174 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE .  A lSD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
August  20,  1903 
Notes  on  Roses. 
It  cannot  be  said  the  present  has'  beeai  an  ideal  season  for 
Hoses,  especially  of  late.  Tlie  recent  continuous  showery 
weather,  accompanied  with  a  low  temperature,  has  all  tended  to 
liremature  decay  of  the  blossoms.  The  larger  H.P.  and  Tea 
varieties  have  suffered  the  most  in  that  respect.  It  is  for  these 
r.asons  that  I  wish  still  further  to  advance  the  claims  of  so 
many  varieties  known  as  “garden”  Roses,  which  are  really  so 
\  aluable  where  cutting  for  home  use  and  the  beautifying  of  the 
garden  itself  is  the  main  cause  of  Rose  culture.  It  cannot  be 
;  aid  that  garden  Rose^s  are  not  fitted  for  exhibition  either,  as  no 
;  oction  commands  more  interest  at  shows  than  does  this. 
Arranged  loosely  in  good-sized  bunches,  accompanied,  as  they 
should  be,  with  buds  and  their  own  foliage,  they  make  a  brave 
bid  for  popularity,  and  obtain  it,  too. 
Now  is  a  good  time  to  make  a  note  on  the  approved  varieties, 
so  that  intending  planters  may  have  an  opportunity  of  making 
a  selection  and  placing  their  orders  with  advantage.  It  is  but 
reasonable  that  those'  who  take  the  trouble  to  order  early  get 
the  beet  plants,  and  another  point  which  I  wish  to  emphasise  is 
that  of  early  planting.  Roses  are  so  unlike  some  other  trees 
and  shrubs.  While  many  of  the  latter  do  not  make  autumnal 
roots,  Roses  do  quite  freely,  which  no  doubt  is  a  distinct  gain 
for  the  future  welfare  of  the  plants.  Garden  Roses,  like  all 
other  occupants  of  the  garden,  are  becoming  very  numerous,'  so 
much  so,  that  to  the  beginner  the  making  of  a  selection  in  a 
limited  way  is  a  difficult  matter.  I  therefore  purpose,  to  give 
a  brief  selection  of  what  I  know  from  experience  are  quite 
amongst  the  cream  in  their  respective  sections. 
Single  Floweued  ^'Al^IETIES. — Rna  is  quite  the  best  amongst 
many  of  white  flowered  sorts.  The  pure  white,  waxy  looking 
petals  make  up  a  flower  fully  oin  in  diameter.  The  yellow 
anthers,  top,  aid  in  beautifying  the  flower.  The  habit  of  growth 
is  vigorous,,  producing  strong  sucker-like  shoots,  which  produce 
.abundance  of  its  charming  blooms.  For  a  pole  in  a.  shrubbery 
border,  or  on  grass,  this  variety  is  quite  one  of  the  be.st. 
Electra  belongs  to  the  same  type  as  the  former,  but  is  quite 
eclipsed  by  it.  Those  who  like  a  single  flowered  Rose  of  a 
yellowy  white  colour  will  find  in  this  a  capital  variety.  The 
growth  is  strong,  and  its  flowers  are  produced  quite  freely.  The 
foliage  is  dense  and  lasting,  which  for  garden  decoration  is 
desirable. 
The  Lion  is  a  distinct  improvement  upon  Carmine  Pillar, 
which  is  saying  a  good  deal,  as  this  Rose  has  long  been  looked 
upon  as  the  best  of  high  coloured  varieties.  The  newcomer  is 
more  intense  in  its  colouring,  and,  if  anything,  flowers  more 
abundantly;  while  in  its  manner  of  growth  little  is  left  to  be 
desired.  Dawn  is  another  of  the  large  blossomed  tj'pe,  the 
growth  upright,  vigorous,  but  perhaps  a  little  stiff  in  appear¬ 
ance.  The  flowers  are  of  full  size,  rosy  pink,  overlaid  with 
silver. 
Leuchtstern  produces  its  flowers  in  great  profusion  in  huge 
trusses.  The  colour  is  its  great  charm,  being  quite  unicpre,  deep 
rose  pink,  with  a  white  eye.  Growing  out  of  doors  the  colour 
is  so  much  intensified  as  compared  to  that  -when  growing  under 
glass.  As  a  Rose  for  a  pole  this  variety  is  unsurpassed. 
