268 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



climber or large bush, and its wealth of 

 flowers good, either for cutting or show. 

 While alluding to the bush Roses sent 

 to us from Ireland I must call special at- 

 tention to one worthy of a home in the 

 garden and heart of everyone who loves 

 a Rose for its own sweet sake ; Margaret 

 Dickson, the lady after whom this Rose 

 is named, being the mother of those 

 who are doing so much for our national 

 flower. May her namesake be treasured 

 as long as that lady's name and memory 

 will live in the hearts of those who knew 

 her. This fine Rose flowers with free- 

 dom, and even in a town garden bears 

 fine almost white blooms. Though this 

 race of Irish Roses have amongst them 

 many of the best kinds for gardens, many 

 of them are also of value for the shows, 

 for during the last seven years our best 

 exhibitors have shown many fine ex- 

 amples of these new kinds. Thus among 

 hybrid-perpetuals fine typical blooms 

 are seen of Margaret Dickson ; Mrs. 

 S/iarman Crawford, a rich rosy pink, 

 beautiful and distinct; c7/f/£r,large,mas- 

 sive,and handsome,sweetly scented , and 

 of a bright salmon colour ; Tom W ?od, 

 of cherry-red colour and of good form; 

 Marchioness of Londonderry , a fine 

 flower in ivory white; Marchioness of 

 Downsh ire, a beautiful rose in satin pink ; 

 and Earl of Dufferin, perfect in form 

 and brilliant in rich dark crimson, with 

 Marchioness of Duffer in forming in her 

 satin pink colouring a striking contrast 

 to the flower that bears the name of one 

 who served his country well. Of recent 

 years our choice of hybrid-teas has been 

 increased by Killarney, always good in 

 pink and silver sheen ; Bessie Brown, 



creamy white, large, and fragrant; Mrs. 

 y. W. Grant in imperial pink, and Mil- 

 dred Grant with its deep petals and 

 shapely outline of silvery white, shaded 

 or flushed with pink; Countess of Cale- 

 don, a distinct richly-coloured carmine 

 rose, sweetly scented ; and Duchess of 

 Portland ',pale yellow and of grand form ; 

 Alice Lindsell, in cream and pink, is a 

 Rose with a future; Edith Dombrain, a 

 fine white Rose by the side of Liberty, 

 a flower of shapely form and brilliant 

 crimson, makes a telling contrast. Col- 

 lections are also improved by the pres- 

 ence of such teas as Mrs. Edward Maw- 

 ley, bright and fragrant, with pointed 

 centre andreflexed petals of bright car- 

 mine, tinged and flushed with silvery 

 salmon ; and Muriel Graham, always 

 good in her pale lemon, shading to white. 

 So much for the best show flowers, which 

 times out. of number have gained the sil- 

 ver medal of the National Rose Society 

 for the best single blooms in the various 

 classes, than which there is no greater 

 honour. In classes of twelve blooms of 

 one variety similar results have followed, 

 growers from all parts securing first place 

 with one or other of these Irish Roses. 

 Since 1887, Messrs. Dickson have sent 

 out no less than fifty-four new and 

 beautiful Roses, though, owing to cli- 

 matic and other causes, but a small pro- 

 portion of their gains have been sub- 

 mitted to the National Rose Society. 

 Nevertheless, sixteen of the gold medals 

 offered by the Society since 1890 for new 

 flowers have been won in open contest 

 by Roses raised by this firm. 



The following seedlings have been 

 named but not yet sent out: — Mrs. 



