SEPTEMBER. 
279 
few early Strawberries, not forcing them in the ordinary sense of the 
word, but pushing them a week or ten days earlier than those in the 
open ground. The inexpensive manner in which this Grape growing- 
can be effected well entitles it to be called by the name which Mr. Rivers 
has given to it. 
The beauties of Rose Hill have been so often described, that I shall 
not attempt to do what others have so much better done—give a general 
description of the grounds—but simply a few notes of the Roses. Last 
winter made here, as everywhere, most fearful havoc (by the by, not 
everywhere, for I hear in Ireland Roses suffered but little, and were 
never finer than this season), whole quarters which should have been 
one brilliant mass of bloom were now little better than a quarter of 
Stocks; here and there one had survived, but not one in fifty. One 
piece, however, of about five thousand dwarfs, budded on the Manetti 
stock, and on a piece of new ground, had survived, and here were to be 
found some grand blooms; amongst the old leading varieties, Mesdames 
Vidot, Rivers, Knorr, de Cambaceres; General Jacqueminot, Prince 
Leon, Baronne Hallez, Geant des Batailles, and others, were very fine. 
While as to new Roses—I mean those of 1860—Mr. R. is decidedly of 
opinion that there is not one which can compete with Gloire be 
Santenay —not even Senateur Vaisse. I saw both of them in 
bloom, and certainly the former was much finer ; one flower of it was a 
most perfect gem. Madame Boll was also very fine, and so was 
also Loms XIV. ; while amongst those of 1860, Madame Furtado 
and General Washington were apparently the two gems. But it 
is impossible rightly to decide on; all this season everything has come 
so out of character, that it will be very hard indeed to say which are to 
be thrown away and which kept. J ust before I left home I found a 
bloom of Alexandre Breton, a Rose of 1859, which I have hardly 
heard of this season, quite a gem, and it is just possible there may be 
others which have been pooh-poohed that may yet astonish us. 
Boule d’Or had not opened well with Mr. R.; it is evidently a good 
grower, and perhaps, when more chance is given to it, it may yet dis¬ 
close its beauties; but its colour is so grand, that, as a house Rose even, 
it will be a great acquisition. We have nothing to equal it except the 
Persian Yellow. Reine des Violettes had not bloomed, but unless 
it comes out something better than it has done there is no loss. When 
I shall have had another opportunity of seeing the autumnal bloom of 
the Roses of 1859, I shall hope to give a few further notes on their 
merits. 
Such was my gallop, and such the hurried notes of what I saw. Let 
me add, that I experienced what I have ever found, with very rare 
exceptions, that kindness and hospitality universally attend the love of 
flowers in either grower or amateur; whether it be that “ one touch of 
nature makes the whole world kin,” or that the pursuit itself expands 
the mind and brings out the kindlier feelings of the heart, I know not, 
but so it is, and a grumbling, selfish horticulturist is an anomaly and 
a disgrace to the gentle craft to which he belongs. That there are such, 
I know, but he is a “rara avis'* May the sort become scarcer every 
Deal, August, 
D. 
