S44 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



December 24, 1898. 



rose Notes. 



It would be difficult to imagine a better season for transplanting roses 

 than was enjoyed during November. The plants were nicely ripened, 

 growth in good condition, and free from the coarseness often found when 

 a wet summer and autumn are experienced. Strong and coarsely grown 

 plants are not so well suited for transplanting as those of medium growth 

 and size. A large quantity of wood from the first-named is lost. The 

 roots are correspondingly coarse, and there is little of the fibrous roots 

 so essential to safe moving. Given a well-ripened plant, of medium 

 strength, and with plenty of fibrous roots, early transplanting will secure 

 good results the following summer. Coarse plants, on the other hand, 

 spend the best part of their first season in recovering from severe 



mutilation of roots and wood. , L1 



The dry summer and autumn have made it easy to thoroughly 

 cleanse and work ground intended for roses, and the present excellent 

 condition of the soil, in almost all cases, makes it easy to plant roses 

 firmly without trampling upon wet and cloggy ground. Condition of soil 

 is not sufficiently studied. So long as it is fine overhead, too many are 

 apt to push on with the planting, ignoring the fact that a wet soil never 

 settles so kindly to the roots as when in a medium condition of moisture. 



Firm planting also deserves more attention, more especially in the 

 case of standards. Since it has become generally known how much better 

 our dwarf roses thrive when planted deeper than was formerly the 

 practice standards have also been planted more deeply. This is a mistake. 

 The roots of standard brier stocks should not be placed deep enough to 

 sustain the stock against wind and weather. If the collar of the brier 

 is two to three inches below the surface, that is ample. Many a standard 

 rose has proved a failure simply because it was planted too deeply. We 

 plant dwarfs deeper, in order to get some of the rose growth below 

 the surface, and thus induce better suckers and encourage the rose to 

 strike out upon its own roots, and assist those of its foster stock. We 

 cannot plant standards sufficiently deep to have any such effect. 

 Besides, it is unnatural to bury the stems of briers in this way. 



As soon as a'.few fairly sharp frosts arrive the question of protection 

 is sure to come forward. While I not do believe in such close protection 

 as many growers still practise, it is surely folly to leave our more tender 

 varieties to full exposure. It is a good plan to have some material ready 

 to hand, and that can be applied at once should severe weather set in. 

 All dwarfs can be made secure at their base by drawing up the soil to 

 them, even to the depth of nine or twelve inches. Several use litter, 

 straw and bracken among the branches, but unless these are drawn to- 

 gether and the protective material secured we find it missing at the very 

 time when most needed viz., duringthe prevalence of keen, frost-laden winds. 

 Should the weather turn very mild again, this litter or straw has an injurious 

 coddling effect. Twiggy branches of birch, fir, gorse, &c, will afford all 

 the protection needed. These do not induce so much tender growth, are 

 very easily fixed or removed, and, so long as the sharpest effects of the 

 frost are broken, we need have little fear for the majority 

 of roses, whether teas, hybrid teas, or hybrid perpetuals. Of course, 

 there are a few notoriously tender varieties, and these must have more 

 care and protection. I do not propose to name any of these, because the 

 same variety differs so much in the various localities. Much depends 

 upon the position. If high and dry, roses will often come safely 

 through a trial that proved fatal to others in a low and sheltered spot, 

 but close to a body of fresh water. It is the late spring frosts that are 

 most injurious in the latter case. When ordering roses the purchaser 

 almost invariably asks for strong plants. My choice would be those of 

 medium size and strength, worked low in the case of dwarfs, and well up 

 to the main stem when in standard form. So long as one has the proper 

 or most suited varieties for a given purpose, a plant of medium strength 

 will soon surpass those carrying a lot of wood when first received. 



