756 



OPEN FLOWER-GARDEN. 



Britain so recently as 1810, and with the yellow 

 China, or Tearscented rose, previously introduced 

 to France, became the parents of all those beau- 

 tiful varieties we now so much prize, many of 

 which, however, will not flourish in our climate. 



It has been said by one of our greatest rose- 

 cultivators, that the culture of the Tea-scented 

 rose is quite in its infancy in this country; but 

 this we attribute more to the want of climate 

 than the want of skill in their management ; 

 for it must be allowed that climate has much to 

 do in the matter, else why should the roses of 

 the Levant, of Italy, and of France be so superior 

 to ours 1 



To impart constitutional strength to this class 

 is no doubt a desideratum, but how this is 

 to be effected without deterioration is the ques- 

 tion. Budding or grafting them on such stocks 

 as the Blush Boursault, Celine, or Manettii, in- 

 stead of the Dog rose, as is so frequently done, 

 would, we think, be an improvement. It is well 

 known that these roses, when so wrought, stand 

 the winter better than when on their own roots. 

 These we would decidedly take up in autumn, 

 and protect imder shelter till spring. This is, 

 however, at variance with the views of Mr Paul, 

 who says, " The practice of removing them from 

 the ground for protection during winter, and 

 again transferring them to their places in the 

 rosarium in spring, cannot be too highly depre- 

 cated. To remove a plant once, endangers its 

 growth and perfect flowering the first year; and 

 to remove it twice, more than doubles the risk of 

 failure." This is, to some extent, no doubt true, 

 but we would rather run the risk, if such there 

 be, of removal, than the almost moral certainty 

 of having them killed to the ground by frost. 

 The most important rose of this section, raised 

 from seed in Britain, is no doubt Devouiensis, 

 which originated with Mr Foster of Plymouth. 



Macartney rose {Rosa bracteata). — The ori- 

 ginal of this small group is the single Macartney 

 rose, introduced in 1795 from China. The old 

 double variety is not worth growing, and should 

 give place to Maria Leonida, which is a fine bor- 

 der-flower in favourable situations ; but, like most 

 of the China roses, tender, and requires protec- 

 tion in cold localities ; succeeds in most good 

 garden soils, if moderately light, and when 

 trained upon a wall, and kept rather thin of 

 branches. 



Miniature rose {Rosa Lawrenceana). — Consi- 

 dered by botanists to be a distinct species, and 

 of Chinese origin. Mr Rivers, however, says it 

 is nothing but a dwarf variety of the common 

 China rose, like the Rose de Meaux and Pompon, 

 which are dwarf varieties of Rosa centifolia. 

 " Many plants," he remarks, " that have been 

 long under cultivation have a tendency to pro- 

 duce from seed these pigmy likenesses of them- 

 selves." This section prefers a dry light soil 

 and warm situation. They are, in most locali- 

 ties, more fit for growing in pots, kept in a cool 

 pit, than for open-border culture. 



Noisette rose {Rosa noisettiana). — The type of 

 this group, the old Blush noisette rose, is of 

 American origin, itself a hybrid, being raised 

 from the seed of the old musk rose, the flowers 

 of which were impregnated by the common 



China rose. This is a fine class of roses, mostly 

 producing their flowers in large clusters through- 

 out the summer and autumn. Their flowers are 

 also of good size and fine shape. Some varieties 

 are grown advantageously as standards, and the 

 stronger-growing sorts make excellent weepers. 

 For the most part they are hardy — at least all are 

 which partake of the original — but a large portion 

 of those now in cultivation have deviated much 

 from the characteristics of their first parents, 

 and approach closely to the Tea section, as well 

 as others with which they have become impreg- 

 nated. This is obviously the case wherever the 

 size of the flower has been increased by hybrid- 

 isation; for here they lose the tendency to 

 produce their flowers in clusters or corymbs, 

 upon which so much of the merit of the veritable 

 Noisette depends. Those hybrids approaching 

 the Teas are more tender, and require the pro- 

 tection of a wall in all cold localities, upon which 

 they will continue to bloom till very late in the 

 season. Most of the free growers are admirably 

 adapted for pole or pillar training in all moderate 

 climates. The class requires a moderately rich 

 soil, and pruning must be modified according to 

 the character of the variety, as some are very 

 luxuriant growers, while others are the reverse, 

 and instead of making long rambling shoots, 

 incline rather to assume a compact habit. Dur- 

 ing the blooming season it is of importance to 

 the health and vigour of all roses, as well as for 

 appearance' sake, to cut off all decaying flowers 

 as they appear. In the case of the Noisettes this 

 is still more important, as they are so prone to 

 produce seed, the production of one or two 

 clusters of which is more weakening to the plant 

 than the production of its whole display of 

 flowers during the season. All roses, therefore, 

 which have a tendency to produce seed, should 

 have it all removed (if not required for sowing) 

 as soon as the petals droop. The Noisettes are 

 adapted for training and growing in all the va- 

 rious forms — the strong growers for poles and 

 pillars, the more tender for walls, and the dwarf 

 compact sorts for beds on their own roots. 

 Those grown in the latter way may, in situations 

 where they may be endangered by frost during 

 winter, be cut down in November to within 12 

 inches of the ground, and slightly covered with 

 branches or dry litter, which should be allowed 

 to continue on till the end of March, when it 

 may be gradually removed. 



Situation. — The rose can only be cultivated to 

 the highest perfection in an open situation fully 

 exposed to the south, unencumbered by the 

 shade of trees or buildings, as well as far re- 

 moved from the effects of smoke, and in a posi- 

 tion where it may enjoy a free circulation of 

 pure air. Hence the want of success in all 

 attempts to cultivate it in town or city gardens, 

 as well as in close and shaded shrubberies. It 

 also requires climate — and hence the roses of 

 France and the south of England, to say nothing 

 of those of more genial climes, have not their 

 equals elsewhere ; and therefore many of the 

 finer sorts do not prosper well in many parts of 

 Scotland. The rose also requires shelter from 

 the wind, and a full exposure to the south, 

 south-east, or south-west. In choosing a site 



