2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 7 
but they do not; they have an aggravating 
habit of opening in a crumpled and irregular 
shape, and the color is very often defective, 
being decidedly green. This color, combined 
with the flat shape, often makes the flower 
suggestive of a dejected lettuce. It has not 
forced well during the earlier part of the win¬ 
ter, but towards spring it appears to come bet¬ 
ter. But it does not sell readily, and the 
commission men smile very sardonically when 
asked about its success. This sounds rather a 
disparaging critique, but it is very mild com¬ 
pared with what some of the growers say 
bout the Puritan. 
The Bride, which is shown at Fig. 84, first 
page of cover, from nature, is another recent 
white rose, and the London Garden calls it 
the best American rose of late years. It is a 
sport from Catherine Mermet, which Ellwan- 
ger calls the finest of all Tea roses. The Bride 
has all the good qualities of its parent; it is a 
good forcer, possessing much vigor of habit. 
The flower has the size of Cornelia Cook with¬ 
out its greenish tinge. It is as delicate-look¬ 
ing as Niphetos, but more durable. Some¬ 
times it is blush-tinted on the outer petals, but 
not enough to destroy its value as a white 
rose. It is certainly the best white Tea we 
have. 
Wm. Francis Bennett, which is shown at 
Fig. 84, first page of cover, drawn from na¬ 
ture, has been written up so much that it is 
hard to find anything new to say about it. Its 
lively crimson is very desirable. In its long- 
pointed bud it differs from other roses, and it 
has a delicious sort of lemon-verbena odor that 
we cannot duplicate. It brings a fair price ? 
too, when good; but if the plants are weak it 
is apt to be semi-double. Still, it is a good 
trade rose. 
♦ Comtesse DE Frigneuse, which is shown 
at Fig. 84, first page of cover, drawn from 
nature, is a new-comer, which was heralded 
as a possible substitute for Perle des Jardins. 
The Comtesse has a clear, golden-yellow color, 
and a graceful shape. It has not been thor¬ 
oughly tried yet, so it is impossible to say 
whether it is a satisfactory forcer. The most 
patent defect at present is its weak aud droop¬ 
ing stem. We should like it better if it had 
more back-bone. So far, the general opinion 
is that this rose is really worthless for forcing; 
it can never compare with Perle des J ardins. 
Papa Gontier; which is shown at Fig. 84, 
first page of cover, from nature, is not really 
a new rose, though recently introduced to the 
trade. It is like the Bon Silene, only more 
s o. It has a deeper color in the flower, deeper 
green in the leaf, and a stronger look alto¬ 
gether. It is remarkably free from mildew, 
and a good summer bloomer. Fragrant and 
rich in color, it is a most beautiful rose, while 
its vigor and freedom of flowering make it a 
fine florists’ flower. A great success, in every 
way. 
Mme. Gabriel Luizet, which is shown at 
Fig. 85, first page of regular sheet, from na¬ 
ture, is a Hybrid Remontant with a shapely 
flower and a lively rose-pink color. It is very 
extensively grown, though florists differ very 
much in their estimate of its value. It seems 
to be more in favor around Philadelphia than 
New York. One peculiarity which may often 
be noticed in a house of Luizets is the ten¬ 
dency of the flower to break its own neck. 
The flower stem is often broken just below the 
bloom, sometimes snapping the flower right 
off, but more often giving it a twist, leaving 
a scar on the stem. It seems as if the plant 
sends up more sap than the flower needs. 
Madame de Watteville, which is shown 
at Fig. 84, first page of cover, from nature, is 
a new Tea. The general habit is similar to 
that of Madame Cusin aud others of that slen¬ 
der type; color a lovely salmon, shading to a 
deeper tint all around the edge of the petals. 
A beautiful flower, and one likely to be a 
trade success. 
Gabrielle Drevet was introduced with the 
foregoing. It is rather smaller, but of the 
same type. Color a sort of apricot-yellow, 
shading to a ruddier tinge at the edges of the 
petals. 
Madame Cusin is not new, but it seems to 
be growing in popular estimation. A Tea 
with a pointed bud; exquisite shell-pink shad¬ 
ing into rose. It seems to be increasing 
in size and vigor, probably because growers 
understand it better. One Fifth Avenue 
florist says he has used more Cusins than any¬ 
thing else this winter. 
Princess Beatrice is one of the new Teas. 
It is well shaped: color rather a pretty apricot 
shade, though hardly distinct enough to be 
noticeable from others of similar hue. So far 
it has been a disappointment to the trade, but 
it was only distributed last autumn, so there 
has been no opportunity of a thorough trial, 
aud it may yet redeem its character. 
