JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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February 15, 1883. ] 
127 
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Royal Society at 4.80 P.M. Linnaean Society at 8 P.M. 
16th 
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17 th 
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18th 
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2nd Sunday in Lent. 
19th 
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20th 
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21st 
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Meteorological Society at 7 P.M. Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
I 
CEBTIFICATED BOSES. 
S have long received a large share of 
attention in the Journal of Horticulture, 
indeed on account of the numerous ex¬ 
cellent articles given in its pages it is 
widely known as “ the Bose Journal.” 
In common with many others I have 
gained from it innumerable valuable hints 
on cultural difficulties connected with my 
favourite flower, and I confidently expect still 
further future gratification from perusing the 
contributions of experienced rosarians, who are 
always so ready to initiate a beginner in the mysteries 
of Bose culture. After reading so much with benefit 
to myself I am desirous to make some return, and am 
prompted to thus rashly invade the editorial sanctum. 
The mode in which I can best realise my desire is not 
quite so clear. In the cultural portion I have yet 
much to learn, and I have no rich pasture to transform 
into a Bose garden ; but I can at least form an opinion 
on the flowers, and if this is too “ rosy ” I am open to 
correction. 
During the past few years I have visited as many 
Bose shows as possible to observe the characteristic 
merits and defects of the numerous varieties, and I am 
impelled to record my impressions, but on this occa¬ 
sion will confine my notes to the certificated varieties 
of the past four years, and risk the gentle criticism of 
the veteran growers. 
In 1879 four Boses were deemed worthy of special 
recognition at Kensington and Begent’s Park, and in 
my opinion decidedly the best of these was the Hybrid 
Perpetual Charles Darwin, which was exhibited by 
the Messrs. Paul & Son of Cheshunt at one of the 
Boyal Botanic Society’s Exhibitions, and honoured 
with a certificate. This has been seen by many who 
have attended the Bose shows of the past year, but 
those who have not will form some idea of its merits 
from the following brief description :—The blooms are 
of good form and substance, the colour being a rich 
maroon, very deep and pleasing, and telling in a stand 
with lighter flowers. Probably one of the finest stands 
of this variety that have been exhibited was that with 
which Mr. C. Turner secured the second position in the 
single variety class at the Crystal Palace Show last 
year. Abel Carriere was the leading variety, but the 
competition was close, and the other blooms were 
greatly admired. At Bath also it was well shown in 
Mr. G. P. Hawtrey’s first-prize box of six new Boses 
not in commerce before 1879. I have now a regret in 
not having been able to cut a good bloom last year; 
was this the fault of myself, my garden, or the variety 
—in a word, is Charles Darwin a good and free 
grower ? 
Duke of Teck was another of the certificated varieties 
of 1879, also from Messrs. Paul & Son, but I believe 
it had been previously exhibited by them, and at the 
time it was shown at Kensington its merits were fully 
recognised. It is one of the Duke of Edinburgh type, 
but brighter in colour, quite a rich scarlet hue pervad¬ 
ing the deep crimson. The bloom is of satisfactory 
form, and the habit of the plant as regards growth and 
floriferousness is all that could be desired. A hand¬ 
some bloom of this variety was shown by Mr. B. B. 
Cant in his premier box of twelve crimson Boses at the 
Crystal Palace last July, and displayed its distinguish¬ 
ing characters to the best advantage. This I can 
manage better; indeed, it is so free as to prove an 
effective garden variety. 
Of the two others accorded similar honours in that 
year one was the H.P. Isabella Ward, a reputed cross 
between Baronne de Bothscliild and Sombreuil, and 
the chief merit of which appears to be that it is a free 
autumn bloomer, as the flowers individually are rather 
loose ; the colour, however, is a delicate blush. It was 
exhibited by Mr. Ward in good condition, but I have 
not seen a fairly good example of it since. Has any¬ 
one else ? The three preceding were all of English 
origin, but the last of the four, Madame Alexandre Ber- 
naix, from M. Guillot fils, is a continental Bose, which 
is characterised as a Hybrid Tea. The blooms for 
which the certificate was granted were shown at Ken¬ 
sington by Mr. C. Turner, and bore some resemblance 
to La France, but of a deeper rose colour; of this, 
however, like the preceding, I have seen very little, and 
must leave others to record its merits. 
In 1880 four exhibition Boses were also certificated. 
These were all of English origin, and it is satisfactory 
to notice the gradual improvement of the home-raised 
Boses in recent years. At one time, not very distant, 
we were almost entirely dependant upon the French 
raisers for our new Boses, but happily, for the credit 
of British rosarians, this has been to a great extent 
changed. One of the most noteworthy of new varieties 
of this year was Duchess of Connaught, from Mr. C. 
Noble of Bagshot. It is a Hybrid Perpetual with fine 
crimson flowers, especially noteworthy for their power¬ 
ful and agreeable fragrance, very free, and of good 
form. When first shown at Kensington it was certi¬ 
ficated as a decorative variety; but last year it was 
again exhibited before the Floral Committee of the 
Boyal Horticultural Society and certificated as a show 
variety. It has thus been doubly honoured, and will 
probably become a favourite both in the garden and on 
the exhibition table. 
Mrs. Harry Turner is one of Mr. Laxton’s Boses, but 
was shown by Mr. C. Turner when the certificate was 
awarded for it at Kensington in the above year. It is 
a handsome rich crimson-coloured Hybrid Perpetual of 
great promise, and on several occasions I have seen it 
in excellent condition, the well-formed flowers being 
notable for their shining richness of surface. Mrs. 
Jowitt is also a beautiful Hybrid Perpetual from Here¬ 
ford, having been exhibited by Messrs. Cranston & Co. 
at Kensington and Liverpool, and certificated at both 
places. It is said to have been obtained from a cross 
between Marie Bady and Due de Bohan, and it certainly 
bears some resemblance to the former, though rather 
brighter in colour, and possessing a more powerful 
No. 138«—Vol. VI., Third series. 
No. 1794 .—Vol. LXIX., Old Series. 
