14 THE ROSE. 



Queen of the Prairies, the two best-known sorts. 

 The foliage is rough, large, 5 to 7 leaflets, gener- 

 ally of a dark green color ; for rapidity of growth 

 they equal or excel the Ayrshires, and surpass 

 all other climbers in hardiness. They bloom 

 in large clusters late in the season, when other 

 summer roses are past and have gone their way, 

 and succeed over a greater extent of territory 

 than any other climbers. Although decidedly 

 inferior in quality to the Tea - N oisettes and 

 Climbing Teas, their hardiness and superior 

 vigor of growth make them of great value where 

 the more beautiful members of the sisterhood are 

 too delicate in constitution to be made useful. 

 When, then, it is desired to cover walls, trellises, 

 old trees, unsightly buildings, etc., with roses, 

 none will be found to do the work so efficiently 

 as varieties of the Prairie Kose. It is very de- 

 sirable that further development of this impor- 

 tant class should be made ; we should endeavor, 

 by artificial fertihzation, to produce hybrids, 

 blending Hybrid Perpetual, Bourbon, and Noi- 

 sette with the Prairies. This, w^th the more 

 double varieties, is somewhat difl^icult, as I found 

 in experiments made under glass last winter. I 



