so "much ado about nothing," would coolly turn away and smile at such violent altercation, and their making a trifle "light as air” a matter of such grave importance. Walner is a true Bourbon Rose, dwarf, bright-coloured, and very distinct and pretty.

A few very remarkable additions have been made to this family since the publication of the first edition of this little work; which, were it not for the endless variations in which we find pleasure, would seem to leave us nothing more to wish for in Bourbon Roses. Dark crimson varieties, with double and finely shaped flowers were desiderata, but are so no longer; for in "Le Grand Capitaine," perhaps so named, in compliment to our "Great Captain," we have one of the most brilliant Crimson Scarlet Roses known; this seems a seedling from Gloire de Rosomène, as it has the same serrated foliage and habit. Glory of Algiers is equally brilliant and beautiful, but seems to possess a remarkable peculiarity; its flowers have never yet opened, when produced upon a budded plant, but as a dwarf on its own roots it has bloomed in fine perfection. Crimson Madame Desprez and the Crimson Globe, seem to be all that can be wished for; they are both of the most robust habits, they bloom constantly, and their flowers open freely; these are of a rich purplish crimson, the latter

is the deepest in colour; it will probably form a fine pillar rose, and as a standard it will equal in luxuriance of growth the most robust of our Bourbon Roses. Madame Nerard as a pale rose-coloured variety, is most perfect in the shape of its flowers, and Desgaches, a vivid rose, nearly carmine, is equally beautiful and quite first-rate. Pucelle Genoise also is a fine large and double rose, apparently a hybrid of the China Rose, as its foliage approaches it in resemblance. Bouquet de Flore, Emile Courtier, and Duc d'Aumale, are true Bourbons, and most perfect and beautiful varieties, with large and double flowers of a deep rose-colour.

In the preceding notices of sorts, I have purposely mentioned the habits of those that deviate a little from the characters of the generality; in forming a clump, it will therefore be seen which to place in the front, and which in the centre; several varieties in the catalogue not noticed here are equal in beauty to those that are; but as their habits have nothing particularly distinctive, I have, to avoid being tedious, not described them.

Bourbon Roses most certainly show themselves to greater advantage on stems from one to three feet in height, than in any other mode of culture; if on their own roots, they are too near the ground, and the autumnal rains spoil their delicate blossoms, by dashing the dirt upon them.

They seem to grow well in all soils, but I should recommend, in spite of the above objection, those who have only a dry and poor sandy soil, to have plants on their own roots, as the Dog Rose will not flourish in such soils; though cultivated roses in soils of the same description will grow most luxuriantly. Nature often seems to delight to puzzle us gardeners with anomalies that cannot be fathomed, clever as we are in our generation.

These roses require but little pruning; towards the end of March or beginning of April their shoots may be thinned, those that are killed by the winter removed, and long shoots shortened to within four or five buds.

I hope, in a few years, to see Bourbon Roses in every garden, for the "queen of flowers" boasts no members of her court more beautiful; their fragrance, also, is delicious, more particularly in the autumn; they ought to occupy a distinguished place in the autumnal rose garden, in clumps or beds, as standards, and as pillars, in any, and in all situations, they must and will please. To ensure a very late autumnal bloom, a collection of dwarf standards, i. e. stems one to two feet in height, should be potted in large pots, and during summer watered with manured water, and some manure kept on the surface; towards the end of September or the middle of October, if the weather

is wet, they may be placed under glass: they will bloom in fine perfection even as late as November. I consider the culture of these roses only in its infancy; we shall ultimately have the richest hues combined with perfection of form, and the complete plenitude of their flowers.

It is difficult to point out roses of this family that bear seed freely, except the Common Bourbon; but Acidalie, planted against a south wall, would probably give some seed. If any pollen can be found, it might be fertilised with the flowers of Julie de Loynes. A pure white and true Bourbon rose ought to be the object; therefore it should not be hybridised with any other species. Gloire de Rosomène may be planted against a south wall, with the Common Bourbon, with which it should be carefully fertilised: some interesting varieties may be expected from seed thus produced. Queen of the Bourbons, planted with the Yellow China Rose, might possibly give some seeds; but those would not produce true Bourbon roses, as the former is a hybrid, partaking of the qualities of the Tea-scented roses. Dubourg, planted with La Tendresse, would give seed from which some very delicate Blush roses might be raised; and Phoenix, fertilized with the Common Bourbon, would also probably produce seed worth attention.

THE CHINA ROSE.

(ROSA INDICA.)

This rose is said by botanists to be a native of China, from whence it was introduced to our gardens in 1789. Its ever-blooming qualities have made it a favourite, from the cottage to the palace, and perhaps no plant has contributed so much to enliven our cottage walls, as the common China Rose (Rose Indica), and the crimson China Rose, or Rosa semperflorens. These roses have been, and are, considered distinct species by botanists. Like all other cultivated roses, they sport much from seed; but the descendants of each may generally be recognised by a close observer. The common and its varieties make strong green luxuriant shoots, with flowers varying in colour, from pure white to crimson. The crimson also takes a wide range; for though its original colour is crimson, yet I have reason to believe that the pure white, which was raised in Essex, came from its seed. In describing the varieties, those that are decidedly of the Semperflorens family I shall mark with S. after the name. I should most certainly have placed them in a separate division, were it not for the numerous intermediate varieties, in which it is impossible to decide to which species they lean.