116 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  5,  1903. 
Old  Favourites  of  Sterling  Worth. 
With  tlie  return  of  open  weatlier  and  .suitable  soil  conditions, 
planters  throughout  the  country  will  again  be  busy  in  their  en¬ 
deavours  to  complete  work  of  this  description  during  the  next  six 
weeks.  Mew  Hoses  invariably  receive  a  large  share  of  attention 
because  our  enterprising  rosarians  take  special  steps  to  advertise 
their  charms.  Hy  all  means  let  us  keep  up  to  date  in  regard  to 
varieties,  but  let  us  not  forsake  old  favourites  which  in  many 
points  are  still  unsurpassed.  This  is  my  plea  for  drawing  atten¬ 
tion  to  the  matter  now,  when  hosts  of  gardeners  are  ordering  a 
few  extra  Roses  to  complete  their  planting. 
What  a  pity  it  is  that  Marechal  Niel  is  not  more  often  grown 
in  the  open  air.  When  given  a  south  by  south-west  aspect  against 
a  wall  or  building  it  succeeds  splendidly  even  in  districts  often 
considered  too  cold  for  it.  One  frequent  cause  of  partial  failure 
in  the  open  air  is  that  no  provision  is  made  for  a  con.stant  supply 
of  vigorous  young  shoots.  After  a  few  years  there  is  therefore 
nothing  but  old  wood  in  the  trees,  the  growth  then  gets  very 
weak,  the  flowers  produced  are  inferior,  and  the  branches  gradii- 
allv  die  off.  All  this  can  be  remedied  by  cutting  out  some  of  the 
old  wood  annually,  and  training  in  young  shoots  in  spring. 
Gloire  de  Dijon,  and  its  near  relative,  Madame  Berard,  are  such 
vigorous  growers  and  free  flowerers  that  they  ought  to  find  a 
place  in  almost  every  garden.  The  one  fault  tO'  be  found  with 
them  is  that  their  flowers  are  somewhat  too  flat  when  fully 
expanded,  and  a  little  too  clum.sy-looking  in  the  bud.  But,  then, 
how  many  are  their  good  qualities,  and  how  delicious  is  their 
perfume.  For  planting  against  pillars,  walls,  or  arches  they 
rank  among  the  best. 
Blairii  M^o.  2,  that  old  favourite  with  past  generations  of  Rose 
growers,  is'  now  too  often  overlooked  when  varieties  for  pillars 
are  selected:  yet  it  grows  so  well,  and  if  not  closely  pruned 
flowers  grandly,  such  flowers,  too,  of  wonderful  size  and  attrac¬ 
tive  colour. 
Belle  Lyonnaise,  Bouquet  d'Or,  aird  Boule  d’Or  are  a  trio 
having  either  yellow  or  coppery-coloured  flowers,  which  can 
scarcely  be  di.spensed  with  Avhen  climbers  for  walls  or  buildings 
are  needed,  the  latter  two  being  especially  floriferous. 
Devoniensis  (climbing)  grows,  I  think,  as  rapidly  as  any  Rose 
in  cultivation,  and  is  therefore  excellent  for  covering  space 
quickly.  Some  growers  complain  that  it  does  not  flower  freely, 
and  some  years  ago  I  disliked  it  on  that  account.  I  soon  found 
out,  however,  that  a  little  root-pruning  every  year  or  two  put 
matters  right,  as  with  such  treatment  the  vigorous  shoots  sent 
out  growths  of  moderate  .strength  the  next  season  which  flowered 
well.  In  the  bud  stage  the  flowers  of  Devoniensis  are  general 
favourites  because  of  their  length,  as  well  as  creamy  whiteness. 
Celine  Forestier  is  another  pillar  or  wall  Rose  which  ought 
not  to  be  neglected. 
Turning  to  dwarfer  growing  kinds,  who  does  not  admire  .such 
old  favourites  as  the  White  Bath,  the  common  Moss  Rose,  the 
Crested  Moss,  and  Salet  ?  Tliese  four  varieties  are  each  worthy 
of  a  small  bed,  but  they  would  form  a  pleasing  cembination  if 
intermixed  in  a  larger  one.  In  the  common  Cabbage  and 
Maiden’s  Blush  Roses  we  have  two  very  old  kinds  which,  I  think, 
have  a  sweeter  fragrance  than  any  others  possess,  and  they  seem 
to  thrive  well  under  very  diverse  circumstances. 
