856 



seedling roses it was the practice of niaiiyj 

 more especially on the Continent^ to de- 

 pend upon plants growing in open beds 

 and borders for the supplies of seed. Now 

 all this in changed, and the seed is wholly 

 saved from plants grown under glass, and 

 with but few exceptions in pots. The 

 plants selected for seed-bearing are mostly 

 grown in six-inch pots, and presumably 

 started into activity somewhat in advaiu o 

 of the plants growing in the open, with 



of a moderate amount of 



the assistance 

 artiticial heat. 



Plants started imder such 



duce to cultivation more than four varie- 

 ties in any one year. 



Turning from the plants bearing this 

 yeai' s crop of seed, so rich in potentialities, 

 the seedlings in various stages of develop- 

 ment, and the many interesting questions 

 associated with the creation of new forms, 

 it was a pleasure to find oneself, after a 

 very short walk, in the midst of the new 

 \ ;uieties that had created so much in- 

 terest among rosarians at the exhibitions 

 of the current year. These were growing 

 in large fields, and in one of them there 

 iverfx at le,is*-. 80.000 plants of new roses, 



were 



may be, the illustration conveys a fairly 

 good idea of the extent of the culture of 

 new roses by the firm. 



Naturally the varieties that were first 

 looked for were those that had received 

 distinction at the exhibitions held by the 

 National Rose Society^ and one of the 

 earliest to come under notice was Corona- 

 tion, a glorious hybrid tea that had re- 

 ceived a gold medal of this society at 

 Belfast a few days previovisly. There is 

 full justification for the belief that it 

 will be of much value for 



ese inc^lnding the varieties that 



conditions in a structure that is freely 

 ventilated bear flowers that are less doul)lo 



than usual, are more readily pollinated, brought into prominence during the past phik. 

 and produce liberal crops of seed. 



exhibition, 



the large blooms being of grand form, and 

 the colour a delightful shade of 



. ■'it 



[{{)>]:> AT HKLFAST laPKNIXCi TIIi:n; i liOP OF SEKD 



were 

 the 



plants 

 raised 



from seed 



and had 



sown 

 reached the 



It is gratifying to be able to illustrate 

 some fruiting ulant8 and several seed- 

 lings that 

 early in tne year 

 flowering stage. One of these is bearing a 

 bloom that suggests some degree of pro- 

 mise, but what the final results will be 

 has yet to be determined. ?Iuch weeding 

 out is done the first year, th f others being 

 grown two or more years, ai.d, it may be, 

 be decided whether they shall be placed 

 at the disposal of the flower-loving public 

 or consigned to the lethal chamber. This 

 final decision must be a difficult matter 

 \inder any circumstances, and especially so 

 in the case of this firm, who, in accord- 

 ance with their existing rule, do not intro- 



peach- 



The breadth of plants in the field 

 summerj and such as are being grown on afforded ample evidence that the constitu- 

 tion is robustj and the flowers freely pro- 

 duced, while the foliage is so stout and 

 leathery in texture as to suggest the dif- 

 ficulty which mildew will have in becoming 

 established on the leaves. Of the value of 

 Coronation _f or exhibition there can be no 

 doubt^ and, judging from the appearance 

 of the plants growing under ordinary oon- 

 <litions, it cannot well fail in rendering 

 good service in the garden. H. E. Richard- 

 son, a distinct hybrid tea, which also re- 

 ceived the award of a gold medal at 

 Belfast, is very different both in character 

 and colour to the foregoing, and may be 

 described as a valuable addition to the 

 crimson roses already in cultivation. The 

 blooms are of medium size, fine form, 

 delightfully fragrant, and of a deep yet 

 glowing crimson hue. Rather strong in 

 growi^h and free in flowering, it sliould be 

 most valuable in the garden, both for de- 

 corative effect and supplying blooms for 

 indoor decorations. 



Very beautiful in its shade of colour is 

 Mrs. Mona Hunting ^ a distinct hybrid tea, 

 which had an Award of Merit made in its 

 favour at the R.H.S. Holland House show, 

 and received the N.R.S. silver-gilt medal 

 the following week at the Royal Botanic 

 Society's Gardens. The flowers are of large 

 size and superb form, and the colour an ex- 

 quisite shade of chamois-yellow. TTie habit 

 is good, and the flowers freely produced; 

 and, as seen growing in the nursery quar- 

 ters, it gave promise of proving a fine gar- 

 den rose, as well as being valuable for 

 competitive purposes. Mrs. R- D- 

 McClure, a beautiful hybrid tea, with 

 blooms of a rich salmon-rose hue, shoiikl 

 make a fine ga^rden rose, and also be able 

 to render good service on the exhibition 

 stage. The colouring reminds one of the 

 Lyon Rose, and the habit is good. This 

 received the N.R.S. gold medal at Bel- 

 fast, and Mrs. James Lynas, a distinct, 

 free-blooming hybrid tea, with large bhish- 

 pink flowers of fine form, that is highly 

 attractive as seen growing in the open, re- 

 ceived a silver-gilt medal. 



The extension of the operations of the 

 firm having rendered the acquisition of ad- 

 ditional land necessary, a large farm a 

 short distance from the nurseries was pur- 

 chased two or three vears since, and is 

 being turned to good account. It occu- 

 pies an idieal site for roses, the country 



open that the plants have the 

 fullest exposure to sunlight and air, and 

 the soil is deep and friable. Already ^ome 

 eighty acres are occupied by roses, and the 

 fields of dwarfs and standards bearing 

 many thousands of blooms produced an 

 impression that will not be readily effaoe<i 

 from the mind of the writer. Here w^re 

 found 



for presentation to public notice next year 

 or for further trial. Eighty thousand 

 plants is a big number^ and it is of interest 

 as showing how great is the demand for 

 new roses of merit ,and how strenuous is 

 the endeavour that is being made to meet 

 it. The huge expanse of plants impressed 

 me in another way, and to assist my 

 readers in realising how great are the 

 operations of the firm in connection with 

 novelties, an illustration is given herew^ith 

 of a portion of the principal field. X'n- 



a vy ra ui was sweeping 

 across the field when the photograph was 



heavy rains, whatever may be 

 their merits in other respects, are not 

 favourable to photography. However that 



being 



so 



tion 



all the finest varieties in cultiva- 

 without reference to place of ^^^^^^ 

 and a whole day might have been profitably 

 spent among them in an endeavour 



to 

 the 



clear up doubtful points relating to tn 

 relative, merits of varieties that close^v 

 approach each other in some of their pi'^"^ 

 cipal characteristics. This, however, ^'^ 



