94 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  30,  1896. 
for  indications  as  to  the  time  of  the  day,  the  approach  of  a  change 
of  weather,  and  on  various  matters.  The  golden-starred  Coltsfoot, 
already  showing  its  flowers,  which  precede  the  leaves,  is  repre¬ 
sentative  of  “justice;”  why  is  not  clear,  though  several  of  its 
names  connecting  it  with  the  horse  and  the  bull  are  explained  by 
the  form  of  its  leaves.  Then  the  Groundsel,  which  is  now  appear¬ 
ing,  tells  of  “  attachment,”  since  it  follows  man  everywhere. 
— J.  R.  S.  C. 
A  French  National  Rose  Society, 
According  to  the  “Revue  Horticole”  a  French  National  Rose 
Society  has  been  established  at  Lyons.  The  Society  proposes  to  form  a 
judicial  committee  to  (1)  examine,  adjudge,  and  class  the  varieties  of 
Roses  ;  (2)  to  hold  exhibitions  and  congresses  in  various  French  towns  ; 
(3)  to  publish  information  relating  to  Roses ;  (4)  to  furnish  dis¬ 
criminating  notes  on  novelties  for  the  benefit  of  amateurs  ;  and  (5)  to 
determine  the  nomenclature  and  synonymy  of  Roses.  The  Secretary  is 
M.  Viviand-Morel,  66,  Cours  Lafayette,  a  Villeurbanne-les,  Lyon.  The 
subscription  is  5  francs  a  year. 
Mr.  E.  Mawley. 
All  members  of  the  N.R  S.  will,  I  am  sure,  wish  to  congratulate 
Mr.  Mawley  on  his  election  as  President  of  the  Royal  Meteorological 
Society.  I  do  not  fcnow  that  we  have  any  right  to  view  him  now  as 
actually  being  that  much  abused  personage,  “  the  Clerk  of  the  Weather,” 
and  I  do  not  think  it  will  be  fair  to  reproach  him  much  if  1896  should 
prove  to  be  a  bad  Rose  year ;  but  if  it  should  be  a  favourable  season  let 
us  at  all  events,  in  recognition  of  his  past  services,  give  him  as  much 
credit  for  it  as  we  can. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
Useful  Garden  Roses. 
During  the  last  twenty  years  how  fierce  have  been  the  conflicts  waged 
in  the  horticultural  press  between  writers  on  Roses ;  drawn  together 
by  their  love  of  the  national  flower.  Is  it  that  the  “  Wars  of  the 
Roses  ”  serve  as  a  harmless  means  of  satisfying  that  dominant  spirit  of 
opposition  which  is  inherent  in  the  British  race  ?  If  so,  long  may  it 
continue.  Some  there  are  who  never  tire  of  singing  the  praises  of  their 
giant  blooms,  large  in  petal,  globular  in  form,  brilliant  in  colour,  and 
withal  of  imposing  appearance  ;  grand  flowers  in  their  way,  which 
exhibitors  view  with  envy,  as  they  lead  to  triumphs  in  the  tented  field. 
Others  profess  to  see  but  little  beauty  in  these  Goliaths,  and  much 
prefer  a  host  of  Davids  instead.  They  grow  enthusiastic  over  a  garden 
abounding  with  a  wealth  of  Roses,  where  arches  and  pillars  alike  are 
laden  with  charmingly  informal  bunches,  or  with  panicles  of  flowers — 
flowers  that  may  be  cut  by  the  armful,  and  still  leave  plenty  to  lend 
their  sweetness  to  the  air.  To  me  all  Roses  are  beautiful,  and  worthy  of 
cultivation.  We  want  them  all— the  large  flowers  of  perfect  form  to 
show  what  high  culture  can  achieve,  the  smaller  ones  to  smile  in  plenty, 
and  give  variety  of  form  throughout  our  gardens,  some  of  each  to  brighten 
the  interior  of  our  homes. 
How  delightful  the  summer  Roses  are,  especially  those  whose  single 
or  miniature  flowers  open  in  such  remarkable  profusion.  The  very  fact 
of  their  being  so  short-lived  seems  to  lend  to  them  a  more  precious 
beauty.  Certain  it  is  that  there  are  but  few  fairer  garden  scenes  than 
an  arch,  pillar,  or  sturdy  bush  studded  with  thousands  of  these  fairy¬ 
like  flowers.  It  is  gratifying  to  see  the  Moss  Roses  receiving  due 
attention  again,  for  in  the  bud  we  have  certainly  nothing  among  Roses 
more  charmingly  pretty,  and  this  section  now  includes  several  acquisi¬ 
tions.  Baron  de  Wessenaer  is  a  favourite  hardy  variety,  extremely  bright 
and  pretty  in  the  bud,  probably  the  brightest  red  we  have  among  Moss 
Roses.  The  common  Moss  is  still  one  of  the  best.  Among  those  having 
pale  rose  coloured  flowers  Crimson  Globe  is  a  somewhat  advanced  type, 
the  flowers,  as  the  name  implies,  being  of  a  fine  globular  form.  Gracilis 
and  Little  Gem  are  a  pair  that  should  be  grown  by  all  ;  and  Reine 
Blanche  and  White  Bush  are,  to  my  mind,  the  best  whites,  the  former 
being  well  adapted  for  walls  or  arches,  the  latter,  as  its  name  implies, 
being  suitable  for  growing  in  bush  form. 
