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THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



presented to our view, that we shall begin to understand why that matchless flower, the 

 Rose, should have been crowned Queen, and at the same time realise how great a debt of 

 gratitude we owe to the Rose hybridist, for the exhibition kinds of the present day are 

 practically the outcome of his patient toil during the last forty or fifty years. He has as yet 

 given us no blue or black Rose, but on the other hand most other tints will be found more or 

 less in evidence, and this, too, accompanied by much delicacy of texture and refinement of form, 

 without that precise formality which characterises most other florists' flowers. If in the past 

 the Rose was considered worthy to take precedence of all other flowers, how much more must 

 this be the case in the present day, when at no previous time in its history has there existed 

 such a surprising wealth of choice kinds to select from. Where, for instance, in their different 

 tints can be equalled elsewhere in the floral kingdom perfect exhibition specimens of any of the 

 following kinds ? Beginning with the lightest shades, we first come to Niphetos, the whitest of 

 all the exhibition Roses, followed closely by The Bride, Innocente Piroia, Muriel Grahame, and 

 that delightful new Tea-scented Rose, White Maman Cochet. Then in various shades of 



HYBRID TEA ROSE (Grand Due Adolphe de Luxemburg!. 



yellow we have Marie Van Houtte, Marechal Niel, and Comtesse de Nadaillac. Among the 

 choicest pinks may be mentioned Maman Cochet, Bridesmaid, Mine. G. Luizet, Mrs. R. G. 

 Sharman-Crawford, and Mrs. W. J. Grant. Curiously enough, pure rose-coloured Roses are 

 by no means common ; but while we possess Suzanne M. Rodocanachi, saved from oblivion by 

 the late Mr. T. W. Girdlestone, we need never complain that this tint has no striking 

 representative. Crimsons and carmines are plentiful enough. Among the choicest of these 

 may be named A. K. Williams, Alfred Colomb, Duchess of Bedford, and Victor Hugo. Duke 

 of Edinburgh still remains the nearest approach to a scarlet that we yet have in this section, 

 while Charles Lefebvre, Horace Vernet, and Louis Van Houtte serve to uphold the dignity of 

 the dark' crimson and maroon varieties. 



After a careful inspection of the foregoing and innumerable other treasures of the Rose 

 world at a show or in a large nursery, who would not wish to grow specimens as beautiful in 

 his own garden. Now, this can readily be done, if only, as Dean Hole says in his fascinating 

 "Book about Roses," he who expresses such a wish has but " beautiful Roses in his heart" — is 

 really in earnest in that desire. As a further incentive, it may with confidence be stated that 



