CHAPTER XIY. 



PERMANENT COLORS — TOO - MUCH - ALIKE 

 ROSES. HOW TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN 

 SIMILAR VARIETIES. 



Among the many desirable qualities wliicli we 

 should look for in our best roses, permanency of 

 color is not the least important. I have refer- 

 ence more particularly to the Eemontant or 

 Hybrid Perpetual varieties ; but my remarks 

 will also apply to the other classes, though per- 

 haps in less degree. It has no doubt often been 

 noticed how differently the various varieties of 

 roses will impress us in different seasons ; that is, 

 a kind which excites our highest admiration one 

 year may more or less disappoint us the next. 

 This arises from various causes, but chief among 

 them is the variation in color produced by differ- 

 ent conditions of sunlight, heat, moisture, etc. 

 To know what are the most permanent colors 

 among the innumerable varieties found in the 

 catalogues becomes, therefore, a matter of con- 



