470 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Juie 11,1894. 
aulterially adds to one’s interest in reading their communicitions. 
I'hc cloak of anonymity to my mind is usually synonymous with 
some weakness in the writer, either moral or physical—the latter is to 
he pitied, the former deplored ; but 1 also think it is frequently used for 
malice, to which I regret to say even rosarians at times seem prone. 
The Kose Prospects. 
As regards the present position, there seems a very unusual diverg¬ 
ence of opinion as to the ultimate effect on Roses of the recent frost. 
Several very important amateurs and professionals have suffered no loss, 
and others have only been lightly affected. So far I believe the western 
irrowers seem to have escaped with comparative or entire immunity. 
Mr. Prince writes me from Oxford, and Mr. Mount from Canterbury, 
1 hat their Roses are untouched. Mr. Mawley also told me on Sunday 
1 hat Roses in most parts of Kent, where he has recently been, have not 
a vestige of frost injury observable. In this district we appear to be 
•as badly hurt as I previously feared and noted. There can be no doubt 
that the season would have been abnormally early only for the change 
subsequent to the 15th May, and it is apparent in the fact that notwith¬ 
standing the bad weather of the past three weeks many beautiful Roses 
are now gathered from the open. In the last week, in the Stock Exchange, 
1 saw flowers of Edith Gifford grown by friends at Streatham, Rubens 
•■•vud Ernest Metz from Dirtford, that in most Rose shows would 
liave easily been the medal blooms, Ernest Metz being the finest speci- 
iiien of that flower I have ever seen. 
We now want sunshine and warmth, and not a repetition of the 
cheerless summer of 1888, which oddly enough followed the delightful 
warmth of the Jubilee year. I have for the moment mislaid my 
numbers for 1887 to 1890 of the Journal, which would give some clue 
f ) the prospects of the Crystal Palace Show next month, and also the 
(losition at the Metropolitan Shows in 1888 and 1890, the years following 
I wo recent hot summers ; in the meanwhile would Mr. Mawley give the 
comparative number of Roses shown at the Crystal Palace in 1887-88, 
iiud 1889-90? I think this would be interesting — Charle.s J. Grahame. 
Rose Jottings. 
The recommendation of “ Practice” (page 45.5) to tike off all shoots 
uipon standard stocks except those to be operated on seems to me to be 
wrong in principle and fact. To remove any shoots is to weaken the 
root power; to let them all grow as much as they will throughout the 
-season is to have as much force as possible in the roots for the maiden 
growth in the following year. It is comparatively easy to bend the 
sUoots about so as to work the stocks, and rosarians are not readily 
disconcerted by a few summer thorns. 
Mrs. \V. J. Grant would have been of no use in the list of new 
Roses in the N.R.S. report. It has only been sent out a week or two, 
;iQd could not be legitimately shown this season except by the issuers. 
Why does “ Practice” think he “ will have to call it” Belle Siebriecht? 
1 conceive there is no penalty for speaking and writing it as Mrs. W. J. 
JJrant; at all events I am prepared to risk it.—W. R. R.4.ILLEM. 
Rose Reine Marie Henriette. 
As much as this Hybrid Tea-scented Rose is appreciated under glass, 
'it is even more so when growing in a favoured position out of doors. It 
■s one of the first to give us blooms, even amongst such early flowering 
virieties as Gloire de Dijon, Safrano, and William Allen Richardson, 
t’he colour, too, is enhanced by exposure, being several shades deeper 
' ban that possessed by blooms from under cover. This Rose is generally 
known as the Rid Gloire de Dijon, although I confess to my ignorance 
in finding any affinity between the two, except it be in the number 
of blossoms each will produce. 
Rose Gloire de Dijon. 
One of the finest plants, growing against an open wall, of this Rose 
that I have ever seen is now in full flower upon the gardener’s cottage 
at Fair Oak Lodge, near Bishopstoke. Not that the specimen is of 
.such an immense size, but it bears an extraordinary number of blossoms. 
The flowers, individually, are extra fine in point of quality. The colour 
it exceptionally rich, proving that the soil in which its roots are 
running is especially suitable. Such examples of this fine old Rose goes 
a long way towards proving that for outdoor culture the old “ Gloire” 
>3 still difficult to surpass.—E. M. 
Roses in New Zealand. 
For the information of “ Rimu ” (page 435) and of ” W. R. Raillem ” 
/page 445), may I say that I believe the “ Seven Sisters,” about which 
the former inquires and which the latter says he does not know, is Rosa 
Husselliana? It was used as a stock for Hybrid Perpetuals by Mr. J. 
Brown, the able grower at Great Djods, Reigate, and be kindly sent me 
some cuttings, and I have found it most useful. It makes a greater 
growth of fibrous roots than Manetti does, and these roots are not nearly 
so tender as those of the latter. “ The Many-flowered Rose,” as 
Rimu ” calls it, is a very apt description, for the plant is of semi¬ 
climbing habit, making pendulous growths of 4 and 5 feet long, which 
are clothed in clusters of pretty pale blossoms. The popular name, as I 
know it, is “ Scarlet Seven Sisters.” 
Rev. F. H. Gall. 
