528 JOURNAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



before the winter frosts set in, whereas in the remaining ten years the 

 shoots were but indifferently matured at the end of the autumn. It was, 

 however, sometimes found, when a mild and dry winter followed, that the 

 ripening of the wood had been completed before pruning time in the 

 following spring. 



There occurred seven winters when the weather proved exceptionally 

 severe, the remaining eighteen having been either variable in temperature, 

 moderately cold, or more or less mild. In six winters the season was so 

 exceptionally mild throughout as to allow the plants no real rest. The 

 hardiness of most of our modern Hybrid Perpetuals and Hybrid Teas, 

 under favourable conditions when dormant, is shown by the fact that on 

 several occasions a large majority of the best shoots were found altogether 

 uninjured after having been exposed to a zero temperature — 32° of frost. 

 By favourable conditions I mean that at the time when such a severe 

 frost occurs the shoots must be well ripened and the atmosphere fairly dry 

 and calm. 



In only eight springs were there any destructive late frosts, but during 

 several of these frosts the damage done was considerable. 



It may appear surprising, but it is nevertheless true that during the 

 twenty-five years now under review more Rose seasons were spoilt by 

 adverse weather in June and the early part of July than by either winter 

 or spring frosts taken separately. For instance, in nine years a spell of 

 cold weather in June suddenly arrested the growth of the plants and the 

 development of the flowers — from which they never afterwards entirely 

 recovered during the rest of the summer. Then again in eight other 

 summers the prospects of a fine flowering period were marred by dry, hot, 

 and forcing weather hurrying the blooms prematurely into flower. 



The distribution of early and late Rose seasons over the twenty-five 

 years is rather remarkable. For in the first twelve years of that period 

 there were as many as eight backward seasons, whereas in the last thirteen 

 years there occurred only three. Then again in the first twelve years 

 there was only one forward season, whereas in the last thirteen years there 

 have occurred seven Rose seasons which were more or less early. 



In conclusion, I am very sorry indeed, in these short notes, to have 

 had to report so unfavourably upon my friend the weather and its spiteful 

 treatment of our national flower — the Rose; and it is unfortunately 

 difficult to find any extenuating circumstances for this apparently cruel 

 conduct. The fact is, the average climate of the British Isles is, so far 

 as I am aware, unequalled anywhere for Rose culture ; but the effect of 

 the unsatisfactory samples of weather of which that climate is often 

 made up is on that very account more keenly felt by the ardent rosarian 

 in Britain than similar weather conditions would be in any other quarter 

 of the globe. 



