December 13 1833. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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COMING EVENTS 
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Royal Sooiety at 4.S0 p M. Linnean Society at 8 P II. 
4th Sunday In Advent. 
THE CLAIMS OF THE ROSE. 
LMOST before the great flower of autumn Las 
faded preparations commence for bringing out 
in its fullest and irresistible charms tbs un¬ 
doubted summer queen—the Rose. The National 
Rose Society appeals to the sympathies of a 
larger and wider constituency than can be 
claimed by any floral occupant of the garden ; 
it has therefore a corresponding claim for the 
support of individuals and the co-opjration of 
local organisations that are desirous of extending and per¬ 
fecting the culture of a plant that is so amenable to improve¬ 
ment, and which gives such a splendid return to all who 
treat it generously and well. 
The annual meeting of the National Rose Society is 
regarded by not a few of the readers of this Journal as one 
of the events of the year. The existing position of the 
Society and its prospective work are matters in which a 
large amount of interest is centred. It is pleasant to learn 
from the report that will be fouud in another column of the 
harmonious gathering of the 9th inst., that affairs have been 
so well managed as to show a clean balance sheet, notwith¬ 
standing some special outlay and a slight falling off in sub¬ 
scriptions. It is well to give prominence to this, both as 
affording evidence of judicious administration that should 
insure confidence and invite support, and as enforcing the 
desirability of a strong effort being made to more than restore 
what has been lost, and enable the Committee to work effec¬ 
tively in achieving their object—the widely extended and 
superior culture of the Rose. 
Much has been accomplished in the past, but a wide field 
is open for future action, and it would be to the advantage 
of all to see it well tilled. Without Roses our gardens and our 
country would be deprived of one of their principal charms. 
Let Roses, then, be increased till they are seen everywhere, 
and the best method of contributing to that increase is to 
present them in the greatest possible numbers and highest 
developed forms at public exhibitions. The issue may then 
be left to the influence they will exert on the minds of those 
who inspect them. If a supply creates a demand in anything 
it is in Roses. The blooms are lingered over, longed for, 
even clamoured after, at the close of exhibitions, and few 
deeper regrets are experienced than by the gardenless visitors 
who are entranced by the peerless beauty of the blooms that 
they cannot join in producing. But there are thousands 
who can share in this delightful occupation who, until they 
see what can be accomplished, have no incentive to excel or 
to acquire those varieties that endear them to all discrimi¬ 
nating tastes. 
We have said the National Rose Society appeals to the 
widest of constituencies. It does so in virtue of the command¬ 
ing nature of the flower, the extended culture and higher 
development of which it is established to promote. Though 
we have Roses in abundance at Christmas, specially grown 
under artificial conditions to meet the floral requirements 
of the festive season, yet the Rose of summer, which is seen 
No. 338.—Vol. XIII., Third Series. 
in all its splendour at exhibitions, would rebel against any 
such nurturing care. Its hardiness and ready adaptability 
to various positions enable it to be grown almost everywhere 
by whoever will study its simple wants and provide them. It 
is the most generally admired and widely cultivated of all 
flowers, and that is the justification of its claim to pre-emi¬ 
nence. And it is grown better—that is to say, more uni¬ 
formly and generally better—now than at any time anterior 
to the establishment of the Society that has dons so much 
for its increase and improvement during the past ten years. 
Undoubtedly grand examples were seen previously, and it 
may be some equal to the best that are now produced; but 
in the former period magnificent stands—of Teas, perhaps, 
especially—were the exception, whereas now they are the rule 
at all the chief exhibitions. This is the best evidence of pro¬ 
gress coupled with the great increase of exhibitors. There 
are also more Roses than ever there were in gardens, grown 
not for public display, but for home adornment. This is a 
gratifying circumstance, and the more so because they are 
not limited to the gardens of the affluent or of the clergy, all 
of whom can scarcely be included in that category in these 
unsettled days. Doctors and lawyers, soldiers and sailors, 
merchants and shopkeepers, farmers and artisans, are 
growers of Roses now, and amongst all these classes are to 
be found successful exhibitors. This must be regarded as 
encouraging, for perhaps no one ha3 knorvn a man to become 
less worthy from association with the Rose ; but instances 
could be cited of homes made brighter and happier, and 
villages rendered more agreeable by the abounding presence 
of Roses in gardens large and small. 
No section of the community has done so much to 
popularise the Rose and to incite to its higher culture as that 
of the clergy. To them the peifecting of one of the most 
variedly beautiful and sweetest of gifts that could be sent 
to gladden the heart of man is congenial occupation. They 
indulge in it because the pursuit affords them wholesome 
mental and physical exercise, and because it is good in itself 
and fraught with good to others. The clergy have been 
pioneers in the work which it is so desirable to help onwards, 
for they have introduced Roses into remote villages and 
obscure hamlets; and the love thereby implanted has spread 
round the centres like the waves that extend in widening 
circles from the pebble thrown into the stream. This 
parochial system of distributing Roses has given an enor¬ 
mous impetus to their culture, until the demand has become 
so great that it may be safely said hundreds of persons are 
engaged in their production, and numbers of families depen¬ 
dent on them as the main source of their livelihood. This 
is a reminder to the few stern utilitarians who fail to see 
that any substantial good is derived from the culture of 
flowers. Happily such persons are becoming more and more 
scarce, and the sooner they dwindle to the vanishing point 
the better will it be for all. 
And, besides the high measure of intelligence and prac¬ 
tical skill brought to bear on growing Rosea by the clergy 
of this kingdom, they are the chief inaugurators of societies 
and managers of shows. Nor is this all. They are also the 
head teachers through the press of the art of Rose-growing, 
adding to technical knowledge of the subject the requisne 
literary taste that renders their contributions so agreeable. 
But they are closely pressed now in this respect by tli6 
increasing number of lay admirers, who possess similar 
educational advantages with themselves, and have become 
expert growers and successful exhibitors. The pages of this 
Journal have been enriched in the past by the best examples 
of Rose literature to be found in our language, and its 
character will be maintained by old friends and new, who are 
zealous iu upholding the supremacy of the flower they love 
so truly and grow so well. 
It has been announced that before the commencement 
of the Jubilee year, the Queen will be petitioned to create a 
new Order, to mark (lie event. This Order, it has been sug- 
No. 1994. —Yol, LXXY., Old Series. 
