A BOOK ABOUT ROSES 



set up a butler, as they did on the dismissal of Hebe, 

 and in the person of Ganymede, they may have enlarged 

 their goblets; but it was a fashion of the ancients, including 

 our own grandfathers, to take their wine from egg-cups 

 and extinguishers of glass. Be this as it may. Coupe 

 d'Hebe is undoubtedly one of our most graceful and 

 refined Roses, exquisite in form and in colour, the latter 

 a silvery blush. Referring to a list of the Roses which 

 I grew in 185 1, I find that, of 434 varieties, 410 have been 

 disannulled to make way for their betters ! Of the two 

 dozen which are in office still, three-fourths are climbing or 

 decorative Roses, and six only of sufficient merit to pass 

 the ordeal of exhibition — namely, Blairii 2, Cloth-of-Gold, 

 Devoniensis, La Reine, Souvenir de Malmaison, and Coupe 

 d'Hebe. 



Cheshunt Hybrid^ Climbing Captain Christy^ Perle des Jardins^ 

 Victor Verdier^ dcddi Madame Berard must be also included 

 among the Climbing Roses. 



Edouard Morren is very effective for the purpose under con- 

 sideration, being of robust growth, and liberally producing 

 its large, symmetrical, rose-carmines flowers. 



General Jacqueminot^ for so many summers the Rose of our 

 gardens, is still a glory and grace, its petals, soft and 

 smooth as velvet, glowing with vivid crimson, and its 

 growth being free and healthful. I well remember the 

 time when we welcomed this conquering hero, in his 

 brilliant uniform, as being invincible ; but development 

 in Roses is no theory, as in certain schools of theology, 

 but a sure reality, and the General must now pale his 

 ineffectual fire in the presence of such Roses as Alfred 

 Colomb, Charles Lefebvre, and Marie Beauman. As a 

 Pillar Rose, notwithstanding, he is not surpassed. 



Gloire de Dijon, described among the Climbers, but excellent 

 in every phase. Like Phyllis, * it never fails to please ; ' 

 unlike Phyllis, it is never ' coy,' 