May I also say a word as to the kindly disposition of the genial 
rosarian so lately taken from us? I have the warmest recollection of 
his looking on at one of my earliest attempts at staging a box of Boses, 
and of the hearty fashion in which he said, “ If that were my box do 
you know what I should do?’’and then pointed out several improve¬ 
ments. And again and again from that day he was ready to advise and 
help, rejoicing always in the triumph of good flowers, whether in his 
own stand or someone else’s. By-the-by, with the provision in the 
National Rose Society’s schedule for beginners, will there not be many 
novices to whom we older hands can extend a word of encouraging 
advice with their exhibits? There probably will, and I trust we may 
all be found on the look out to do so, and thus to follow the example 
of our lamented friend in helping to popularise and to smooth the 
difficulties of Rose showing. 
New Rose—“Mrs. W. J. Grant.” 
I had noticed the omission pointed out by “ Practice” (p. 455), and also 
that this variety was not mentioned in the advertisement of the raisers 
in the report. I wrote to Messrs. Dickson about it, and they inform me 
that the stock is still held by the American purchasers, and will not be 
sent out until 1895. I sincerely hope that “Practice” and all other 
members of the N.R S. will not catalogue nor show this Rose except 
under the title “ Mrs. W. J. Grant.” It seems to me that it would be 
completely stultifying ourselves to award a medal to a flower under one 
name and then to list it and exhibit it under another !—J. B. 
Roses for Hedges. 
We do not see these used for the above purpose so often as they 
deserve. The stronger growing Chinas, the Japxnese or Rugosas, Sweet 
Briars, and probably some of those recently raised by Lord Penzance ; 
such Hybrid Perpetuals as G6a6ral Jacqueminot and Fisher Holmes, 
also some of the Teas, of which Anna Ollivier and Madame Lambard, to 
say nothing of that grand old Bourbon Souvenir de la Malmaison, may 
all be used for hedges where a fence of fair width can be allowed. We 
have the Moss Roses, too, and the Scotch Briars, which make a very 
pretty hedge where one does not need a thin shelter or screen of some 
evergreen. 
A hedge of Scotch Briars and one of the Sweet Briar are very pretty 
indeed in a neighbour’s garden. The former is in full blossom, and 
although the latter is not so gay yet, it bears promise of soon being so, 
while the perfume is a constant source of delight. 
Last summer I saw a huge hedge of the Rugosa Roses utilised as a 
division between the lawn and kitchen garden. From early spring until 
late autumn it was a picture. From the middle of May until end of 
September a sheet of bloom was produced, while during the latter part 
of that time and well into November the whole was gay with handsome 
berries nestling among foliage of the deepest green. Being cut back 
with shears in the ordinary way when the hedge encroached too much, 
the plants were little trouble, and a splendid screen all through the 
season. 
Own-root Roses. 
The great outcry against all Roses in dwarf form that were not 
growing upon their own roots alone has suddenly dropped. Some three 
years back many persons were strenuously advocating this form of culture 
above all others, because some few propagators had done their work in 
a careless and slovenly manner. Where, may I ask, would our Roses 
be if it had not been for the assistance of various stocks in the raising 
of the splendid collections many gardens contain ? Like many other 
things, it is really a question of judicious use of a means to a certain 
end, and because a few failures have occurred these must not be 
taken as positive proof that stocks are detrimental to longevity in the 
Rose garden. There are a large number of varieties that would be many 
years in making a presentable plant unless upon some suitable foster 
stock ; in short, it is the proper selection and manipulation of these that 
leads towards the goal of success. 
Different sections of Roses, and even some few varieties of each, have 
distinct likes and dislikes for certain stocks. The soil must also be 
taken into due consideration, as in no case can any Rose do well upon 
a stock to which the soil is unsuited. I do not wish to go to the opposite 
extreme and advocate stocks for all cases and all varieties, but to point 
out how much better a medium course is. Scotch Briars and Mosses, 
with Chinas and a few of the Bourbons, I firmly believe to be beat upon 
their own roots, and they fortunately thrive in this form. But to 
attempt to grow the majority of our best Teas and Noisettes or Hybrid 
Perpetuals without the aid of some selected foster stock can only lead 
to comparative disappointment. Almost each variety has a decided 
preference for one stock over another, and the experience of large 
cultivators should at any rate carry some weight; bat, unfortunately, 
when one has got a certain idea into their heal it often needs much 
removing. 
Because own-root Roses prosper so well with one person is no 
guarantee they will do so with all ; nor, for the matter of that, will a 
given variety do equally well upon all stocks in the same soil, or upon 
the same stock in a different soil. With the vast number of Roses now 
in cultivation it is little matter for surprise that we have some most 
peculiar vagaries in the larger classes. When we bear in mind how 
these have been crossed and recroased one with another the need for 
surprise is even less. However, all will do well upon the seedling or 
cutting Briar,or upon the hedge Briar where these stocks thrive. Even 
as pot plants I have no preference for own-root plants over those well 
worked upon some stock. If worked low, there are few Roses but what 
soon assist by breaking forth on their own account if the stock is not 
congenial, and any additional support cinnot fail to be an advantage.— 
Practice. 
