490 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  4,  1903. 
In  his  account  of  the  splendid  series  of  Roses,  which  have  been 
sent  out  by  the  celebrated  firm  of  A.  Dickson  and  Sons,  of  New- 
townards,  it  seems  to  me  that  “  J.  W.  J.”  has  in  most  cases  merely 
given  the  catalogue  descriptions,  which  naturally  enlarge  upon 
the  virtues  of  each  variety,  but  are  silent  as  to  its  defects.  I 
gather  this  not  only  from  the  words  of  description  closely  corre¬ 
sponding  with  Messrs.  Dickson’s  catalogue,  but  also  from  the 
repetition  of  what  seems  to  me  to  be  a  very  objectionable  phrasb 
as  applied  to  a  Rose,  “highly  perfumed.”  Now  that  the  bunches 
of  Violets,  which  are  offered  for  sale  in  the  streets  at  a  certain 
season  of  the  year,  are  literally  “highly  i^erfumed,”  i.e.,  artifi¬ 
cially  impregnated  with  scent,  it  appears  to  me  (am  I  too  sensi¬ 
tive  ?)  shocking  to  use  the  same  term  of  the  natural  scent  of  a 
Rose.  “Highly  perfumed”!  Pah!  it  savours  of  the  chemist 
and  the  barber’s  shop  ;  surely  “  fragrant  ”  or  “  sweet-scented  ” 
are  more  natural  and  appropriate  epithets  for  Roses. 
In  offering  a  few  criticisms  upon  the  descriptions,  with  the 
object  of  pointing  out  some  “  manners  and  customs  ”  of  the 
several  varieties  which  render  them  less  valuable  for  the  amateur 
or  general  cultivation,  I  must  not  be  accused  in  any  way  of  run¬ 
ning  down  Messrs.  Dickson’s  Roses,  or  depreciating  their  real 
value.  Let  others,  if  they  will,  think  it  right  to  “speak  that 
which  is  good  ”  only  in  their  descriptions  of  flowers  and  fruit,  I 
think  it  desirable,  not  only  for  the  buyer  and  amateur,  but  also 
for  the  seller  and  nurseryman,  that  both  sides  be  heard,  and  that 
the  truth  be  told ;  and  I  shall  continue,  as  heretofore,  to  speak  of 
a  Rose  as  I  find  it.  I  have*  the  highest  opinion  of  Messrs.  Dick¬ 
son’s  Roses,  and  consider  that  all  rosarians  owe  them  a  great 
debt  of  gratitude,  believing  that  they  have  done  much  more  than 
any  other  raisers,  in  the  past  or  the  present,  to  improve  the 
highest  types  of  cultivated  Roses.  But,  as  I  have  suggested,  it 
seems  desirable  even  for  them,  in  order  that  they  may  not  lose  the 
confidence  of  the  “  man  in  the  garden  ”  who  buys  their  Roses  ac¬ 
cording  to  what  he  reads  about  them,  that  their  little  defects 
should  be  noted  and  known,  as  well  as  their  excellencies. 
Ards  Rover  I  have  not  tried,  and  Bob  Davison  I  have  not  seen  ; 
but  I  will  confess  myself  to  be  one  of  those’  “  who  Avill  not  admit 
that  Earl  of  Dufferin  is  one  of  the  best.”  It  is  rather  difficult  to 
grow,  the  Avood  is  so  pliant  and  the  bloom  so  heaA\y  that  every 
shoot  must  bo  staked,  and  OA^en  then  the  floAver  Avill  hang  over 
Avith  its  face  tO'  the  ground.  J^lach  bloom  is  a  long  Avhile  coming 
to  maturity,  and  should  be  protected  all  that  time  from  too  much 
sun  or  rain.  EAmn  in  perfection,  though  certainly  a  very  large 
fine  Rose  with  beautiful  colouring,  it  is  not  of  the  highe.st  (i.e., 
pointed)  type  of  shape,  and  is  apt  to  be  “rough,”  i.e.,Avith  little 
irregular  bits  of  petals  protruding,  and  precluding  a  smooth  out¬ 
line  and  surface.  I  ha\'e  discarded  it,  but  many  others  value  it 
more  highly  than  I  do’.  Helen  Keller,  on  the  other  hand,  is  in 
perfection,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  H.P.’s  I  knoAV,  but  it  is  not 
a  A^ery  good  groAver,  and  must  have  a  favourable  season  Avith  Avarm 
nights  Avhen  the  buds  are  small  and  tender,  or  it  aauII  not  come 
good.  Jeannie  Dickson  is  a  nice  pointed  useful  Rose,  Avith  strong 
suggestions  of  being  a  Hybrid  Tea.  The  blooms  are  not  A^ery 
lasting  or  large,  and  I  should  not  call  it  “  one  of  the  finest  Roses 
groAvn.”  Lady  Arthur  Hill  and  Lady  Helen  StCAvart  are  both 
rather  too  small.  Marchioness  of  DoAvnshire  is  very  fine  indeed 
Avhen  shoAvn  to  perfection,  but  the  ordinary  amateur  Avill  find 
some  difficulty  in  getting  blooms  like  those  he  sees  shoAvn.  Mar¬ 
chioness  of  Dufferin  is  a  poor  groAver,  Avith  a  globular  floAver  Avhich 
it  is  difficult  tO'  keep  “clean” — unsuited  for  general  cultiA^ation. 