Many  of  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals  which  were  in  the  front  rank 
as  long  ago  as  I  remember  anything  about  Roses,  are  still  some 
of  the  best  of  their  Tvnes.  Let  me  instance  a  few:  Alfred 
Colomb,  how'  distinct  in  colour,  and  fine  in  form  :  Captain  Chri.sty, 
a  sph'irdid  grower  as  a  bush  or  standard,  whose  grand  flesh- 
coloured  flowers  are  always  greatly  admired  ;  Fisher  Holmes  and 
General  Jacqueminot  have  each  their  distinct  characteristics 
which  render  them  indispensable.  La  France,  to  my  mind  the 
most  nearly  perfect  of  all  Rosc's.  is  not  likely  to  be  overlooked  by 
anyone;  although  an  old  favourite,  ’tis  a  favourite  still.  Prince 
Camille  de  Rohan  is  a  gem  among  very  dark  varieties,  and 
Senateur  Vais.se  is  .still  noted  for  the  fine  form  of  its  rich  .scarlet- 
crimson  flowers. 
Among  Teas  suitable  for  growing  as  dwarfs,  let  me  cull  a  few 
names,  the  beauty  of  whose  flowers  rise  to  my  mind  as  I  write. 
Adam,  rose,  vei’}'  free  flowering;  Marie  Van  Houtte,  and  Perle 
des  Jardins.  The  former  white  with  a  slight  tinge  of  yellow,  and 
the  latter  bright  lemon  yellow.  Both  ar'e  grand  garden  Roses. 
I'o  those  let  me  add  Madame  Falcot,  Madame  Lambard,  Caroline 
'•  out,  and  Catherine  Mermct,  each  of  which  producesi  fine 
fli;-.;r-  in  abundance.  In  some  gardens  I  have  noticed  a  dearth 
■  if  yellow  Roses.  Now  is  the  time  to  remedy  this  defect.  Among 
lh;  (,ld  favourites  enumerated  above  there  is  a  good  percentage 
of  yellows,  and  if  to  these  are  added  a  few  modern  kinds,  in  the 
future  'here  should  be  yellow  flowers  galore. — H.  D. 
A  Rose  Screen. 
The  hybrid  Sweetbriar  Roses,  used  in  this  manner,  are 
highly  satis'factory.  AVhen  the  canes,  12ft  in  length,  bend  over 
with  the  Aveight  of  the  many  pink  blooms,  the  effect,  as  you 
come  upon  it  unexpectedly,  is  very  pleasing.  After  the  flowers 
have  passed  the  seeds  give  some  colour,  and  the  foliage  is  (|uite 
durable.  For  this  reason  it  Is  the  most  satisfactory  Rose  where 
such  a  Avidth  of  permanent  .screen  is  desired. 
Two  Good  Wlchuraiana  Hybrids. 
In  “The  American  Florist,”  for  December  20,  1902,  there  are 
tAvo  illustrations  of  a  magnificent  hedge,  and  of  a  pillar  draped 
with  the  Roses  groAving  in  the  gardens  of  the  noted  specialist, 
M.  H.  Walsh,  at  Wood’s  Holl,  Mass.  :  in  one  of  them  appears 
also  a  characteristic  picture  of  Mr.  Walsh.  SAveetheart  is  the 
name  of  one  of  the.se,  and  is  a  hardy  climbing  Rose,  the  product 
of  Wichuraiana  crossed  Avith  Bridesmaid.  The  clustered  Avhite 
and  pink-tinted  floAvers  are  full  double,  the  individual  blooms 
about  2Jin  in  diameter,  and  fragrant.  Debutante  had  for  its 
parents  AVichuraiana  and  Baroness  Roth.schild.  This  is  also  a 
hardy  climber,  floAvers  pink,  double  and  fragrant,  and,  as  shoAvn 
in  the  illustration,  comes  in  generous  clu.sters.  The  Roses  are 
not  trailing,  but  are  mainly  erect,  save  at  the  extremities  of  the 
.shoot.s. 
A  New  Sport  from  Rose  La  France. 
