270 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



almost every particular. (For a descrijDtion of these 

 manners and customs see Countess of Oxford.) The 

 majority of those which have been noted are superior 

 in some respects to this their common ancestor. 



Viscountess Folkestone (Bennett, 1886). — A Hybrid 

 Tea, of fair growth and foliage, doing decidedly better in 

 growth and bloom as a standard. A most distinct 

 early Rose, of quiet but taking colour : the blooms open 

 very quickly, and soon become loose and shapeless, but 

 are even then beautiful and highly decorative. When 

 the weather is cool, it may sometimes be shown well, if 

 cut young and tied up at just the right stage : it becomes 

 then a large and fine show Rose with grand petals 

 as long as it holds its shape. Very free-flowering, 

 fragrant, and a capital autumnal, with the usual 

 immunity of Hybrid Teas from mildew and orange 

 fungus. 



W. F. Bennett (Bennett, 1885).— A Hybrid Tea, of 

 good growth, and crimson colour, thin in petal but very 

 free-flowering and sweet-scented. This is a Rose which 

 has proved most useful for forcing and cutting in the 

 bud state. 



Xavier Olibo (Lacharme, 1864). — Evidently a seed- 

 ling from General Jacqueminot, as the wood is very 

 similar. A weak grower with poor constitution, not 

 liking manetti, and rather liable to mildew, answering 

 best if budded annually on the briar either standard or 

 cutting, but occasionally doing fairly as a cut-back if 

 not moved. This Rose used always to be described as 

 " velvety black, shaded with amaranth," a taking de- 

 scription especially to those who had hazy ideas of what 

 colour " amaranth " is. The word means " fadeless " or 

 " everlasting," and seems to have been applied to the 

 cockscomb family of flowers because of their lasting 