Mrs. John Laing is a new Hybrid Remon¬ 
tant, a seedling of Mr. Henry Bennett. It 
somewhat resembles its parent, Francois 
Michelon. The color is a soft rose-pink. It is 
a free out-door bloomer in the summer and 
autumn, and forces easily. A pretty rose, and 
a useful one too, if it keeps up to our present 
expectations. 
Meteor is a new Hybrid Tea; rich bright 
crimson with velvety petals. Not a very pro¬ 
fuse winter bloomer, it will probably do bet 
ter in the summer. Perhaps this is the “Tea 
Jacq.,” we have so long looked for, but it is 
not yet in general cultivation. 
Sunset is more highly esteemed now than 
when it first appeared. A good many grow 
ers talk of planting more Sunsets than its 
parent, Perle des Jardins, but the Perle has 
not been a general success during the past 
winter, while Sunset has. 
La France, which the writer esteems the 
sweetest and loveliest rose grown, may really 
be given the highest place among Hybrid Teas 
Apart from its beautiful silvery pink and deli 
cious fragrance, its flowering properties are 
most excellent, and it is simply invaluable to 
the trade. The flowers are always salable, and 
average a higher price than others of its class. 
During the past winter the finest La France 
coming into the New York market were grown 
at Nyack, where the soil seems singularly 
adapted to this rose. Some of the growers in 
other places are now transporting Nyack soil 
for their roses, as they cannot supply all the 
needed constituents by scientific fertilizing. 
But scientific horticulture is becoming as much 
a matter of fact as scientific agriculture. 
Some well-known rose growers are going into 
the subject with as much enthusiasm as Sir 
J. B. Lawes. 
Average Prices of roses: well, one large 
commission dealer says there is no average, 
and he is about right. The flower market 
fluctuates to an unlimited extent; this winter 
there has been an overproduction of mediocre 
stuff, and values have been reduced in conse¬ 
quence. At the holidays American Beauty 
brought $9 a dozen, and the price stood at this 
figure for some time. Some of the papers 
speak of Puritan averaging the same, but I 
think this is a horticultural fairy tale. 
Jacqueminots are as salable now as they 
were 10 years ago, but they do not bring so 
high a price. 
Paul Neyron (see Fig. 84, first page of 
cover, from nature) brings as high a price as 
any Hybrid Remontant. 
Baroness Rothschild is another indispen 
sable of this class; the finest, light pink,Hybrid 
Remontant; Magna Chartaand Anna de Dies 
bach are also favorites. 
Merveille de Lyon and Mabel Morrison 
are the best white Hybrid Remontants for win¬ 
ter forcing; that disappointing Puritan was to 
put them completely in the shade; but it has 
not done so yet. 
Rose-growing is not a business at which 
people are likely to acquire a vast fortune, as 
a good many have found out to their cost 
This winter there has been a singular failure 
of the crop in many cases, without any ap¬ 
parent reason. Perle des Jardins has been 
disappointing for several seasons; so many of 
the flowers are malformed and imperfect. If 
Comtesse de Frigneuse would only come a 
little stronger it would take the place of the 
recalcitrant Perle. Marechal Niel, the finest 
yellow rose, takes up too much room to be a 
very remunerative crop. 
Luciole is a new Tea of the shaded yellow- 
pink strain. Very sweet, but it is not yet in 
trade cultivation, and it is not regarded as a 
coming star. 
Her Majesty was a much-heralded beauty 
two years ago; now it is put away in the very 
deepest shades of oblivion. It is a fine enough 
rose of its kind for those who like scentless 
flowers of the cabbage type. It probably does 
well out of doors, but under glass it is subject 
to mildew and all the ills rose flesh is heir to; 
nor does it force satisfactorily. Like some j 
others we might name, it is merely grown to 
sell. 
Nitrate of Potash and sulphate of ammo¬ 
nia are the chemicals chiefly used in making 
artificial fertilizers for forced roses. A top¬ 
dressing composed in this proportion: 100 
pounds soil, 20 pounds bone meal, 5 pounds 
sulphate of ammonia, screened until thorough¬ 
ly incorporated, produced very satisfactory 
results. It was applied at the rate of one 
pound to a square foot of surface. Nitrate of 
potash is usually applied in the form of a 
liquid solution. 
The varieties bere enumerated are those 
most desirable for commercial forcing, with 
the exception of the sorts mentioned as un¬ 
desirable. It is never safe to go in for one 
special sort to the exclusion of others. Nor is 
it prudent to invest largely in new sorts as yet 
untested, save for the purpose of making stock. 
