470 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 5, 1890. 
NOTES ON EOSES. 
[A paper read on May 1890, at the Monthly Meeting of the Cambridge 
Horticultural and Florists’ Society, hy Mr. Alfred Chater.] 
“Of all flowers 
Methinks a Kose is best.” 
It is the queen of flowers, grows naturally in nearly all parts of the 
world, and has been a favourite from time immemorial among the 
civilised nations of Europe and Asia. It is cultivated in every garden— 
from that of the most humble cottager upwards—and we prize it more 
particularly because it is the floral emblem and pride of our country. 
When we meet to talk of the Rose it seems to draw our hearts together. 
It brings back fond memories of childhood, when we gathered the wild 
Dog Rose from the hedgerows. It takes us back to those happy days 
spent in the country, where we saw the perfect emblem of healthful rural 
life, the old Cabbage Rose, the pride of the cottager. It speaks of home 
when we think of the lovely Monthly China growing around the 
window, ready to peep in at the first burst of spring, and continue 
blooming until the frost comes, and it is not uncommon to see it in the 
month of December with its petals blushing through a veil of snow. It 
may well be called the “ Queen of Flowers.” Its soft, delicate, and 
rich colours with their lovely hues please the eye. Its delicious 
perfume and its perpetual blooming make it well worthy of the name. 
I will now give a few jottings of my own little experience of the last 
fifty years, with a few hints how to cultivate the Rose. 
In 1840 I well remember our Rose Show. It was a very grand day 
with us. I was up very early in the morning, although very young, to 
help get the flowers ready. I well recollect the foreman opening the 
lid of the box and showing me the flowers that had been cut the night 
before. I can smell the delicious perfume even to this day—those 
fragrant summer Roses, the old Gallicaor Provence, with here and there 
an old Red Moss or a Crested Moss—they were grand Roses then. It was 
a stand of twenty-four. AYe gained the first prize. In the stand we had 
Madame Hardy, a pure white Damask ; Leda, or the Painted Damask, a 
lovely creamy white, edged with purple. Among the Chinas were Coutard, 
bright rose ; Fulgens, fiery scarlet ; Brennus, very large red ; Blairi 
No. 1, delicate rose; “The Bourbons;” Du Bourg, pale blush, very 
fragrant; Madame Desprez, lilac rose ; Gloire des Rosomanes, dazzling 
carmine ; Blanchefleur, a double blush white ; and the Noisette 
Jaune Desprez, Lamarque, and Aimde Vibert. We showed a stand of 
Climbing Roses in bunches, among which were the Banksian, white and 
yellow ; the Old Ayrshire Blush, the Dundee Rambler, the Myrrh- 
scented, the Crimson Boursault, with others, the names I forget, as 
many of them are gone. It ims a day. Several gardeners came to our 
house to dinner—good old custom—and the talk was all about Roses. 
In the next five years, from 1841 to 1845, a very great improvement 
was made. It was in 1842 the London Horticultural Society offered prizes 
for Roses. A silver cup value £5 5s. for thirty-six Roses was given by Mr. 
Shears. In the winning stand we find Boule de Nanteuil, La Ville 
de Bruxelles, Duchess of Sutherland, Perpetual, and Blairi. About this 
time Devoniensis came out. It was raised in 1838—a genuine English 
Rose, not beaten at the present day. In 1843 came the Moss Celina ; 
Kean, a splendid flower ; Village Maid and Qdillet Parfait, two lovely 
striped flowers. In 1844 Rivers introduced the Cloth of Gold. What a 
grand Rose ! I recollect seeing a plant on a wall 20 feet high covering 
a large space in my uncle’s nursery at Haverhill, with scores of flowers 
as large as teacups. It was a sight fit for the gods. In 1845 we had 
Madame Laliay, AVilliam Jesse, La Reine, Lady Alice Peel, Dr. Marx, 
Baronne Prevost, one of the finest autumnal bloomers we have at the 
present time ; Comte d’Eu and Marquis Bonella, and that favourite 
Souvenir de la Malmaison. In Teas, Adam, Comte de Paris, Moire and 
Safrano. 
