December 2', 1637. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
531 
Rojal Foeiety nt 4.30 r u . 
Qaekett Club at 8 P M. 
Christmas Pat. 
Bank holiday. 
NOTES ON THE PAST ROSE SEASON. 
' T seems rather incongruous to offer any notes 
upon Roses at this time of year, but the 
best rosarians are true enthusiasts, and, as 
“Horace Vernet” remarked some time ago 
in the Journal, it is the man who thinks and 
cares for his Roses in snow and frost who 
will come to the fore in July in the exhibition 
tent. A few years ago a party of gentlemen 
were out partridge driving in January. The sport was 
somewhat slow, and the weather cold and depressing; 
but two of them seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly 
—they had not met since the summer, and they chatted 
away, whenever they could get together, all the day long. 
“ What could it all be about ? ” said the others; “ there 
are those two fellows together again, instead of in their 
places.” One came nearer to overhear—“ Bless me ! it’s 
all about Roses! ” 
It is this enthusiasm which brings men to London in 
December from all parts of England to attend the meet¬ 
ing of the National Rose Society; but they have the motto 
“ Floreat Regina Florum ” deeply at heart, and much 
enjoy all talk about their favourite flower. I wonder if 
any of them are of the same opinion as myself, that at 
Rose shows single blooms should be set at one lixed 
distance apart in all stands, and that a modification of 
the same rule, tending to uniformity, should apply to 
triplets. It seems to me that it would be fairer, easier, 
and simpler for judges, exhibitors, and spectators, and 
would put all competitors upon a more equable footing. 
I know that some do not agree with me in this, and all 
will allow, I think, that some credit should be given to 
showing and setting-up; but my question is, Would not 
enough still be granted by some such rule as I have 
suggested ? 
The past Rose year has been noteworthy for the pass¬ 
ing away of the professional and amateur championship 
trophies from Essex; and, as East Anglia is the driest 
part of England as regards rainfall, it would seem at first 
sight as if the exceptional drought of 1887 had a good 
deal to do with this result. But I fancy the drought 
was more felt in the north-west and south-west of 
England than it was in the east, which is, to a certain 
extent, accustomed to and prepared for it. Still, an 
unusual season will always produce unusual results, and 
East Anglians do not despair of bringing back both the 
trophies again in triumph. 
The Rose shows in East Anglia are seldom reported 
in the Journal. They are not on the way to anywhere. 
A competitor from other parts of England is quite a 
rarity, and I fear it is hopeless to expect “D., Deal,” to 
pay them a visit. But good Roses are grown and shown 
No. 391. —Vot. XV., Third Series 
there, and although East Anglians are much handicapped 
at the National Exhibitions by a deficient train service, 
all the Rose-growing world knows the two late champions 
in Essex, and that it takes a good man, let him come 
whence he may, to beat the rector of Scole in Teas. 
Another feature of the past season was the unusually 
poor display of autumnal blooms. This was, of course, 
owing to the weather—the drought continued, but the 
sunshine did not; in fact, the last week of August and 
the whole of September and October seemed as note¬ 
worthy for the absence of sunshine as the earlier parts of 
the year had been for its presence. Our excellent Secre¬ 
tary told us last year, unless I am mistaken, that in 
1886 Madame Gabriel Luizet was one of his best autumn 
bloomers. It was not so with me, and in the past season 
it was the worst—worse than Frangois Michelon. I had 
one late flower of Her Majesty; I do not think it was 
strictly a second bloom, but I am sure we must all have 
been glad to find her blooms as good as they were. It 
struck me that most of those I saw exhibited were cut too 
late and too large. I found that when cut quite small 
they were much better in shape and colour. It is when 
they reach the flat expanded stage that one hears the 
muttered verdict—“coarse.” 
I know little of the new Roses, and hope that 
“ D., Deal,” and “ T. W. G.” will be kind enough again 
to give us some information about them; but I had 
two or three good blooms of Mrs. John Laing, and hope 
that this gold medal Rose will be included in the 
National Rose Society Exhibition list. 
The question of stocks seems like’y to be a fruitful 
theme ot discussion for some years. The Manetti has 
lately been waning in favour; but it is not probable that 
nurserymen will abandon it. Indeed this stock has 
lately found a powerful advocate in an unexpected 
quarter, and I hope that he will, as he says, “ cut many 
more blooms from Manetti to put in the champion stand 
of seventy-two; ” but I fancy that it will be gradually 
discontinued by amateurs for all but the strongest grow¬ 
ing H.P.’s. 
With regard to the relative merits of cuttings and 
seedlings of the Briar, it is well known that the former 
spread their roots almost horizontally, while the seedling 
stocks root deeper. I fancy this points to an adapt¬ 
ability on the part of each, not so much to different sorts 
of soil, as to different modes of treatment. If a man 
plants his Roses in November, and, beyond just pruning 
them in March, cares no more for them till he goes to 
look for blooms at the end of June, it seems to me that 
the seedling Briar stock would be able to withstand such 
neglect the best; while, on the other hand, he who 
endeavours to feed his plants regularly and amply with 
proper nourishment, will succeed best with those on the 
Briar cutting, whose roots, being near the surface, are in 
the best position to assimilate all food supplied as quickly 
as possible. The points against the seedling Briar seem 
to be—that, from the time of sowing the seed, the stocks 
take longer to prepare; that a batch is generally of 
unequal size and strength; that they are not quite so 
easy to bud; and that the budded plants of H.P.’s are 
not so strong the first year, and are too late for exhibition. 
On the other hand it cannot be denied that Tea Roses 
make very fine plants upon this stock. Some assert that 
finer blooms of the Tea varieties are to be had from 
standards than from cutting or seedling Briars. It is 
difficult to say why this should be, and at all events the 
dwarfs are more easily protected from, frost by the simple 
No. 2047.—Yol. LXXVH., Old Series. 
