The Canadian Horticulturist. 3 



the latter white, when grown near each other upon the same porch, or with inter- 

 twining branches, heighten each others beauty by contrast. These roses are both 

 of rapid growth, and may be employed to advantage for covering any unsightly 

 objects, as walls, old trees, old buildings, etc. 



The following is a full list of the most desirable roses of the Prairie class, with 

 the description added, according to Mr. H. B. EUwanger, in his book on "The 

 Rose " : 



Anna Maria ; vigorous, pale pink, very few thorns. Grown by Feast in 1843. 



Baltimore Belle; vigorous, pale blush changing to white. Feast, 1843. 



Gem of the Prairies; free, believed to be from Queen of Prairies crossed 

 with Madame Laffay, rosy red, occasionally blotched with white, large flat flowers, 

 slightly fragrant. Raised by A. Burgess in 1865. 



Queen of the Prairies ; vigorous, rosy red, frequently with a white stripe, 

 medium or large size, double, foliage large, five leaflets, quite deeply serrated. 

 Feast, 1843. 



Triumphant ; vigorous, rosy pink, medium size, double or full, distinct, seven 

 leaflets are common. Raised by Joshua Pierce, of Washington, D.C., in 1850. 



GRANDMA GOWAN. 



POR many years the poems by this talented lady have adorned the pages of 

 The Canadian Horticulturist. Anyone having the least appreciation 

 of true poetry, cannot but discern the poetic genius of the author of these 

 sparkling gems. Our readers will be anxious to know something of the person 

 who so often contributes to their pleasure, and to meet their wishes we here pre- 

 sent an engraving of her face, and a few scanty notes of her personal history. 



Mrs. Jessie Gowan's biography is somewhat of a romance. Little inclined to 

 tell us much about herself, she says, in reply to our request for some notes : " What 

 can I say? Must I begin with my grandmother being an eloping, disinherited 

 lady of high birth, and her daughter, my mother, marrying a landscape painter, and 

 of my six brothers being noted in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, for their high 

 talents. Four of them were the ' Ritchie sculptors ' and two eminent artists, 

 one Alexander A. Ritchie, nom de plume ' Dot,' illustrator and designer, 

 designed the stained glass windows of the Houses of Parliament, England. 

 He died at the age of thirty-four, while his historical paintings were on exhibition 

 at the Scottish Academy. My brother John died of yellow fever in the Governor's 

 house at Trinidad, West Indies, while decorating the reception room artistically 



" And what of sister ' Dotty,' your humble scribe ? Well, she went to teach- 

 ing school for a few years, then married Mr John Gowan, who was bookkeeper to 

 Messrs. Cowan & Co., paper makers, Edinburgh, for over twenty years. Messrs. 

 Cowan (S: Co. had possessions in the United States, and I went with my husband 