A good many growers are obliged to raise 
varieties for sale which they would never 
think of forcing themselves. 
GARDEN CULTURE OF THE ROSE. 
PETER HENDERSON. 
THREE NEW TEA ROSES. 
Luciole is a new French Tea rose described 
in the catalogues as possessing an exquisite 
blending of colors. The flowers large, of a ' 
bright carmine, tinted with yellow, the under 
side of the petals being of a saffron color. The 
buds are long and of fine form and good sub¬ 
stance. This is shown at Fig. 86, page 231. 
Susanne Blanchet is a Tea first sent out 
in 1886 by Nabonnand. It is of a rose color 
tinted with flesh color, large, fine form and 
very fragrant. The plant is vigorous. It is 
said to be a first-rate bedding variety. This 
is shown at Fig. 87, page 232. 
Princess Beatrice is one of Henry Ben¬ 
nett’s Tea roses of 1886, and if the colored 
plates of the catalogues show it fairly, the 
colors are beautiful. The outside petals are 
yellow, a pale yellow shading somewhat into 
pink, while the central petals are of a golden- 
yellow with the edges feebly tinted with rose. 
The flowers are said to be large, full and of 
fine form. This is shown at Fig. 88, page 233. 
The above roses, viz: Luciole, Susanne 
Blanchet and Princess Beatrice were drawn 
and engraved by A. Blanc of Philadelphia. 
HOW FARMERS MAY PROPAGATE 
ROSES. 
WILLIAM FALCONER. 
Layering', cuttings, when and how to treat ; 
budding ; the best stock. 
Florists who propagate roses by the ten or 
hundred thousand plants a year endeavor to 
have every facility for the work, but the far¬ 
mer who has no greenhouse'and requires only 
a few more roses each year to keep up his 
stock, must have recourse to ruder means of 
increasing his plants. All sorts of rose bushes 
root freely from layers; that is, from shoots 
forced into the ground so as to bury the el¬ 
bows two or three inches deep with soil, hold¬ 
ing it in place there with a peg. This had 
better be done in July or August. If at a 
joint near the elbow a break or slanting cut 
is made half through the shoot, but no deep¬ 
er, it will assist in the formation of roots. Let 
the layers stay as they are for a year before 
you sever them from the parent stock and 
treat them as independent plants. Moss roses 
or Persian yellow roses have to be propa¬ 
gated in this way or by budding them in other 
roots, as they will not readily strike from cut¬ 
tings. A good many varieties of our bedding 
roses, as Baroness Rothschild, root from cut¬ 
tings with such difficulty that we should also 
layer them; but what sorts root easily and 
what with difficulty can be ascertained only 
by individual practice. 
The great mass of bedding roses can be prop¬ 
agated from cuttings. In November select 
strong, ripe wood, and cut it up into pieces 
about six inches long, and preserve these in 
the cellar in moist sawdust or earth as you 
would apple or pear tree cions. In early 
spring plant them out in rows six inches apart 
and an inch or two between the cuttings in 
the row. One or two eyes above ground will 
be enough. Pack the earth very firmly about 
the cuttings. Shade them a little'by laying a 
few evergreen branches over them, and never 
allow them to get dry. In five or six weeks 
a good many will begin to root and grow. 
But you must expect a good many to die. 
Cuttings of roses may also be cut off in the 
spring and put in at once; many will grow. 
They may also be secured and put in at any 
time between spring and winter. The impor¬ 
tant thing to observe in propagating roses 
from cuttings is never to allow the cutting to 
shrivel or become dry in the least before it 
begins to root; and for this reason summer 
cuttings had better be put in in shady places. 
In the case of Tea and China roses and oth¬ 
ers of that type which we grow as pot plants, 
we can clip them at any time; merely cut off 
a bit with two or three eyes and the leaves at¬ 
tached , remove the lower leaf aud stick the 
slip into the ground, be that out of doors, or 
into a pot in the house. 
While we florists use sand for rooting rose 
cuttings in, I would not recommend it to far¬ 
mers because it gets dry so quickly; sandy 
loam is all right and keeps the moisture better 
and holds the cuttings firmer. Keep the cut¬ 
tings moist and shaded enough to prevent the 
leaves from wilting. 
All points considered, the Mannetti is the 
best stock for budding on, but any vigorous- 
growing, hardy rose is good enough. Every 
kind of rose can be propagated by budding. 
Insert the buds close down near the ground. 
But on account of the persistent efforts of 
the stocks of budded roses to throw up suckers 
I would advise farmers to stick to layering 
and cuttings. Grafting roses is a method in 
common practice by florists, but not to be 
recommended to any one not having suitable 
greenhouse accommodation. 