Euphrosjme  for  a  pergola  is  cj[uite  a  gem.  The  growth  is  so 
exceptionally  free  and  perrdant  that  a  strong  plant  quickly 
covers  much  space.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest  to  open  its  pink 
flowers,  which  are  borne  in  lengthened  trusses  or  racemes.  This 
is  not  strictly  a  single  flowered  variety,  the  earlier  blossoms 
being  semi-double.  Brunonis  for  a  pole  or  pillar  is  a  charming 
variety,  enhanced  as  it  is  by  its  glaucous  foliage.  The  growth  is 
free,  erect,  and  produces  huge  trusses  of  the  purest  white  blooms, 
emphasised  as  they  are  by  the  yellow  stamens. 
Moschata  alba  produces  its  large  single  blossoms  quite  freely.. 
The  petals  are  broad,  white,  faintly  tinted  with  the  palest  pink. 
It  is  a  vigorous  climbing  species  that  should  find  a  place  in 
every  garden.  Macrantha,  although  not  one  of  the  most 
vigorous  in  habit,  is  a  strong  grower.  The  great  charm  of  this 
variety  is  its  huge  white  blossoms,  set  off  so  by  the  yellow 
stamens.  - 
Bardou  Job  has  two  rows  of  petals  as  a  rule.  It  is  a  capital 
sort  for  filling  a  small  bed,  as  it  can  be  annually  pruned  quite 
low  with  success.  The  blossoming  period  lasts  over  a  long 
season,  as  with  every  bit  of  new  growth  flowers  are  produced. 
The  colour  is  intense  bright  crimson,  overlaid .  with  a  velvety 
sheen. 
Irish  Beauty,  Irish  Glory,  and  Irish  Modesty  cannot  be 
omitted,  as  they  all  three, possess  so, much  merit.  .The  first  is 
pure  white,  with  yellow  stamens.  '  The  second  is  marbled  pink, 
and  the  latter  coral  pink  suffused  with  ecru. 
Wichuraiana  is  a  .  type  of  Rose  that  is  destined  to  become 
popular.'  Tlie  bulk  of  the  varieties  are  evergreen,  which  is  a 
.step  in  the  right direction.  Pink  Roamer  is  a  single  flowered 
va’iety,  quite  free  in  its  method  of  flowering.  Paul’s  Single 
M  hite,  treated  as  a  H.P.  in  the  matter  of  pruning,  is  a  magnifi¬ 
cent  variety  to  plant  in  a  mass.  Its  pure  white  flowers  are 
b'orne  in  profusion,  and  are  much  enhanced  by  its  deep  green 
leaves  and  yellow  anthers.  Hebe’s  Lip,  -with  its  Piootee  edging 
cf  purple'  on  a  white  ground,  is  so  exceedingly  pretty  that  it 
cannot  well  be  dispensed  with. — E.  Molyneux. 
(To  be  continued.) 
Propagating  Roses  by  Cuttings. 
The  life  of  a  Rose  tree,  be  it  bush  or  standard,  is  always  some¬ 
what  uncertain,  and  where  large  quantities  are  grown  many 
young  plants  are  requii’ed  each  year  to  fill  up  gaps.  All  growers 
should,  therefore,  insert  a  few  cuttings  each  year.  The  advan¬ 
tages  of  having  dwarfs  on  their  own  roots  are  well  known,  and, 
excepting  the  cases  of  weak  growers,  succeed  quite  as  well  in 
other  respects,  when  propagated  by  cuttings  as  by  budding. 
August  is  an  excellent  month  during  ivhich  to  insert  cuttings, 
especially  in  the  case  of  Teas.  They  can  be  rooted  in  the  open 
air,  but  I  prefer  to  place  them  under  glass,  and  to  keep  them 
there  till  the  following  spring,  because  young  plants  are  much 
more  liable  to  injury  by  frost  than  older  ones. 
:  In  regard  to  soil,  a  mixture  of  three  parts  of  good  loam  and 
one  part  leaf  soil,  with  sharp  sand  added,  answers  admirably. 
Select  short  jointed  cuttings  of  either  ripe  or  half-ripened  ivood, 
cut  them  from  the  parent  plant  with  a  heel  attached  when  pos¬ 
sible,  and  insert  them  round  the  sides  of  Sin  and  6iii  pots,  which 
have  been  well  drained,  and  filled  with  the  prepared  compost. 