Summer  Roses  supply  us  with  many  sterling  climbers.  There  is  the 
well  known  Blairi  No.  2,  with  its  large  blush-pink  flowers  ;  this  blooms 
magnificently  if  given  a  sunny  position  and  allowed  ample  freedom. 
The  shoots  require  to  be  thinly  disposed,  and  but  little  shortening  should 
be  attempted.  Chbn4dolb  and  Coupe  d’Ebbd  are  also  fine  for  affording 
a  variety  of  colour ;  the  former  is  light  crimson  and  sweet  ;  the  latter 
deep  pink  and  charming.  Too  much  praise  can  scarcely  be  bestowed 
upon  Madame  Plantier  ;  it  is  one  of  the  purest  white  Roses  we  have  in 
any  section  ;  very  sweet,  and  succeeds  well  as  a  bush,  climber,  or  pot 
Rose.  Paul  Yerdier  should  be  planted  by  all  who  like  a  large  bright  rose- 
coloured  flower,  full,  finely  imbricated,  and  suitable  for  arches  and 
illars. 
Ayrshire  Roses  are  an  exceedingly  useful  and  beautiful  class  ;  their 
growth  being  very  strong  and  rapid,  they  are  adapted  for  planting  in 
positions  when  many  other  varieties  would  not  succeed.  Take,  for 
instance,  old  crumbling  walls  which  one  often  finds  in  ancient  gardens  ; 
ordinary  climbing  Roses  seldom  succeed  well  if  planted  against  these, 
but  the  Ayrshires  seem  perfectly  at  home.  The  shoots  in  the  first  instance 
should  be  trained  thinly  and  securely,  and  the  growths  afterwards  allowed 
to  ramble  at  will,  with  the  exception  of  a  slight  thinning  of  the  shoots, 
or  the  removal  of  unripened  points.  Treated  in  this  way  each  stem 
becomes  a  literal  wreath  of  Roses  in  May  or  June.  Again,  we  have 
perhaps  a  dead  tree  stump,  bare  and  unsightly  ;  plant  against  it  one  of 
these  rambling  Roses,  and  in  a  year  or  two  thousands  of  scented  blossoms 
adorn  its  outline.  In  another  spot  perhaps  we  find  a  rough  wall,  or  a 
stony  bank  rising  from  the  water  of  lake  or  river,  on  the  top  of  the  bank 
plant  an  Ayrshire  Rose  ;  the  shoots  will  soon  reach  down  to  the  water’s 
edge,  and  in  time  their  countless  clusters  of  flowers  gladden  the  eyes  of 
all  who  see  them  across  the  glistening  stream.  Every  variety  in  this 
section  is  adapted  for  the  purposes  above  indicated,  but  I  must  call 
especial  attention  to  Ruga,  as  I  feel  sure  that  the  only  reason  why  one 
so  seldom  meetB  with  it  is  that  it  is  so  little  known.  It  grows  wonder¬ 
fully  strong,  the  central  flowers  are  large,  of  a  beautiful  flesh  colour, 
and  the  numerous  buds  clustering  around  it  render  the  shoots  extremely 
effective  for  decorative  purposes  when  cut,  as  well  as  fairy-like  when 
growing. 
Alba  Roses  and  their  hybrids  are  a  somewhat  small  section,  but 
the  flowers  have  exquisite  delicacy  of  colouring.  The  old  Maiden’s 
Blush  may  be  taken  as  an  excellent  example  of  the  type,  and  few 
can  surpass  it  in  hardiness  and  sweetness.  Blanche  Belgique  is  a  good 
white  which  produces  flowers  in  abundance ;  Belle  de  Segur  and 
Celestial  are  both  delightful  flesh  coloured  varieties.  Among  hybrid 
climbers  we  have  that  grand  acquisition  Crimson  Rambler,  which 
in  a  short  time  has  become  so  thoroughly  well  known,  but  I  need 
not  now  sing  its  praises.  Fair  Rosamond  (flesh  colour)  and  Fortune’s 
Yellow  are  looking  excellent;  the  latter  has  semi-double  flowers  of 
a  peculiar  yellowish-orange  colour,  and  is  a  very  strong  grower  ; 
plants  of  each  of  these  which  I  planted  last  season,  have  made  splendid 
growth. 
