202 
THE FLORIST. 
freely, and as they deserve, and no more; let it be forgotten 
that we are at the expense of introducing them into The 
Florist .” Brilliant has been seen and reported on so fre¬ 
quently, that we have no occasion to say more than that it is 
deserving a place in every collection, being rich in colour, 
more so than the illustration. It has received several prizes. 
Elegans we have not seen on the plant, but we had three 
trusses of expanded flowers, not in the best condition, as they 
were taken from the plant after exposure to the weather pre¬ 
paratory to cutting down. 
Both varieties were laid before our Censors, with the 
drawings for comparison, and the following is their report: 
“ Topping’s Brilliant; a very fair representation, probably 
as near as the material will allow it to be brought. 
“ Topping’s Elegans ; the colour of the top petals is too 
dark; in nature it is a warm velvety maroon. Lower petals 
are rather longer and narrower at the base. Trusses sent, 
four and five pips each. 
“ Both flowers are of the size figured.” 
We recommend every raiser of Seedlings to procure some 
of Mr. Topping’s varieties; there is strength and vigour about 
them, which will, in our opinion, be sure to produce some very 
fine varieties when crossed with the more delicate productions 
of Mr. Foster and others. 
Brilliant was raised by Mr. Topping from year after year 
crossing his highest-coloured Seedlings. 
A VISIT TO THE BOSES AT SAWBBIDGEWOBTH. 
A fine day towards the end of June tempted us to pay a visit to 
Mr. Rivers, to look at his vast collection of Roses. We came away 
with the idea that it would be almost a vain attempt to describe 
what we saw : still we must try. Mr. R., as is well known, is the 
father of the Rose-trade in England, and was the first to publish a 
“ Descriptive Catalogue,” some twenty years since. The nursery is 
situated in a very pretty part of Hertfordshire, the surface gently 
undulating, which adds much to the beauty of the place. 
However, let us commence at the entrance : the turnpike-road 
to Cambridge and Norwich bounds it to the south-east, and is twelve 
feet lower than the frontage near the house. This has made the 
entrance steep, but very picturesque—the ascent to the house being 
by three terraces, each laid out in beds of Roses, and the banks on 
each side planted with Climbing Roses pegged to the ground. Stand¬ 
ing in front of the house, to the left, is a lawn sloping to the road, 
on which are grouped China and Bourbon Roses in masses of colour. 