Marchioness  of  Londonderry  is  not  “  ivory  Avhite,”  but  a  greyish 
Avhite,  quite  an  unpleasing  colour  ;  it  is  not  a  free  bloomer  or  good 
autumnal.  Margaret  Dickson  is  a  magnificent  groAver,  but  ama¬ 
teurs  AA'ill  find  it  hard  to  get  such  fine  blooms  of  it  as  the  raisers 
undoubtedly  do.  ' 
MaA'Ourneen  I  do  not  knoAv,  but  Mrs.  R.  G.  Sharman  C’raAvford 
is  one  of  the  finest  Roses  groAvn,  very  free  floAvering  and  easy  to 
groAv  :  a  little  flatness  in  the  centre  is  the  only  fault  I  can  find 
with  it.  There  are  feAV  Roses  that  can  be  so  heartily  and  honestly 
recouimended  for  general  cultivation  as  this  one  ;  alone  it  Avould 
bo  sufficient  to  make  tbe  reputation  of  any  raiser.  Tom  Wood  is 
another  capital  Rcse.  It  is  a  comfort  to  the  grower’s  heart  to  come 
upon  its  healthy,  strong,  Augorous  shoots; 'the  blt)oms  are  rather 
a  dull  colour,  but  the  Amriety  is  to  be  Avell  recommended.  Xdster, 
Avhich  has  an  enormous  magnificent  bloom,  is, a  A'ery  short,  almO'St 
dwarf,  groAver,  and  I  should  think  tAvo  or  three  floAvers  on  a  plant 
are  the  most  that  can  be  expected.  It  is  a  Rose  for  exhibitors, 
and  not  for  general  cultiA'ation.  The  groAvth,  though  so  short, 
is  stout  and  robust,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  may  do  better 
on  cUvarf  .standards. 
In  Hybrid  Teas  Mes.srs.  Dickson  have  been,  perhaps,  even 
more  successful,  the  principal  fault  of  their  productions  being 
Avaiit  of  colour.  Many  of  them  may  be  roughly  described  as 
Avhitish,  generally  white,  Avith  more  or  less  of  a  pink  tinge.  The 
shape  is  generally  first-class,  and  the  size  often  Amry  large.  Alice 
Lindsell  I  haA-e  not  yet  groAvn ;  it  appears  to  be  AA'hitish.  Bessie 
BroAA  n  is  a  good  Avhite,  and  it  is  true  that  it  “  is  at  the  top  of 
the  tree  as  an  exhibition  Rose,”  but  unfortunately  hides  all  its 
beauty  on  the  plant  from  its  habit  of  hanging  its  head.  Countess 
of  Caledon  I  like  very  much,  such  nice  fresh  foliage  and  smooth 
handsome  floAvers ;  it  is  a  good  grower  and  to  be  recommended. 
Edith  d’Ombrain  seems  to  be  good,  though  whitish.  Duchess  of 
Portland  appears  to  me  to  be  much  like  Kaiserin  Augusta  Vic¬ 
toria,  and  I  expect  that  but  fcAv  amateurs  Avill  get  it  yelloAV,  and 
that  most  Avill  find  it  particularly  Avhite  or  “  Avhitish.”  Killarney 
is  a  very  fine  Rose,  of  beautiful  shape,  rather  thin,  but  capable 
of  being  shoAvn  Avell,  a  good  groAver,  and  to  be  recommended. 
Lady  Moyra  Beauclerc  is  a  very  fine  Rose,  of  which  I  have  good 
hopes  ;  I  found  no  defects  in  the  one  season  of  growing  it.  Liberty 
seems  to  be  a  good  Rose.  Mamie,  at  present,  ha.s  been  rather 
disappointing,  but  I  hope  may  yet  turn  out  Avell.  Mildred  Grant  , 
as  far  as  I  can  judge  at  present,  seems  honestly  to  merit  the 
superlatives  that  have  been  lavished  upon  it — it  is  undoubtedly 
the  largest  Rose  of  pointed  shape  that  has  yet  been  raised.  I  had 
a  bloom  last  year  that  I  Avas  obliged  to  carry  separately  to  the 
sho'AV ;  high  as  my  Rose-box  lids  are,  there  Avas  not  room  for  it. 
