52 
THE FLORIST. 
vigorous to within five or six buds of their base. A moderate-sized 
tree, whether dwarf or standand, will furnish from five to seven of these 
vigorous shoots. They will, soon after being pruned, put forth nume¬ 
rous young blooming spurs; in October thin out these spurs so that the 
tree is not crowded, and pinch off the bloom buds, giving no other 
pruning , and in spring they will reward you with a crop of flowers, 
earlier by ten days than roses managed in the usual way. I have seen 
them from a fortnight to three weeks earlier; in 1848, they were in 
full bloom on May 14th.” 
We have only room for one extract more, which relates to “ a very 
old rose tree.” “When at Cologne (says Mr. Rivers), ‘in July last 
(1857), I heard from a friend residing there, that a rose-tree existed 
at Hildersheim, which was planted by Charlemagne. I thought 
it a fable, and most unfortunately passed by Hildersheim without 
calling to search into the matter. Resting some time at Leipsic with a 
literary friend, I made further inquiries, and through him have just 
received the following account from his friend at Hildersheim. The 
present size and description of this remarkable tree may be relied upon. 
I give in the following narrative the words, as nearly as possible, of my 
Hildersheim correspondent, the first part merely legendary. ‘ When 
Charlemagne had conquered the territory of the original Saxons, several 
foreign potentates hastened to show him marks of esteem and respect.; 
among others an ambassador from the East, who, as a symbol of his 
authority, carried a purple banner on which were embroidered the arms 
of his sovereign—six roses on a golden field ; Charlemagne, struck with 
the homage, planted a rose-tree on the place of reception, to com¬ 
memorate the event. Louis the Pious, at a later period, came to the 
district of Plildersheim on a hunting excursion, and after his sport 
ordered mass to be said in the open air, at which all his retinue were 
present. The officiating priest on returning to his habitation, and just 
as the Court were commencing their repast, missed the ‘ holy image ’ 
(it is presumed the cross), and after searching in vain for it, proceeded 
on his way back to the place where the open air mass had been per¬ 
formed. It was becoming dark, and in his hurry and fear he seems to 
have nearly lost his way, when, lo! his eyes lighted upon the cross 
resting upon the branches of a wild rose-tree. He immediately 
attempted to regain it, when, wonderful to relate, the cross adhered to 
the tree, and eluded his grasp. After several ineffectual clutches, he 
felt sure that some high power had interfered ; he therefore ran to the 
Court and apprised the pious Louis of the wonderful sight. The whole 
Court rushed forth, and on approaching the rose-tree, fell on their knees 
in thankfulness for the sight of such a miracle. Louis then ordered 
the present Cathedral of Hildersheim to be built over the rose-tree.’ 
Such are the legends of this famous tree, often referred to by German 
authors. Dr. Grashof, of Hildersheim, gives the following description 
of its'present state. ‘The roots are buried in a sort of coffin-shaped 
vault, under the middle altar of the crypt, which crypt is proved by 
known documents to have been built in the year 818, and to have sur¬ 
vived the burning of the other parts of the cathedral on the 21st of 
January, 1013, and the 23rd of March, 1046. It is remarkable that 
