502 
THE BEAUTIES OF THE ROSE. 
of first-class roses. This is to be continued 
quarterly; and if the future numbers, or pacta, 
equal that which now lies before us, they will 
indeed form, in time, a handsome work. The 
drawings have been made by Mr. Curtis, on 
stone, and their chief merit is their great 
likeness to the original ; there is no affectation 
or assumption ; as you see the rose, so you 
see the copy; the faults, as well as the beauties, 
are faithfully portrayed.' Mr. Curtis's notions 
on the subject of floral portraits are like our 
own; he says, " The illustrations are attempted 
without the aid of a professed artist, merely 
from the fear that literal portraiture is too 
often sacrificed to pictorial effect (frequently 
causing unintentional disappointment); besides 
theditiiculty which must have existed of effect- 
ing that which has been found so essential, the 
enabling of these favourites ' to sit for their 
portraits when in their best trim.' Thus, any 
seeming defects of style being raised simply 
in the pursuit of truth, will, it is trusted, be 
leniently judged." The roses comprised in 
the first part are established favourites, with 
which we are all well acquainted : Duche.=s of 
Sutherland, the Cloth of Gold, Devoniensis, 
and Armosa, all admirably represented. 
The literary portion of each chapter, de- 
voted to a particular rose, commences with 
the description given in the popular rose 
catalogues, and followed by the description 
given by the author ; for example : — 
" DEVONIENSIS. 
" {Family — Tea-scented.) 
" Rivers — Creamy white, tinted with rose. 
" Lane — Creamy white, buff centre, beauti- 
ful. 
" Wood — Straw colour, buff centre, large, 
splendid. 
" Paul — Pale yellow, superb, very large and 
full. 
" Curtis — Creamy white, centre changing 
to pale straw colour, tinted with pink, 
petals thick and camellia-like, very 
large and powerfully scented." 
This little feature is interesting, because it 
gives us, at a single view, the distinctions 
which are manifest to the leading rose grow- 
ers, and the notions that each form of their 
colours and shades. It is evident that these 
gentlemen have described the rose in different 
stages of bloom. We learn from the work 
before us, that " the fortunate raiser of this 
rose was the late George Foster, Esq. of Oat- 
land, near Devonport, whose brother, Edward 
W. Foster, Esq. has kindly favoured us with the 
following information as to its parentage, &c. 
' The Devoniensis was raised by my brother, a 
genuine lover of horticulture and a true florist. 
His opinion was that it was produced from 
the Yellow China, by an impregnation of the 
Yellow Noisette Smithii, which was growing 
alongside it, as he was in the constant habit of 
impregnating his rose?. One of some seeds 
saved at the same time produced a rose much 
like the Yellow Noisette, but greatly inferior 
to Devoniensis. It flowered the first year from 
the seed- bed, but was small and weak, and 
the second year, on being budded on a strong 
stock, it grew to a very fine flower.' " In the 
following year Mr. Pince, it seems, gave the 
raiser twenty guineas for it. The popularity 
of the rose seems rapidly on the increase ; and 
a work like the one before us is calculated to 
give a refined taste to the cultivator, not only 
by the selection of the finest varieties for its 
pictorial illustrations, but of explaining in 
detail the peculiar merits of whatever is under 
notice ; nor is the work without claims on 
account of the instructions it contains. To 
revert to the notice of Devoniensis, which is 
perhaps as noble and beautiful a rose as need 
be grown ; the author says : — 
" Our experience, from growing it largely, 
proves how well it repays high culture; for 
against a wall facing south-east, we have a fine 
specimen plant worked on the Boursault stock, 
five years old, upwards of eight feet in height 
by twelve in width. In May it had more than 
forty expanded blossoms at one time, many of 
them upwards of five inches in diameter, with 
a proportionate number of buds : we must 
leave our readers to imagine the beauty and 
fragrance of such a plant. This rose is hardy 
in the neighbourhood of Bristol, but in the 
northern counties we find it requires a south 
wall, and protection through the winter. In 
light soils it may be well grown on its own roots, 
but for greenhouse and general culture worked 
plants are decidedly preferable, combining the 
advantages of greater hardihood and increased 
luxuriance ; beds of dwarf plants and for pot- 
ting worked on the Crimson Boursault or 
Celine, we find more desirable than the brier. 
It luxuriates in a rich loamy soil ; but when 
this is not attainable, we advise that strong 
manure be forked round the roots in spring ; 
so soon as the blossoms are over, that the 
blossoming shoot be cut back to two or three 
eyes^ which will induce a vigorous growth, 
terminating in flower ; thus, a bed of Devon- 
iensis would continue to bloom, with short 
intervals, from May till November ; but it 
should be borne in mind, that in proportion to 
the regularity of the supply of liquid manure 
(soap suds, guano water, &c.) during dry 
weather will be the increased strength of the 
plant and abundance and quicker succession 
of the flowers ; for, delighting in a fertile moist 
soil, the Devoniensis, perhaps, more than any 
other rose, amply recompenses the cultivator 
for all the assiduity he bestows on it." 
