The Canadian Horticulturist. i8r 



ROSES. 



HAVE just read S. P. Morse's excellent and timely article in the 

 April issue of the Horticulturist, and have noted one point 

 in it which will bear a little extension. He says that " there are nearly 

 a thousand varieties of roses alone." The " Grand Dictionnaire des 

 Roses," published by Max Singer at Tournai, Belgium, in 1888, con- 

 tains detailed descriptions of over 6000 varieties of roses. Extensive 

 European dealers offer as many as 2000 sorts in their commercial lists, and it is 

 quite common for leading continental growers to exhibit 600 varieties in a single 

 class, at the great rose shows. I remember that at a grand horticultural exhibi- 

 tion held in the Champs Elysees, Paris, a few years ago, the celebrated rosarians, 

 Leveque et fils, of Ivry-sur-Seine, displayed a collection of roses in pots, com- 

 prising 1800 varieties. The plants, models of health and vigor, were in full 

 bloom and filled the vast enclosure with their delicious odor. The section of 

 Tea roses was represented by a collection of 600 distinct sorts, and one plant of 

 the hybrid Tea, La France, bore 200 buds and open flowers. The general 

 rose list of the world is constantly increasing, and new classes are from time to 

 time produced by crossing the different sections ; recent examples of which we 

 have had in the hybrid Ayreshire and hybrid Rugosa. The French, English 

 and German growers, now annually bring out about one hundred new sorts, prin- 

 cipally seedlings, though many fine varieties are the result of dimorphisms or 

 sports. To the latter freak of nature we are indebted for many choice flowers, 

 such as Mabel Morrison, White Baroness, Pride of Waltham, Madame Louis Dona- 

 dine, Duchess of Albany, Sunset, The Bride, and many others. As to the seed- 

 ling novelties annually produced, only a restricted number ultimately achieve 

 permanent fame ; while the majority, from inherent defects, or lack of distinc- 

 tive individuality, sink back into oblivion. 



Raising roses from seed by the elaborate procedure of cross-fertilization, is 

 now more common than in former times, and is usually more productive of satis- 

 factory results than the old-time method of employing chance-bred seeds. 



Not all the varieties produce seeds naturally ; the number of such is limited ; 

 others bear seeds if artificially fertilized ; while many are barren. Of the Hybrid 

 Remontants, a few good seed-bearing sorts may be mentioned : Gen. Jacque 

 minot, John Hopper, Prince Camille de Rohan, Jules Margottin, Lady Suffield, 

 Madame Victor Verdier, Marie Baumann, Victor Verdier, Fisher Holmes, Dr. 

 Andry, Alfred Colomb, Jean Cherpin, Mile. Annie Wood, Baron Bourtellin, 

 Antoine Ducher, Beauty of Waltham, Baronne de Rothschild, and Duke of Edin- 

 burgh. In France, as a general rule, the seed is sown immediately when ripe, and 

 germinates in from one to three months. The young plants often produce tiny 

 flowers, in keeping with the lilliputian size of the plants, the first month, and 

 indicate to a certain extent the color and future form of the flower, but it is not 