Of the multitude of difficult questions that 
the commercial florist has to answer none 
gives him, in this section of the country, so 
much trouble as the one so often asked 
“What kind of roses shall I plant to give the 
most satisfaction for summer blooming?” An 
old German florist, in telling me of his tribu¬ 
lations on this subject said: “I haf so mooch 
droobles with de ladies when dey coom to buy 
mine roses! Dey all wants him hardy; dey 
all wants him doobles; dey wants him nice 
gooler, dey wants him nice shape; dey wants 
him fragrant; dey wants him moondly;dey 
wants him to be everydings in one rose. Now 
I haf to say to dem ladies, though not what 
you call an ungallant man, I say dat I see not 
mooch that lady dat is young; dat is beauti¬ 
ful; dat is good demper; d&tishealdy; dat is 
smart; dat is every good dings in one lady ; 
so she must not expect to get every dings dat 
is perfect in one rose.” It is now some years 
ago since my old German friend got off this 
story. I think if alive he might be able to 
quality it now—for in fact the 
HYBRID TEA ROSES 
with a slight covering of leaves in the 
Northern States in winter, will, with this 
slight trouble to insure their “hardiness,” give 
all the other good qualities in one rose, such as 
color, everblooming, “double,” and good 
j form and fragrance. Of these the following 
are some of the best types: 
Duke of Connaught—rich, dark crimson. 
Mrs. John Laing—a rich shade of soft pink. 
Dinsmore—bright scarlet crimson. 
Coquette des Alps—pure white. 
La France—soft rose shaded. 
American Beauty—light crimson. 
Pierre Guillot—dark crimson. 
There ax-e other varieties under trial, some 
of which may equal or surpass these. Thus 
far we have no roses of this class having a 
yellow tinge, and I doubt much if we ever 
will. 
The class of roses that combine the greatest 
variety of color are the true 
TEA OR MONTHLY VARIETIES. 
classed as Tea, Bourbon, and Bengal. 
This is the class of roses for the Southern 
States, nearly all of which stand hardy south 
of Richmond, and bloom in perfection from 
six to nine months of the year. Although hav¬ 
ing greater variety of color, the monthly class 
of roses is neither so large nor so well formed 
as a whole as the Hybrid Perpetual or Hybrid 
Tea class; but these hardy roses, particularly 
the Hybrid Perpetual Class, are useless for ex¬ 
treme Southern States, such as Florida, for 
the reason that their nature being deciduous— 
that is, they lose their leaves in winter—the 
continued high temperature of extreme south¬ 
ern latitudes, prevents them from getting the 
necessary season for rest, and hence they are 
never so satisfactory as the evergreen or 
monthly kinds, for which such rest is not so 
necessary. But'a point that should always be 
borne in mind in ordering the monthly or Tea 
roses for summer blooming, particularly at the 
South, is to get only such kinds as are full and 
double. Some of our finest roses that are grown 
| for winter forcing, at an average temperature 
of 65 degrees in the rose-house, such as Wm. 
Francis Bennett, Bon Silene, SafraDO, aud 
others that are not fully double, are perfectly 
worthless when they flower in a summer tem¬ 
perature of 90 or 100 degrees. Of all monthly 
or 
TEA ROSES FOR SUMMER BLOOMING 
choose only such as have full double flowers, 
of which the following are among the best: 
Souvenir de la Malmaison—blush. 
Meteor—blackish crimson. 
Puritan—pure white. This is a Hybrid Tea, 
but from its character it is likely to do well 
as a summer ever-blooming rose. 
Fearle des Jardins—yellow. 
Catharine Mermet—salmon pink. 
Sunset—orange. 
Bride—pure white. 
Madame de Watteville—shell-like pink oi 
blush. 
Devoniensis—creamy white, pink center. 
Etoile de Lyon—golden yellow. 
Red Malmaison—scarlet-crimson. 
Papa Gontier—carmine, like Bon Silene, 
but more double. 
There are hundreds of others described in 
the catalogues, but these,in my opinion, taken 
as a whole, would give the most satisfaction. 
None of them, however, is sufficiently hardy 
to endure our winters north of Richmond. 
But roses are now sold so cheap that hun¬ 
dreds buy this class of roses for summer bloom¬ 
ing only at the North. In most cases they 
perish in winter though occasionally in shel¬ 
tered spots they survive, and when thej do 
the next seasons bloom is usually very fine. 
In the entirely hardy class of roses known as 
HYBRID PERPETUALS. 
we have the finest of all roses, but unfortun- 
