ROSES— C UL TURE. 



103 



As to the features which constitute an exhibition rose, " form" may be described as 

 the chief; next comes size, but this must never be at the expense of coarseness. 

 Given good form, a large rose can scarcely be coarse. Brightness and freshness of colour 

 follow. In some varieties the sweet freshness is soon past, whereas in others, such as 

 Suzanne Marie Eodocanachi, Anna Ollivier, Maman Coehet, and Caroline Testout, this 

 property is retained to the last. 



A rose combining the good qualities indicated is almost unapproachable by any 

 other flower. Unfortunately, too many of our best exhibition blooms are produced by 

 plants with an indifferent habit of growth. We have Cleopatra, Souvenir d'Elise Yardon 

 (see page 109), Comtesse de Nadaillac, Xavier Olibo, and Horace Vernet in this category, 

 but they cannot be dispensed with. On the other hand, there is an increasing number 

 of grand roses with equally good constitutions, such as Mrs. John Laing, Alfred Colomb, 

 General Jacqueminot, Charles Lefebvre, Duke of Edinburgh, Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, 

 Caroline Testout, Anna Ollivier, Maman Cochet, Catherine Mermet, Marie Van Houtte, 

 and Ernest Metz. 



Culture. 



To secure grand roses in their very best form it is necessary to afford high culture, 

 and under such conditions many varieties do not thrive 

 well for more than a few years. Close pruning must be £\ \\ 



practised, and heavy mulchings afforded in the autumn 

 and spring ; also thorough waterings and copious supplies 

 of liquid manure, especially during a dry summer and with 

 light soil. As a rule, the autumn mulchings or coverings 

 with light manure afford sufficient protection, it being only 

 the bottom eyes that are retained when pruning ; still, it 

 is well to slightly protect as advised elsewhere. Instruc- 

 tions on propagating, planting, pruning, and protecting 

 are included on pp. 16G — 181, Vol. I. (which see). 



The spring growths need thinning where thickly pro- 

 duced, and the small flower buds around the centre bud 

 pinched out as soon as they can be handled. This is to 

 concentrate the whole of the plant's energies and strength into a few blooms. The 

 practice is shown in the illustration (Fig. 52). In a the four side buds are marked for 



52. Thinning Rose Buds. 

 References. — a, buds marked for 

 removal ; b, result of disbudding. 