From 184(1 to 1850 the Hybrid Perpetual begins to take its place 
as a favourite, and bids fair to be the Rose. During this time some of 
the finest Teas of the present day were raised. Niphetos, Souvenir d’un 
Ami, and Bougere were three beauties. That superb glory, which 
caused such a great sensation, Geant des Batailles. From this the 
leading flowers of the present day came. Mr. Rivers introduced it from 
France. We had several dormants the first autumn it was sent 
out. In the spring they all grew, and we had some beautiful blooms 
in June, and well do I recollect the first flower with its rich dazzling 
scarlet crimson petals. Among the Bourbons were Du Petit Thouars, 
Souchet, and Paul Joseph, three rich dark crimsons. In summer Roses, 
Madame Zoutman, the new Persian Yellow, the richest yellow we have ; 
Paul Ricaut, and Beauty of Billiard. In Noisettes, Solfaterre and 
Ophirie, both lovely in the bud ; and the sweet Moss Lanei. 
From 1851 to 1855.—Every season brings with it additions to those 
universal favourites the autumnals. From La Reine we get Auguste 
Mie, a beautiful glossy pink ; also Louise Peyronny, a grand Rose. Mr. 
Geo. Paul sent out Queen Victoria from the same parent, and for perfec¬ 
tion of form we had William Griffiths, also Caroline de Sansal, a delicate 
flesh. In 1852 Paul’s Prince Albert, a rich dark crimson Bourbon ; also 
Vorace, a thick petalled dark velvety crimson. It was about this time 
that Madame Willermoz and Sombreuil, two fine Teas, were raised. 
In 1853 magnificent pot plants were exhibited by Messrs. Francis of 
Hertford, and Paul, Cheshunt. The grandest plant shown was Devoniensis 
by the former. A Mr. Busby had a fine plant of Gdant des Batailles, 
which was the admiration of all. Mr. Lane showed large specimens of 
Coupe d’Hdbd and Juno, covered with bloom. Madame de St. Joseph 
was in good form. It was said at the time the queen of flowers had now 
taken the position to which she was entitled, and she still retains it. 
It was 1854, the year we are indebted to most, the beautiful Jules 
Margottin first put in an appearance, followed by Gtin^ral Jacqueminot, 
a grand flower, rich dark crimson ; Colonel de Rougemont, La Ville de 
St. Denis, and Madame Rivers (loveliest of the lovely), topped up by 
the dear “ Old Glory,” Gloire de Dijon, now to be seen in every garden. 
1855 gave us Lord Raglan and Madame Vidot, 
From 1856 to 1860.—First on the list stands Souvenir d’Elise. It 
was illustrated in the “ Florist,” September, 1856, and to my thinking 
is the best Rose we have—a lovely yellowish cream colour, with a rosy 
tint, very fragrant, with beautiful foliage. It has had the premier prize 
at the National more times than any other Rose. It was raised in Paris, 
and sent out hy Mr. Chas. Noble of Bagshot. Mr. Rivers at the time 
thought the illustration by far too perfect. He was a good judge, but 
was wrong over this flower. I have cut several blooms within the last 
fortnight quite equal to the illustration. It stands now, after thirty-five 
years, as it did then—the “ Rose of Roses.” 
In April, 1856, Reynolds Hole first suggested the idea of having 
a grand National Rose Show. It was taken up by Messrs. Rivers, 
Turner, Paul, and others. They held several meetings, and decided 
to hold the first National Show in St. James’s Hall on the 1st 
July, 1858. £200 was raised by subscription, a good schedule was 
drawn up, prizes amounting to £156 were offered, and the Coldstream 
Band was engaged. The great day came. The entries were large. 
Half the nurseries of England poured their treasures into St. James’s. 