We have had a good number of really useful and distinct new roses 

 during the past three seasons, and a brief note of a few of the best may 

 be some guide to purchasers. I propose to note the twenty-five varieties 

 that have proved the most promising from the introductions of 1896, 

 1897, and 1898. Antoine Rivoire is the result of crossing Lady Mary 

 Fitzwilliam and Dr. Grill, two of our freest bloomers. The colour is a deep 

 rosy flesh, with a tinge of soft copper. 1 1 is a good grower, with blooms of large 

 size, full, and camellia-like in form. In Beaute Lyonnaise we have a grand 

 seedling from Baroness Rothschild, presumably crossed with some tea or 

 noisette, seeing the raisers describe it as a hybrid tea variety. A robust 

 grower, with large and full flowers built up of immense petals ; white, 

 slightly tinted with lemon-yellow. Calocarpa is a rugosa of exceptional 

 freedom, both in growth, flower, and berry. At present it is one of the 

 most showy plants in the rose garden, and has immense trusses of deep 

 crimson berries, remaining upon the [plant long after the other rugosas 

 are past. The foliage colours well ; yellow, orange, purple, bronze, and 

 deep crimson shades all being present. Carmine Pillar ranks among our 

 best singles. It is by far the best carmine pillar rose we have, and 

 exceptionally full of flower early in the summer, the blooms being from 

 three to four inches across. Shoots of from ten to twelve feet long are 

 produced, and almost every eye carries trusses of blossom the following 

 season. Ellen Drew is simply a sport from Duchesse de Morny, but a 

 clear silvery-pink ground colour and delicate peach shadings. Laurence 

 Allen reminds one of Baroness Rothschild in growth and foliage, but 

 the flower is very full, inclined to globular form, extra sweet-scented and 

 lasting, and of a much clearer light pink. It is a grand show and pot 

 rose- Muriel Graham is a grand light blush sport from Catherine 

 Mermet, and cannot be over-praised. Queen Mab gives us one of the 

 most uniquely coloured of all the garden roses. It is a China, of fairly 

 free growth, very full of blossoms that are rosy apricot shaded orange. 

 Souvenir de Catherine Guillot deserves special mention. It is a free 

 grower, constant bloomer, has deep coppery-bronze foliage, long buds of 

 very deep orange-red colour, tinted with carmine. One of the best 



decorative roses we have, and very fragrant. Tom Wood is a hybrid 



uuv,uiau»\- * r m j o *» www* 10 l\ 11 y 



perpetual that is both useful in the exhibition box and the garden. A 

 vigorous grower, large and well-formed flower ; one of the best to last 

 and a grand deep cherry red late in the season. The ten named above 

 were introduced in 1896. 



The following vear we had, as the best of the introductions, 

 Duchesse Marie of Ritibor, a cross between Kaiserin Augusta Victoria 

 and Dr. Grill. As might have been expected, the growth is free and 

 upright, while its free flowering qualities are among the best. The flowers 

 last well when cut, are of good form, size, and substance, and borne very 

 boldly after the manner of Kaiserin A. Victoria. The colour is clear 

 creamy yellow, with a reddish yellow shade in the centre. Emanuel 

 Geibel is presumably a sport from Madame Falcot, and resembles that 

 old favourite, except in being larger and much deeper in colour; the 

 improvement in these respects is most marked, and I am sure this variety 

 will be good enough for the exhibition stand. Frau Geheimrat von Boch 

 is a vigorous and bushy grower, and one which flowers from June until 

 November. The petals are large and wide, buds very long, opening into 

 a full and well-formed flower. In colour it is a clear creamy 



and often has a distinct shade of carmine on the back of 

 Grande Duchesse Victoria Melita is a cross between Safrano 



It is somewhat difficult to know how to 



gold, 

 petals, 

 and Caroline 



Testout 



classify a rose of this pedigree. Here we have a tea and a hybrid 

 tea, crossed with each other, and the raiser calls the [seedling a tea. 

 Duchess Marie of Ratibor is also a cross between a tea and a hybrid tea, 

 by the same raiser, and classed as a tea ; but another variety, Antoine 

 Rivoire, resulting from crossing these two classes, is placed among the 

 hybrid teas. I mention this as a further proof that our roses are fast 

 becoming so intermingled and crossed that we shall soon have to dis- 

 pense with classes altogether. Even now we have them running into one 

 another so much that our best authorities disagree as to which class or 

 section many varieties belong. The seedling from Safrano and Caroline 

 Testout is a grand rose and a strong grower. The buds are long, and 

 always open into a large, well-formed flower. Like its parents, it is a 

 very free and continuous bloomer ; a creamy-white colour with a distinct 

 shade of light gold in the centre. Merveille des Blanches is a sport from 

 Baroness Rothschild, a pure white, with the exception of a faint tinge of 

 pink when growing in full sunshine. Wasily Chludoflf is a good climbing 

 noisette with handsome, bronzy foliage ; long, brilliant coppery-red buds, 

 tinted with yellow, and very sweet. 