Lord  Penzance’s  hybrid  Sweet  Briars  will,  I  think,  prove  very 
attractive  for  arches,  as  they  are  vigorous  growers,  have  peculiar  as 
well  as  beautiful  colours,  and  their  single  chaste-looking  flowers  are  at 
all  times  welcome.  The  whole  set  of  nine  varieties  are  so  good  that 
I  should  stroDgly  advise  their  purchase,  and  I  doubt  not  that  when 
these  are  seen  in  full  beauty,  the  newer  ones  to  be  sent  out  this  year 
will  in  time  be  added  to  the  collection.  The  Austrian  Yellow  and 
Austrian  Copper  are  well-known  shrubby-growing  kinds,  which  make 
fine  bushes  and  are  particularly  adapted  for  massing. 
Autumnal  or  Perpetual  Roses  form  a  very  large  class,  divided  into 
many  sections,  which  include  some  of  the  showiest  and  hardiest  varieties 
of  the  Autumn  Queen.  Dwarf  varieties  of  Polyantha  Roses  are  now 
much  used  as  edgings  for  large  beds,  or  for  filling  small  ones,  the  flowers 
are  borne  in  great  profusion,  and  are  admirably  adapted  for  bouquets. 
A  few  good  varieties  are  Anne  Marie  de  Montravel  (pare  white),  Blanche 
Rebatel  (crimson  shaded  rose),  Cecile  (bright  rose,  yellow  centre), 
Etoile  d’Or  (yellow  and  chrome  yellow).  Golden  Fairy,  Little  Dot  (soft 
pink),  Perle  d’Or  (nankeen  yellow),  and  Paquerette  (white). 
The  well-known  single  Japanese  Roses,  Rugosa  and  Rugosa  alba, 
are  attractive,  in  summer  by  reason  of  their  handsome  foliage  and 
flowers,  and  in  winter  in  consequence  of  their  bright  red  berries.  Among 
Perpetual  Moss  Roses,  Blanche  Moreau  (white),  Eugene  de  Savoie 
(bright  red),  White  Moss  and  Salet  (bright  rose)  are  all  good.  The  last- 
named  pair  should  if  possible  be  grown  in  quantity.  Chinese  Roses  are 
again  coming  to  the  front,  and  where  cut  flowers  are  in  great  demand 
they  must  prove  exceedingly  welcome,  as  they  produce  some  of  the 
earliest  flowers  amongst  Roses  and  continue  to  flower  when  many  others 
are  ruined  by  frost.  They  also  thrive  in  stony  places  and  in  compara¬ 
tively  poor  soil.  The  old  white  and  pink  China  are  both  still  worth 
growing,  and  we  have  a  grand  new  acquisition  in  Duke  of  York.  The 
flowers  vary  considerably  in  different  soils,  from  rosy  pink  and  white  to 
deep  red  and  pale  pink.  It  flowers  continuously  throughout  the  summer 
and  autumn,  and  is  altogether  a  delightful  Rose  of  the  true  Chinese  type. 
Another  excellent  kind  of  recent  introduction  is  Madame  Eugene  Resal. 
The  flowers  are  a  mixture  of  coppery  red  aDd  bright  rose  on  an  orange 
ground.  Abbe  Mioland  is  quite  a  novelty,  its  reddish  purple  flowtrs 
being  often  streaked  with  white.  Eugene  Beauharnais  (amaranth), 
Fabvier  (scarlet),  and  Little  Pet  (white)  rank  among  the  best  of  the 
section. 
The  Bourbons  certainly  contain  some  of  the  most  beautiful  autumn- 
flowering  Roses.  Souvenir  de  Malmaison  is  a  capital  illustration  on 
this  point.  During  the  hot  days  of  summer  one  scarcely  ever  finds  a 
good  bloom  of  it,  but  when  the  cool  nights  and  short  days  of  autumn 
come  few  Roses  can  vie  with  it  in  beauty.  The  climbing  form  is  well 
worth  growing;  Acidalie  (blush  white),  Dr.  Berthet,  Lorna  Doone 
(magenta  carmine),  Mrs.  Bosanquet  (pale  flesh),  and  the  well-known 
Sir  J.  Paxton  are  all  good  wall  and  pillar  Roses. 
There  is  so  much  to  be  said  in  favour  of  Noisette  Roses,  Hybrid 
Perpetuals,  and  Teas  that  I  must  defer  my  remarks  about  them  till 
another  week.  A  garden  of  Roses  is  a  fascinating  spot ;  when  one 
begins  to  write  of  the  charms  of  each  section  how  difficult  it  is  to 
stop. — H.  D. 
[Our  correspondent  had  better  keep  going  till  we  ash  him  to  stop.] 
