36 HARDY CHINESE PyEONlAS & HELLEBORUS OR CHRISTMAS & LENTEN ROSES. 
PvEONIAS — continued. each— s. d. 
1904 Glolre de Patrle, pink, very large i 6 
1905 Humel, rose-purple i o 
1906 „ carnea, blush i 6 
1907 Inslguis, rose-carmine 2 6 
1908 Josephine Parmentler, rose, tinged pur- 
ple , rose scented 2 6 
1909 Isabelle Karlitzky, guard petals rose, 
centre creamy white 2 6 
1910 La Sublime, rose, shading to lilac 1 o 
1911 L'Esperance, rose 2 6 
1912 Louis van Houtte, purple- crimson 2 6 
1913 Louise d’Estrees, blush 2 6 
1914 Lucrece, guard petals peach, centre white, 
fragrant 1 6 
1915 Madame Benard, bright rose 2 6 
1916 ,, Calot, rose-purple, goldeti centre 1 6 
1917 ,, Guerin, rose-carmine 2 6 
1918 ,, Lemoine, deep crimson 2 6 
1919 ,, Vilmorin, guard petals blush, 
centre while 2 6 
1920 ,, Lebon, rich purple-rose, rose 
scented 2 6 
1921 Magniflca, pink , changing to blush , very 
large 2 6 
1922 Marcchal Villant, red-violet-purple 2 6 
1923 Marginata, guard petals rose-pink , centre 
salmon, fragrant 2 6 
1924 Marquise de Lory, pure white 2 6 
1925 Monsieur Boquil, salmon-rose 2 6 
1926 ,, Rousselon, white, tinged rose... 2 6 
1927 ,, de Villeneuve, rich purple-rose, 
very large 2 6 
1928 Ne plus ultra 1 6 
1929 Officinale albo pleno, white, early bloomer 1 6 
1930 ,, anemoneflora pleno, rich 
purple-crimson 1 o 
each — s. d. 
1931 Officinale roseo pleno, rich glittering rose 1 6 
1932 ,, rubro pleno, rich crimson, very 
large 1 o 
1933 Paul Rubourg, deep salmon-rose 2 6 
1934 Plenis8ima superba,yfo<r rose 2 6 
1935 Pottsii, rich magenta-crimson, golden centre 1 o 
1936 Prince Antoine d’Arenberg, rose-lilac ... t o 
1937 ,, Charles, guard petals rose-purple, 
centre chamois, tinged purple ... 1 6 
1938 ,, Prosper, rich purple-magenta, 
golden centre 1 o 
1939 Pulcherrima, guard petals blush , centre 
white , rose scented 1 6 
1940 Purpurea, purple-crimson 1 6 
1941 Reine des Roses, guard petals deep rose, 
centre chamois-rose 1 6 
1942 Reine Victoria, delicate blush 2 6 
1943 Rosamond, bright rose, very large 2 6 
1944 Rosea maxima, rose-carmine 2 6 
1945 ,, quintal, fine rose 1 o 
1946 ,, superba, fine blush rose 1 6 
1947 Rubra Triumphant, vivid crimson 2 6 
1948 Souvenir d’ Auguste MieUez, rich glitter- 
ing purple 2 6 
1949 ,, de Gasper Calot, bright rose , 
shaded purple, and margined pin k 2 6 
1950 ,, del’ Exposition Universelle,/«c 
rose-purple 2 6 
1951 Sulphurea, salmon colour 2 6 
1962 Tenuifolia, crimson, verydwarf and elegant 1 o 
1953 ,, fl. pi., double crimson, dwarf, 
and elegant 1 6 
1954 Versicolor, rose-lilac 1 6 
1955 Whitleji, major, pure white, golden centre, 
single, fragrant 1 6 
HELLEBORUS OR CHRISTMAS AND LENTEN ROSES. 
