AUGUST. 
189 
11. Novelties. —Do not give up such, good and hardy Doses as the Giant of 
Battles and Baronne Prevost. They have outlived hundreds at my residence, and 
are as healthy as they were twelve years ago. 
“ ’Tis good to be on with the new love 
Before you are off with the old.” 
No question, good Doses come out yearly; hut we want not only good Doses, 
but better than we have got: we want more distinct Doses. As regards form, we 
need more cups and globes ; as regards colours, we want true purples (now 
supplied by Alfred de Dougemont), full-sized autumnal pure whites and creamy 
whites, yellow Hybrid Perpetuals, variegated Perpetuals, high-coloured Teas, and 
more full-sized, full, very dark Doses. In the dark line we have Empereur de 
Maroc, small, but beautiful and full; Princesse Mathilde, dark, shelly, beautiful, 
but not full; Francis Arago, full and good ; Due de Cazes, dark, full, and fine ; 
and Alfred de Dougemont and Prince Camille de Dohan, both very dark, full, and 
fine. There is one new Dose very interesting, tolerably dark, and also good—a 
Dose of royal and national interest—Deuil de Prince Albert, or the Mourning of 
Prince Albert. Mr. Divers has well said, in a letter to me, that it is, from its 
darkness and mournfully-pendulous habit, well adapted to represent the royal and 
national, and, I may almost say, world-wide, sorrow at so sad an event. I caused 
it to be mentioned to Her Majesty by my friend Lord Divers ; and I cannot but 
think that this Dose, and such-like as I have named, would be very appropriate to 
adorn the mausoleum, and also suitable to this Doyal Garden, so indebted to Her 
Majesty and the late Prince Consort. 
Lastly. The Selection of Doses. —I think you cannot do better, if you do 
not know the Doses, than state to the nurserymen what are your circumstances 
and wants, and, though they cannot for several years be quite sure about novelties, 
I am sure they will not wilfully deceive, you. The old “ stuff*” they well know ; 
but they cannot, in the case of novelties, be sure of them, till they have passed 
through severe winters and unpropitious summers, or tell their true value or worth¬ 
lessness. I think the nurserymen should take some security from the raisers of 
seedlings that the Doses are according to description; and I also think that they 
should make inquiry as to the “ suppressio veri ,” as well as take security against 
the “ expressio falsi.” 
It now only remains to thank you for your kindness, and to hope that what 
I have said may create true rosarians. Your well-known love of the Dose must 
be my apology for this prolonged address. I hope that I shall not commit a 
breach of good taste if I express my thanks to Her Majesty for originating this 
great Society; if I thank the Society, on behalf of all rosarians, for their splendid 
patronage of the Dose cause ; if I express my far greater gratitude to Him from 
whom, and through whom, all blessings flow, who is the “ Dose of Sharon and the 
Lily of the Valley.” 
OUD MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
Doyal Hortictjltueal Society. — The 
following letter has been addressed to the 
Assistant Secretary relative to the Gardens 
at South Kensington :— 
“ Windsor Castle, July 6th. 
“Dear Sir,—I have received the commands 
of the Queen to beg you will inform the 
Council of the gratification which Her Ma¬ 
jesty received from her visit to the Horticul¬ 
tural Gardens. Her Majesty was truly glad 
to see the improvements that are now in pro¬ 
gress, which, when completed, will go far 
towards realising the wishes of the Prince 
Consort, and must conduce so much to the 
success which he anticipated for the Society 
when he procured their establishment at South 
Kensington. 
“ Considering the interest the Prince always 
took in these gardens, and how much the 
Society owes to his active support and assist¬ 
ance, it would be exceedingly gratifying to 
Her Majesty if the Council shall resolve that 
his birthday, which falls on the 26th of 
August, should from henceforth be observed 
by the Society as a holiday, on which free 
admission to the gardens should be allowed 
to the public. The Queen does not doubt 
that the Council will readily adopt this sug¬ 
gestion; and she desires me, therefore, to 
