TEA-SCENTED ROSES. 



307 



known that this Rose and Souvenir d'Elise Vardon have between 

 them been selected as the best bloom in the show more often 

 than all the other Teas put together, it may perhaps create 

 surprise that neither has been included in the selection that I 

 have just made. But it is unluckily the fact that neither 

 variety, beautiful as the flowers are when at their best, is among 

 the easiest to cultivate successfully. Comtesse de Nadaillac is 

 not tender in the sense of being specially susceptible to injury 

 from frost ; the growth is sturdy but short, so that it is difficult 

 to obtain large plants ; and the same remarks apply, more or 

 less, to Souvenir d'Elise Vardon— so that neither of these rival 

 beauties is among the best for an inexperienced grower to begin 

 with. But anyone who started the cultivation of Tea- scented 

 Eoses with the varieties and in the way I have suggested would 

 no doubt soon be growing all other good varieties, including 

 Comtesse de Nadaillac — beyond question of the most beautiful 

 Roses the most beautiful. 



Discussion. 



The Rev. H. H. D'ombeain, Ashford, as an old Rose-grower 

 desired to express his thanks to the lecturer for the paper he had 

 read. There were one or two points, however, in it with which 

 he was not in accordance. One of these referred to the Manetti 

 stock, it being stated that the cause of failure in many cases 

 was due to Roses being budded on this stock, which was somewhat 

 more tender than the British briar. The speaker said he had 

 been collecting information from all parts of the country regard- 

 ing the effects of the past winter of 1890-91 on Tea Roses, and 

 he was informed by several correspondents that the Roses on the 

 Manetti stock were in a better condition than those which had 

 been budded on the seedling briar. It had been said by a few 

 that the Manetti, being an Italian Rose, was the cause of some 

 failures, but he did not appreciate this view. He was under the 

 impression that Mr. Girdlestone said that Roses on the Manetti 

 did well when grown in pots, and this he thought was sufficient 

 proof of the value of the Manetti, although Roses in pots were apt 

 to suffer from having insufficient material for the roots to feed 

 upon. In reference to " earthing up " Roses, Mr. D'ombrain 

 said the idea originated many years ago with Mr. Radclyffe, and 

 when he himself began it he was laughed at for his pains. Most 