The  American  trade  journals  mention  a  ncAV  .sport  of  decided 
merit  from  La  France  Rose.  This  old-time,  sAA’ect-scented 
favourite  has  a.  decided  tendency  to*  sport.  Duchess  of  Albany 
Avas  the  first,  and  Avas  A^ery  much  darker  in  colour  than  the 
original.  Then  came  Augustine  Guinoisseau,  Avhich  was  very 
nearly  Avhite,  and  later  came  a  .striped  variet.y ;  and  all  retained 
the  same  form  of  petal  and  floAver  as  the  original.  The  one  to 
Avhich  Ave  desire  to  call  attention  at  this  time  is  a  shade  or  so 
darker  than  its  parent,  with  a  brighter  and  more  cheerful  shade 
of  delicate  pink,  without  that  tendency  to  a  bluish  cast  Avhich 
La  France  is  Avont  too  frequently  to  produce.  This  sport,  Avhich 
Jacob  Becker,  of  Philadelphia,  has  registered  as  Becker’.s  Ideal, 
has  also  a  different  manner  of  groAvth,  but  that  to  Avhiclr  Ave 
particularly  desire  to  call  attention  is  that  the  petalsi  are  dif¬ 
ferent  in  form  from  its  parent,  inasmuch  as  they  have  a  decided 
inclination  to  be  cui>-.shaped,  or  incurved,  Avhereas  the  petals  of 
La  France,  as  is  aa'cII  knoAvn,  recurve  or  reflex.  All  Rose 
groAvers  Avill  AV’atch  with  much  interest  hoAV  it  continues  to 
behave  in  the  future,  for  La  France  .still  has  many  friends  among 
flower  buyers,  and  some  dealers  (in  America)  go  so  far  as  to 
state  that  high-grade  floAvers  of  La  France  Avould  sell  well  to-day 
if  they  could  be  secured  in  quantity.  IIoAvever  that  may  be. 
the  latest  sport  from  that  source  certainly  appears  to  possess 
qualities  that  upon  better  acquaintance  Avill  be  more  appreciated 
and  will  cause  it  to  take  a  place  among  Roses  for  cut  floAvers  in 
Avinter  and  summer. 
- - - 
Table  Decorations. 
I  purpose  Avriting  a  .series  of  concise  articles  on  the  above 
subject,  principally  for  the  advancement  of  young  gardeners, 
and  my  intentions  are  to  treat  on  a  given  device  or  arrangement 
separately.  By  giving  the  practical  details  as  simply  as  possible 
it  should  make  it  less  difficult  for  those  who  are  desirous  of 
adding  to  their  knoAvledge  of  AA’hat  is  “good  taste”  and  what,  is 
not.  I  certainly,  myself,  have  a  preference  for  using  the  one 
colour  arrangement — for  example,  either  pink,  soft  yelloAv,  rose, 
or  scarlet,  and  these  colours  are  the  most  effectual  by  artificial 
light. 
The  chief  object  that  the  decorator  should  keep  in  view  is,  of 
course,  or  ought  to  be,  lightness  in  arrangement  and  harmony. 
Taste.s  naturally  differ  amongst  most  of  us,  but  during  my 
experience  I  have  not  heard  a  dissentient  note  respecting  the 
folloAving  arrangements. 
To  coinmence  Avith,  procure  some  long  trails  of  Asparagus 
Sprengeri;_  place  this  all  over  the  cloth,  Avhere  room  can  be 
found,  in  irregular  lines,  and  then  fill  tAveh^e  vases  Avith  long 
pieces  of  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  (four  pieces  Avill  usually  be 
ample  for  each  vase),  no  foliage  other  than  its  OAvn  being  required 
in  the  A'a..ses.  The.se  should  be  bin  high.  In  arranging  the  vases, 
place  four  at  equal  distances  round  the  centre  candelabra,  and 
two  on  each  .side  of  the  centre  ones,  Avhich  should  be  uniform, 
and  one  at  each  of  thei  four  corners.  Noav  use'  some  of  the 
smaller  pieces  of  the  Begonia,  placing  them  lightly  here  and 
there  on  the  A.sparagus,  and  if  deftly  applied  they  Avill  arrange 
themselves  in  an  almost  upright  po.sition,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  effect  will  be  A^ery  effective.  Noav  procure  some  light, 
or  Aveakly  groAvths  of  Smila.x  asparagoides  [botanically.  Asparagus 
meleoloides. — Fd.]  in  conveniently  long  lengths,  and  trail  it 
carefully  over  the  toA>  of  the  Abases,  alloAving  the  extremities  to 
fall  negligently  about.  Smilax  should  likeAvise  he  trailed  along 