The  soil  should,  of  course,  be  pressed  firmly.  Cuttings  with  from 
five  to  eight  joints  answer  well,  and  these'should  usually  be  sunk 
into  the  soil  about  half  their  depth.  Give  one  thorough  watering 
through  a  rose,  and  place  the  pots  in  a  cold  frame  or  handlight. 
Shade  regularly  for  a  time,  and  give  no  air,  but  sprinkle  the 
cuttings  once  or  twice  daily  during  bright  weather,  and  water  the 
soil  through  a  rose  when  it  becomes  fairly  drj'. 
With  such  treatment  80  per  cent,  of  the  cuttings  shoot  root. 
When  growth  commences  admit  air  gradually,  and  as  soon  as  the 
cuttings  are  well  rooted  pot  them  into  4in  or  5in  pots  according 
to  their  strength.  Keep  rather  close  again  for  a  time,  then 
gradually  admit  more  air  as  growth  advances.  When  the  frosts 
of  autumn  come  give  just  sufficient  protection  to  prevent  injury. 
The  following  May  plant  in  nursery  beds  in  the  open  air,  and 
six  or  nine  months  later  they  will  be  ready  for  lifting  and  planting 
in  permanent*  positions. 
Cuttings  of  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  and  other  hardy  kinds  should  be 
inserted  in  the  open  air.  This  may  be  done  with  every  prospect 
of  success  from  the  present  time  till  the  end  of  ^November. 
October,  however,  I  consider  to  be  the  best  month  in  the  whole 
year  for  carrying  out  such  work.  Select  a  piece  of  well-worked 
friable  soil,  and  after  having  fixed  the  line  in  position,  throw  the 
soil  back  with  a  .spade  so  as  to  leave  a  trench  3in  or  4in  in  depth. 
In  this  insert  the  cuttings  Sin  apart,  return  the  soil,  and  tread 
very  firmly.  Arrange  the  rows  a  foot  apart.  If  this  work  is  done 
now,  the  cuttings  will  need  regular  attention  in  regard  to  water¬ 
ing  for  some  time,  but  when  they  are  inserted  during  the  autumn 
months'  one.  watering  usually  suffices.  The  autumn  cuttings 
should  be  left  undisturbed  for  a  year,  and  then  transplanted  1ft 
apart,  but  those  inserted  now  should  be  transplanted  next  spring, 
and  by  the  following  autumn  they  should  make  nice  little  bushes. 
— H.  D. 
Gardeners’  Dinner  Comiittee. 
It  is  iiroposed  to  have  a  great  gathering  of  gardeners  during 
the  autumn  to  dine  together  in  London  on  the  occasion  of  the 
great  exhibition  of  British-grown  fruits  and  vegetables  at  Chis¬ 
wick,  which  takes  place  from  September  29  to  October  1  inclusive. 
The  dinner  will  be  held  on  the  evening  of  the  first  day  at  the 
Holborn  Restaurant.  The  carrying  out  of  this  intention  has 
been  entrusted  to  a  committee  of  twenty.  Nineteen  of  these, 
by  arrangement  met  at  the  Holland  House  Slmw,  and  were 
photographed  by  Mr.  J.  Gregory,  of  Croydon,  the  other  being 
unable 'to  be  present. 
Circulars  to  the  number  of  800  have  been  issued  to  gardeners 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  90  per  cent,  of  the  replies  to 
these  were  favourable,  so  that  we  shall  expect  a  very  important 
and  interesting  meeting  of  gardeners  next  month.  We  give  the 
names  of  those  who  met  at  Holland  House,  so  that  our  readers 
may  see  that  a  wide  interest  is  being  taken  in  the  meeting,  and 
that  the  gathering  will  consist  "chiefly  of  gardeners,  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  enabling  those  from  a  wide  area  of  co'unti'y  to  meet  on  a 
common  platform  and  dine' under  one  roof.  Mr.  Alex.  Dean,  of 
62,  Richmond  Road,  Kingston.-  and  Mr.  Edwin  Beckett,  Alden- 
ham  House  Gardens.  Elstree,  Herts,  are  joint  hon.  seceretaries. 
Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  26,  Waldeck  Road,  Ealing,  W.,  is  chairman 
of  committee;  Mr.  Leopold  de  Rothschild  will  preside  at  tlie 
dinner. 
