THE CANADIAN HORTIOULTDBI8T. 



93 



I would here like to warn all innocent 

 would-be rosarians to be on their guard 

 as to how much they should believe the 

 descriptions given of (to them) untried 

 roses. Here is an example, and, 

 among others, one to which I fell a 

 victim myself. This that I am about 

 to quote, I have seen in many descrip- 

 tive catalogues of roses : — " Perfection 

 des Blanches, ;:>«-re snowy white, free 

 bloomer, flowers large and very fra- 

 grant." Is there not in this descrip- 

 tion everything that is desirable in a 

 rose (1) I had never met with this 

 particular rose, and when I first read 

 of it I sent for a couple of plants at 

 once, and nursed and petted them for 

 two yeax's. They grew finely and at last 

 I coaxed them into bloom, and I then 

 found that the color was anything hut 

 pure and snowy, being i-eally a sort ot 

 a combination of bad yellow and muddy 

 pink. The flowers only opened at rare 

 epochs (most of the buds never did 

 open), and the flowers were no larger 

 than dandelions and not nearly so well 

 formed. As to being fragrant, I can- 

 not tell much about it, as after I had 

 once seen the flowers I was so disgusted 

 that I didn't piy into things any fur- 

 ther, but took it for granted this was a 

 sell the same as some of the rest. 

 This, however, 7nay be a good rose in 

 some other very remote part of the 

 world, but it cannot be too severely sat 

 upon here. I merely mention this cir- 

 cumstance, however, as a warning to 

 others not to believe quite all they may 

 see in print about roses. 



The next best rose to Madam Neman 

 that T have tried, and which is called 

 white, is 



ELIZA BOELLE. 



It is somewhat similar to Madam 

 Noman, but is not nearly so pure 

 in color. I have not grown the 

 white Baroness, but I have seen it. It 

 is not quite white, and I think will 

 not prove itself as valuable a rose as 



Madam Noman, although it is a better 

 Sfrower. And now I must end this 

 somewhat protracted paper by bi-iefly 

 mentioning that among the very dark 

 roses the old Louis Van Houtte should 

 still be accorded the very front place. 

 It is certainly somewhat tender, and is 

 scarcely as large as Jean Liabaud, 

 another fine dark I'ose, but it is much 

 purer in its coloring. I will, however, 

 discuss the dark roses more fully 

 another time. 



Frederick Mitchell. 

 InnerkiiJ, Feb. 23rd, 1885. 



SPIR.EA ASTILBOIDES. 

 The genus Spircea is an extensive 

 one, and furnishes many species, both 

 shrubVjy and herbaceous. Among the 

 latter class are several which are al- 

 most indispensable to every collection 

 of hardy plants for the herbaceous bor- 

 der. The above species is of recent 

 introduction, and has the indorsement 

 of the leading horticultural societies of 

 the Old World. We have not seen it 

 in flower, but from the illustration and 

 the kindly mention of it by foreign 

 journals, we are of the opinion that it 

 is a decided acquisition. The Garden 

 says of it : " So seldom does a Spiraea 

 occur among the multitudinous new 

 plants that appear every year, that this 

 one is of special interest, especially as 

 it belongs to the Aruncus, or Goat's 

 Beard section, and is said to be hardy. 

 At flowering time the branches are fur- 

 nished with myrids of white blossoms 

 in plumy clusters, as shown in the an- 

 nexed illustration. It may be forced 

 into flower as early as March ; hence it 

 is an invaluable plant for pot culture 

 for conservatories. It has been intro- 

 duced by Mr. Bull, of Chelsea(England), 

 from whose new plant catalogue the 

 accompanying wood-cut is taken. It has 

 been certificated, both by the Royal 