One  cannot  expect  that  a  variety  producing  such  enormous 
floAvers  should  be  able  to  give  many  of  them  on  a  plant;  it  is  too 
early  to  say  Avhether  it  is  really  a  good  groAver,  and  the  colour  is 
certainly  “  Avhitish.”  I  knoAv  of  nothing  else  against  Avhat 
Messrs.  Dickson  may,  I  think,  be  permitted  to  call  the  “  Rose  of 
the  Century  ”  from  an  exhibition  point  of  vieAA'.  As  a  beautiful 
floAver,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant  is  probably  the  best  of  all  the  produc¬ 
tions  of  this  famous  firm,  some  Aveakness  of  groAvth  is  the  only 
fault  that  can  be  found  by  the  most  captious  against  this  splen¬ 
did  Rose.  A  climbing  sport  has  been  issued  by  Messrs.  Wm. 
Paul  and  Son,  Avhich  may,  I  hope,  not  used  as  a  climber,  proAm  a 
stronger  form  of  this  perfect  variety. 
Of  the  Tea  Roses,  Ethel  BroAvnlow  Avas  for  a  long  time  the 
best  issued  by  this  firm.  The  groAvth  is  rather  Aveak,  but  the 
shape  of  the  floAvers  perfect,  particularly  in  the  small  Aveak 
blooms.  Unfortunately,  the  stronger  floAvers,  especially  on 
maidens,  do  not  come  of  such  good  form.  Muriel  Grahame  is  a 
magnificent  shoAv  Rose,  but  I  have  found  it  distinctly  more  diffi¬ 
cult  to  groAV  than  its  congeners,  Catherine  Mermet  and  The  Bride. 
Mrs.  EdAvard  MaAvley  is  by  far  the  best  of  the  Irish  Teas.  A 
splendid  Rose,  and  as  it  seems  my  role  just  noAV  to  point  out 
defects  I  may  say  that  I  have  found  none  in  this  Rose,  save  a 
Aveakness  in.  very  hot  Aveather.  Mrs.  James  Wilson  is  not  a  good 
Rose.  The  three  single  Roses  mentioned  are  certainly  very  good 
Amrieties  of  the  class  ;  but  I  am  rather  surprised  that  in  the  multi¬ 
tude  of  seedlings  raised  by  Messi’s.  Dickson  that  must  haAm  turned 
out  single,  eAmn  better  Amrieties  Avith  larger  petals  and  finer 
stamens  harm  not  occurred. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
- - 
The  Founder  of  “The  Botanical  Magazine.” 
Mr.  William  Curtis. 
Mr.  Curtis  Avas  the  elde.st  son  of  Mr.  John  Curtis,  of  Alton, 
in  Hampshire,  a  tanner.  He  Avas  born  in  the  year  1746.  When 
about  eight  years  of  age  he  Avas  placed  under  the  care  of  Mr. 
Vindin,  Avho  at  that  time  kept  a  very  respectable  school  about  a 
mile  from  that  toAvn.  Mr.  Curtis  remained  at  this  seminai’y 
under  Air.  Vindin  and  his  successor.  Air.  Ducker.  till  about  the 
age  of  fourteen,  Avhen,  to  his  great  regret  (for  he  had  now  begun 
to  relish  and  to  knoAv  the  value  of  classical  acquisitions),  he  Avas 
taken  aAvay  and  bound  apprentice  to  his  grandfather,  an  apothe¬ 
cary  at  Alton.  It  Avas  during  this  period  that  Mr.  Curtis  Avas 
led  to  his  first  studies  in  botany.  The  Linnsean  system  began 
then  to  be  much  talked  of.  Air.  Curtis  happened  to  meet  Avith 
Berkenhout’s  botanical  lexicon  ;  and  this  Avas  almost  the  only 
book  on  the  theory  of  botany  which  he  had  been  able  to  procure 
during  his  residence  at  Alton.  His  apprenticeship  there  ncAV 
drawing  to  a  conclusion,  his  friends  thought  it  necessary  that 
he  should  be  settled  in  London.  He  first  lived  Avith  Mr.  George 
Vaux,  surgeon,  in  Pudding  Lane,  and  afterAA’ards  Avith  Air.  - 
Thomas  Tahvin,  apothecary,  of  Gracechurch  Street,  to  whose 
busincASS  he  succeeded.  During  the  period  of  his  residing  with 
these  gentlemen  Mr.  Curtis  attended  St.  Thomas’  Hospital  and 
the  anatomical  lectures  there  given  by  Air.  Else,  as  well  as  the 
lectures  of  Dr.  George  Fordyce,  senior  physician  tq  that  hospital. 
Dr.  Fordyce,  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  botanical  knoAvledge  : 
to  medical  students,  Avas  in  the  practice  of  accompanying  Iris 
pupils  into  the  fields  and  meadcAvs  near  toAvn,  chiefly  for  the 
purpose  of  instructing  them  in  the  principles  of  the  science’  of 
botany.  On  these  occasions  Air.  Curtis  frequently  had  the 
honour  of  assisting  the  doctor  in  demonstrating  the  plants  Avliich 
be  had;  frequently  the  talk  of  demonstration  was  confided. 
AA'liolly  to  Air,.  Curtis,  and  for  some  time  he  gave  public  lectures 