In 1898 we have seven that aie well deserving of notice. Beryl is the 

 most highly scented of all teas. This is very free in growth and bloom, 

 the buds long, and a deep golden-yellow shade found in no other rose. 

 It is not very full, but a grand decorative variety. Grand Due Ernest 



_K _ K a a & — a _ & 



Jacque 



In 



flower and growth it resembles the last, but has the colour of Marechal 

 Niel. 



with 



Killarney is most pleasing in colour and form, flesh white, suffused 

 pale pink. L'Innocence much resembles Caroline Testout in 

 habit and form, but is a pure white, 

 roses we have. 



This is one of the most promising 

 Purity fills a want among early-flowering pillar roses, 



One of the 



and is a pure white of grand form, but medium in size, 

 earliest and freest bloomers we have, Souvenir de J. B. Guillot, gives 

 another of the peculiarly shaded roses introduced recently. This is free 

 in growth and bloom, and of fair size and substance. The colours vary 

 between nasturtium-red, red shaded with crimson, and bright coppery- 

 red. White Maman Cochet is merely an almost pure white sport from 

 that well-known tea rose, and certain to be most useful. Violoniste 

 Emilie Levegue is a grand grower, with large and well formed flowers. 

 The colour bright rosy carmine, with an orange centre, buds very long 

 and pointed. 



Among seasonable work we must not forget the mulch of well- 

 decayed manure. Thoroughly rotten vegetable matter and manure that 

 have been turned over a time or two makes an excellent mulch, and 

 cannot be applied at a better time than the present, so long as the ground 

 is not too wet to wheel upon. A plank or two will easily remedy this. 

 Mulchings not only protect the base, but the nutrient properties are 

 washed down to the roots steadily during the winter. Upon no account 

 mulch newly-budded dwarf stocks. The rose bud is much safer left 

 exposed. I do not pretend to say why such is the case, but experience 

 has proved that when mulched the rose buds are often killed in large 

 numbers, especially if strong manures are used. Vet we can safely cover 

 the eyes at the base of established and recently moved plants. 



A. Piper 



Chrysanthemum Mytchett White.— This is one of the best of the 



early- flowering varieties that have been introduced to our gardens in recent years, 

 and one that in the near future will probably become very popular for planting 

 out for producing cut bloom and for the embellishment of the garden, t or 

 cultivation in pots it is the best of the early fl iwering chrysanthemums that I have 

 grown for this purpose, the plants being naturally of a dwarf, branching haoic, 

 producing good heads of bloom and sufficient foliage in quite small pots, ine 

 flowers are pearly-white, with broad and slightly reflexed florets, and, 



varieties, these annoa, ^ j »v*2« mMhi whether crown under 



- , « 



or in the open. 



probably 



ppiiu^ uau * very weakly appearance ; so much was tnis me ^ Lua \ Vc u is 

 despaired of seeing them in bloom, but as the season advanced the weakness w a 

 overcome, and in the end the fine appearance and usefulness of the plants reuj 

 justified the high opinion expressed upon the variety when you gave a fullj** 

 illustration of it last year. With strong cuttings, and consequently better pu^ 

 earlier in the season, it is anticipated that this variety will flower when planwa 

 the open in August, and ultimately take tbe place of the small- flowered sorts ; tn 

 until now have been used for this purpose. Compared with Madame ^SffS 

 it has the advantage 0 f being much dwarfer and of a more sp/eadmg h^ 1 

 growth, which enables it to be planted in very exposed situations *i bout 



akmg to keep the branches erect in boisterous weather.— J am*. 



House 



'own* N. 