Mr. Rivers sent a grand lot (twenty boxes) not for competition. 
Messrs. Paul & Son of Cheshunt were first. Messrs. Cranston, Cant, 
Francis, and Turner took prizes. Among the amateurs Revs. Reynolds 
Hole and R. Fellows ; also Messrs. Fryer of Chatteris, and Walker of 
Oxford. It was a great success. The flowers that attracted most atten¬ 
tion were Prince Leon and Madame Vidot. There was Mathurin Regnier 
and the lovely Noisette Triomphe de Rennes among the few new Roses 
that put in an appearance. The premier flower was William Griffiths 
in Cranston’s stand. 1859 gave us Lfelia, Countess Cecile de Chabrillant, 
Madame Boll, Gloire de Santenay, Senateur Vaisse, Baron Gonella (a 
Bourbon), and President (a beautiful Tea). In 18(10 the National was 
held at the Crystal Palace, St. James’s not being large enough. It 
was a great success. Over 7000 blooms were staged. The new Roses- 
were Victor Verdier, Madame Crapelet, Celine Forestier, and Rubens. 
1861 to 1865.—During this period a still greater improvement is 
made. First and foremost stands in 1861 Charles Lefebvre (the king of 
all), with Due de Rohan, Mrs. Chas. Wood, and Prince Camille de 
Rohan, followed in 1862 by John Hopper, a flower raised by Robt. 
Ward, an apprentice of our father’s. This was a cross between Jules 
Margottin and the lovely Cecile de Chabrillant, a Rose for every garden ;; 
also Beauty of AValtham. In 1863 came Duchesse de Morny, Madame 
A^ictor Verdier and Marie Baumann (a pair of the most perfect and 
lovely flowers), with Pierre Netting, making a grand quartette. In 186T 
we had Dr. Andry, Duchesse de Caylus, the lovely Marguerite de St. 
Amand, Mons. Boncenne and Xavier Olibo (two rich dark velvety 
crimsons), and to enliven the lot that great favourite Marfichal Niel. 
Six grand Roses in one year. In 1865 that sterling flower Alfred 
Colomb appeared, with Marie Rady, Fisher Holmes, Camille Bernardin,. 
and Abel Grand (a lovely pink). Surely this list of seventeen in five 
years, all first-rate flowers, must satisfy. 
1866 to 1870.—Still they come ; in 1867 La France, that lovely 
delicate pink, with its rich perfume. Then comes Baronne de Roth¬ 
schild. AVhat disappointment 1 A grand flower, but no scent. In 
1868, Adrienne Christophle, one of the most charming Teas, and to go- 
with it Mr. Geo. Paul gave us the grand Duke of Edinburgh, and for 
perfection of shape Emilie Hausburg. In 1869, to top the lot, came 
Louis Van Houtte, with Marquise de Castellane and Comtesse d’Oxford, 
a grand trio, with the Tea Catherine Mermet, one of the best, free 
growing, hardy, and prolific bloomer we have. It was in 1869 the 
Florists’ Society held their Rose Show in the gardens of Mr. Foster,. 
Brooklands. I took the first prize, silver cup, for twelve. It was a 
grand show, the best we have had in Cambridge. 1870 only brought 
one worthy of note. Mad. Bdrard, a seedling from Gloire de Dijon. 
(To be continued.) 
THE EDIBLE STACHYS. 
I AM utterly at a loss to understand why “ A City Man ” should’ • 
have nursed up his wrath so long, and then poured it out on me on- 
account of the short note I gave on this vegetable some time ago. I 
must own that I quoted incorrectly, it should have been “ vegetable,”' 
not “ winter,” but the absurdity of the name consisted not in the- 
adjective used, but in the name itself, “ Whitebait;” indeed, the- 
absurdity of it seems to me to be increased by the use of the terra 
“ vegetable,” for whenever this is used it is always, so far as I know,, 
because it has some likeness either in appearance, texture, or taste tss' 