In our English gardens hardy plants are now fostered in permanent flower borders, and amongst them an 
honourable place has been given to the decorative varieties of the Christmas and Lenten Roses, as representing 
Winter and Spring flowers. There is much variety in the family, and, from the dividing lines between the species 
being somewhat obscure, much confusion has arisen in the nomenclature. Mr. Baker, ever ready to assist the 
horticulturist, prepared an admirable monograph of the genus, which appeared in The Gardeners Chronicle, 
1877. The monograph we thus epitomise, as it may interest those who have not seen the original : — 
The genus Helleborus is represented by six species or heads of families, viz. : — H. vesicarius, of Mount 
Cassius, near Antioch, a plant not yet introduced into cultivation ; H.fcetidus and H. lividus, both of these 
handsome ornamental foliage plants ; H. niger, the much prized Christmas Rose, with its geographical varieties, 
minor , major , intermedins, giganteus, and maximus; H. viridis and H. orientalis, these are the Lenten Roses, 
and have many geographical varieties. The Viridis section is distinguished by its deciduous foliage which 
reappears early in Spring, associated with flowers which range from green to dove-purple. Three of these are 
illustrated in the coloured plate which accompanied The Garden of 19th July, 1879. The geographical varieties 
of the type Viridis are Dumetorum, Laxus, Bocconi, Cyclophyllus, Graveolens, Intermedius, Cupreus, Pm pur a- 
scens, and a charming dove-purple coloured species, Torquatus. The Orientalis group has the leaves coriaceous 
and persistent, with a polished green surface, and the segments generally conspicuously toothed ; the flowers 
are usually large, the sepals frequently imbricated and assuming a bell-shaped form, surmounted on stems two 
or three times forked, thus forming a showy branched panicle of flowers, which range in colour from the richest 
crimson to white ; six of these are illustrated in the coloured plate which accompanied The Garden of 19th July, 
1879. The geographical varieties of the type Orientalis are Antiquorum, Guttatus, Olympicus, Pallidus , 
Caucasians, Odor us, Atrorubens, Colchicus, and Abchasicus. 
From these Orientalis varieties have originated many beautiful sorts in England and on the Continent. Our 
friends on the Continent made their crosses systematically, and have, consequently, secured excellent results ; 
while the new kinds which have been raised in England are apparently the result of accidental seeding. The 
late Mr. Sauer, of the Berlin Botanic Gardens, has made the most successful crosses of which there is any record, 
and this work has been fully described by Professor Koch. Mr. Frank Miles and other English amateurs who 
are engaged in hybridizing the Helleborus would act wisely by acquainting themselves with what Mr. Sauer did, 
and how he did it. 
The garden varieties of the Orietitalis section of Lenten Roses which we have catalogued are important 
additions, and will be found attractive and highly decorative in the flower garden, or cultivated in pots for green- 
house decoration. The varieties figured in the coloured plate issued by The Garden, 19th July, 1879, maybe 
taken as a sample of those described in our catalogue. We have secured a supply of these coloured plates, 
representing nine species and varieties of the Spring flowering Lenten Roses, and those of our customers who 
have not seen the plate, and intend purchasing these plants, can have it forwarded free of cost on application. 
Mr. Moore, Curator of the Chelsea Botanic Gardens, has been studying the Helleborus family in conjunction 
with Mr. Barr during the past three seasons, and has issued with The Florist and Pomologist, a coloured 
plate of new varieties, which we trust will be followed shortly by a popular monograph, from living specimens, 
which will more accurately define and describe the species than has hitherto been attempted. In The Gardeners' 
Chronicle of 1879, Mr. Moore gave descriptions of thirty-five species and varieties of Helleborus then in flower 
at our grounds ; and in April of the present year he contributed to The Gardener s’ Chronicle a paper on New 
Helleborus. In The Garden, 1878, there is a monograph, accompanied by a plate of Helleborus maximus. It 
will, therefore, be seen that this family has received considerable attention from the Horticultural press. In 
Germany the Botanists have been working upon this family for many years, but not with the same happy results 
we are attaining in England towards dissipating the chaos which surrounds the nomenclature of the Christmas 
and Lenten Roses. [ Barr and Sugden , 
