XII 



MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 



249 



strong grower with fine coarse foliage almost proof 

 against mildew. The blooms are apt to be rough and 

 badly shaped, and it seldom has sufficient form or 

 smoothness for exhibition. Of large size and very sweet 

 but rather a dull colour. A free bloomer, but not very 

 good as an autumnal. A hardy garden Rose, useful, 

 early, of strong constitution, which will do pretty well 

 in light soil. Margaret Haywood and William Warden 

 are sports of lighter colour from this Rose. 



Madame Charles Crcvpelet (Fontaine, 1859). — An old 

 Rose, but still very good at its best, as a smooth refined 

 show Rose of the popular imbricated shape. Rather a 

 weak grower, and liable to mildew, but not soon spoiled 

 by rain, and a sort which well repays high cultivation. 

 This variety, like a good many others, has its good and 

 bad years, and is probably best in a cool season. Of 

 capital form, very smooth, regular, and full, of good 

 lasting quality and fair size. Not a free bloomer or a 

 good autumnal, but though never of strong or hardy 

 constitution, and now excluded from the N.R.S. Cata- 

 logue, it cannot, I think, like some others of its age, be 

 suspected of having deteriorated. 



Madame Eugene Verdier (Verdier, 1878). — Grows 

 well as a maiden, but the first growths of cutbacks are 

 sometimes very short : still the blooms come just as well, 

 and the foliage is fine. The constitution is delicate in 

 some localities and the plants often gradually die ; severe 

 pruning seems to produce canker. It is not very liable 

 to mildew, but a slight shower will stain the colour, and 

 much rain will cause the petals to "gum," i.e. stick 

 together, and rot. The blooms are likely to be coarse 

 and are not often of refined shape or appearance ; but 

 they are very large with wonderfully fine petals and 

 well-filled centres. Fairly free in bloom and a pretty 



