October 11,1894 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GaixDENER. 
333 
T he National Rose Society’s exhibition, which was held this 
year at the Crystal Palace on July 7th, proved, with the 
exception of that in 1892, the largest the Society has ever held, 
and but for the May frosts would undoubtedly have surpassed 
both in numbers and quality any that have preceded it. 
The total number of Rose blooms tabulated for the purpose 
of this analysis amounts altogether to over 16,000. I do not think 
it will be of any further interest to give as usual the figures for 
each year, as they do not represent, as in the Dahlia and Chrys¬ 
anthemum analyses, the aggregate number of blooms staged at the 
different exhibitions, but only those in nearly all the prize stands. 
I may, however, state that at the last National show the names 
of 1222 Hybrid Perpetuals and 661 Teas and Noisettes were taken 
down—or 1883 in all. 
I have previously recorded many disappointing Rose seasons) 
but never one quite as heartrending as that of the present year. 
The blooms in some other years may, taking the country generally, 
have been as unsatisfactory, or even worse ; but what made the 
Rose season of 1894 so exceptionally cruel was the glorious pro¬ 
spect by which it was preceded. It seems to be generally acknow¬ 
ledged that up to nearly the end of the third week in May never 
before in the recollection of most rosarians had their plants been 
known to be as forward or as full of promise. Before, however, 
even the end of that month the whole aspect of our Rose gardens 
had changed, for on the nights of the 20th and 21at came disas¬ 
trous frosts, followed by ten days of chilly weather which, even 
where no greater damage was done, gave a serious check to the 
growth of the plants, a calamity greatly to be dreaded when once 
they have formed their flower buds. But in numerous localities 
most of these flower buds were more or less seriously injured, 
while in others the whole of the first crop of blooms was entirely 
destroyed. The flowering season was by means as phenomenally 
early as it threatened at one time to be, but nevertheless proved, 
at all events at the end of the first week in July, much in advance 
of the average, as a glance down the accompanying tables will 
show. They will also show it to have been a cool summer, greatly 
favouring the thinner varieties. 
Like Mrs. Gladstone among the Show Dahlias, Mrs. John 
Laing, that most dependable of ? all exhibition Roses, and with 
many sterling qualities besides as a Rose for ordinary cultivation) 
now stands head and shoulders above all other varieties in the 
list of Hybrid Perpetuals. In 1892 it was shown at the Crystal 
Palace in fifty prize stands, in 1893 in forty-seven, and this year 
in fifty-one. When we consider the different characters of these 
three seasons this must surely be regarded as a truly surprising 
record—a record unapproached by any other Rose whatever. In 
looking down the table it will be seen that by a strange coinci¬ 
dence three pink Roses—Mrs. J. Laing, Madame G. Luizet, and 
La France, are to be found at the top of the list, immediately 
followed by three red ones—Ulrich Brunner, A. K. Williams, and 
Marie Baumann. But to return to the season, and the varieties 
most influenced by it. Never before during the nine years 
covered by the analysis have Mrs. J. Laing, Marie Baumann, 
Her Majesty, Merveille de Lyon, Baroness Rothschild, Suzanne 
M. Rodocanachi, Yictor Hugo, or Jeannie Dickson been as 
frequently staged. Among other sorts also unusually well repre- 
No. 746.—VoL. XXIX., Third Series. 
sented may be mentioned Ulrich Brunner, Alfred Colomb, Earl ot 
Dufferin, Star of Waltham, Reynolds Hole, Yiolette Boay^t, 
Duchesse de Morny, and Monsieur Noman. On the other hand, 
Madame G. Luizet, La France, Charles Lefebvre, Etienne Leve^ 
Dupuy Jamain, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Comtesse d’Oxford, Pritk; 
of Waltham, Duchess of Bedford, and several other choice varieticF 
have seldom been less frequently shown. 
In the analysis for 1892 there were only four Hybrid Per¬ 
petuals, Hybrid Teas, or Bourbons which were less than six y-saw 
old ; in 1893 there were six ; while this year there are eight— 
Gustave Piganeau, Caroline Testout (H.T.), Jeannie DicksoRj 
Margaret Dickson, Marchioness of Dufferin, Duke of Fife, Mrs. 
Paul (B ), and Marchioness of Londonderry. It is satisfactory ta 
note the gradual increase in the number of the new varieties, anfi 
also the fact that only two of them come to us from the Continent,, 
the remaining six being of British origin. Taking them in the 
order in which they appear in the table, we come first to Margaret 
Dickson—to my mind when well shown the best and most pleasing ol 
all the white or nearly white H.P.s. This variety was sent oat its 
1891. The past cool summer appears to have suited its requirement* 
so well that it was shown this year in no fewer than twenty-five 
different prize winning stands, whereas in 1893 it was staged ie 
but five—thus causing it to rise at a bound from the bottom ©£ 
the table to No. 7. That fine exhibition variety Gustave Piganeaw 
(1889), on the contrary, has fallen from No. 8 to No. IL 
Caroline Testout (H.T.), first distributed in 1890, is a welcome 
addition to that small but rapidly increasing section the Hybrid 
Teas. It somewhat resembles La France, but has a clearer and 
more pleasing shade of colour. It may not be as reliable as air 
exhibition flower, but is almost, if not quite, as free flowering. On 
its first appearance on the list it takes up a very creditable positios 
at No. 34. 
Exception has been taken to the National Rose Socie^ 
placing these Hybrid Teas in a separate section in tkeic new 
catalogue of exhibition Roses, and especially to the inclusion of 
La France, and yet one cannot enter any large Rose nursery 
or Rose garden, particularly in the early autumn, without being 
struck with the unique character as regards freedom of flowering 
of these Hybrid Teas, and more particularly La France and itc 
seedlings Augustine Guinoisseau and Caroline Testout. They 
stand out in this respect entirely distinct from all the so-called 
Perpetuals, and are, I consider, well worthy of a new section being 
allotted to them, if only for the encouragement of these fre& 
flowering qualities. 
Jeannie Dickson (1890) did well this year, rising from No. 45f 
to No. 42. Marchioness of Londonderry, described as ivory 
white in colour, although only sent out last year, secures s 
place at No. 52. Marchioness of Dufferin (1891), also appearc 
on the list for the first time at No. 56. Then quite at tSsc 
bottom of the table we find Duke of Fife (1892), a bright 
crimson sport from Etienne Levet and that very distinct new 
Bourbon, Mrs. Paul, which was first distributed by Messrs 
Paul & Son in 1891. 
Now that eight years have passed since the first Rose analyse 
was issued, it may be interesting to estimate the progress made 
during that period as regards the introduction of new varieties 
of merit, by comparing the table of 1886 with that of the present 
year. In the former we find no mention of any of the following:: 
—Mrs. John Laing, now the premier H.P. ; Her Majesty (No. 7 )., 
Margaret Dickson (No. 7), Gustave Piganeau (No. 11), S. M. 
Rodocanachi (No. 14), Earl of Dufferin (No. 18), Caroline Testout 
(No. 34), Yictor Hugo (No. 39), Jeannie Dickson (No. 42 ), 
Marchioness of Londonderry (No. 52), Sir Rowland Hill (No. 54 ), 
Marchioness of Dufferin (No. 56 ), Yiscountess Folkestone (No. 56 ), 
Duke of Fife (No. 64), and Mrs. Paul (No. 64). Considering to 
what perfection this section had already been brought in 1886 , 
the high positions occupied by several of the foregoing ia the 
No. 2402 .—Von. XCI., Old Sertkk. 
