in large quantities are either old 

 kinds or sports from old kinds. Catherine Mermet is the parent of two 

 —Bride and Bridesmaid; it is over 30 years since it was raised. La 

 France, a hybrid Tea, the parentage of which is unknown, but it is said 

 to have been raised from seed of a Tea Rose, is between 30 and 40 years 

 old. Although in some cities a back number, in Washington it ranks 

 next to American Beauty in price during the Winter, and is much in 

 demand. Two of its sports. Duchess of Albany and Augustine Guinois- 

 seau, have had their innings as forcing plants. If Golden Gate could be 

 grown everywhere alike in size of flower, stem and productiveness, as it 

 is in this locality, it would be a more popular Rose. Some flowers 

 obtained here and exhibited in a Northprn city not long ago, were taken 

 for extra fine specimens of Souvenir du President Carnot — a hybrid Tea, 

 which, like many others, has not fulfilled the predictions made for it a 

 few seasons ago when first sent out. It has a habit of going to rest 

 during the season when most wanted; but grand results are easily 

 secured by resting, freezing and starting the plants, to have them in 

 bloom by Easter, and depending upon them later for a supply of bloom 

 during the Summer. Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, another Rose of the 

 same class, gives good results by similar methods. Meteor, a hybrid 

 Tea, raised in the eighties, has been popular where tried, but solely on 

 account of its color, which is dark crimson. The list of kinds which 

 have been tried for forcing and discarded is a long one. Scarcely a year 

 elapses without some new kind being sent out, and the fate of most of 

 them is determined after a short trial. 



For Out"door Bloom the Teas are getting more popular year by year, 

 and deservedly so, as they flower continuously during the Summer and 

 Autumn months. If given a mulching of rotted manure and watered 

 occasionally during dry spells, they are much more satisfactory than 

 the hybrid perpetuals. Most of the kinds are quite hardy in this section. 

 The tops are, of course, frequently killed, but this makes little difference, 

 as the strong flowering wood is made from the base of the plants. 

 Even much further North many of the kinds will stand the Winter, if 

 protected by some loose material over the roots. But even where they 

 are killed annually, the plants used during the Winter in the benches 



