204 
THE FLORIST. 
more than fifty acres, in a ring fence at the back of the residence of 
Mr. Rivers), we next visited the young plantations of Roses, for sale 
the ensuing season ; these are of great extent, and are arranged in regu¬ 
lar “ quarters,” containing from eight to ten thousand in each; the 
greater portion of these are Autumnal Roses, and chiefly Hybrid Per- 
petuals. There were from two to three thousand of each of the 
popular sorts, worked on stems from six inches to four feet, so as to 
accommodate every want; these masses of plants, all in full bloom, 
were really splendid, particularly Baronne Prevost, La Reine, Lady 
Alice Peel, Duchess of Sutherland, Dr. Marx, Due d’Aumale, Due 
d’Alen^on, William Jesse, Comtesse Duchatel, Augustine Mouchelet, 
&c. Mr. R. then took us to his plantation of Rosa Manetti stocks ; 
we were immediately attracted by that magnificent Rose, Geant des 
Batailles, growing on this stock; no Rose ever introduced is equal to 
this in beauty ; in shape, size, and doubleness, nothing inferior to 
Madame Laffay, and of the most intense glowing crimson scarlet; 
not fading as is the case with many brilliant Roses, but, as Mr. R. 
well expressed it, “ subsiding” into a deep rich crimson. Jacques 
Lafitte, another new Rose, was here growing with astonishing vigour, 
having made robust shoots three feet in height. Comte de Monta- 
livet, Cymedor, General Morangiez, Commandant Fournier, and 
several others, were also in great beauty: in fact, this seems the stock 
for Hybrid Perpetuals, no other gives such vigour. 
To our surprise we found no aphis or blight of any kind on the 
thousands of Roses we saw here ; Mr. R. informed us that he thought 
the air too free, and the soil a degree too cold, for these pests; for 
that, when abundant every where else, the aphis would pay him a 
visit, but was seldom seen after a week; they seem gradually to 
waste without doing any injury. The same with the grub and cater¬ 
pillar ; for in some seasons he has visited the nurseries in Surrey, and 
has seen the Roses leafless, but his own not touched. 
A group of the Cloth of Gold attracted our attention, from the 
extreme size and beauty of its flowers. There were about 100 plants, 
every one in bloom, all very dwarf, averaging about one foot in 
height. As this is proverbially a shy bloomer, and most luxuriant 
grower, we, of course, inquired how this free-flowering habit was 
given. Mr. Rivers informed us that they were budded on the Hybrid 
Bourbon Rose, Celina, which is the best stock he has yet found for 
it. The plants were more dwarf than usual, owing to the stocks, 
with the buds in them, being removed to a sheltered place in winter, 
and covered with a mat, and then planted out early in April. 
A fine quarter of Bourbon Roses, about 5000, all of the choicest 
sorts, worked on stems from one foot to eighteen inches in height, 
were in the fullest perfection of bloom. These dw r arf standard Bour¬ 
bon Roses are great favourites with Mr. R., as they are so well adapted 
for groups on lawns, and their flowers late in autumn are not so liable 
to injury from storms of rain dashing the soil on them, as is the case 
wflth the very dw T arf plants on their own roots. 
The Roses in pots next claimed our notice. Of these there w T ere 
very many thousands; of Bourbons alone, as w r e understood Mr. R., 
