Theodora is a constant and pleasing rose, colour blush, form faultless; there are possibly some other varieties nearly or quite equal to the above, which I have not named, but I feel assured that all those described are worthy of their descriptions.

Hybrid Provence roses are very robust and hardy, useful to the rose amateur, as serving to form a most delicate group of soft colours: they also make admirable standards, as the branches of most of the varieties are inclined to be spreading, diffuse, and of course graceful; the pruning recommended for the French Rose may be applied to all of this family.

The seed-bearing roses of this family are the Globe Hip, the flowers of which should not be fertilised if pure white roses are desired. Some few years since I raised a plentiful crop of seedlings from this rose, fertilised with the Tuscany: nearly all my plants produced semi-double blush and rose-coloured flowers; the Blush Globe was the only exception.

Blanchefleur, with L'ingenue, would possibly produce seed from which fine-shaped and delicate coloured roses might be expected. The same with the Tuscany rose would most likely originate deep rose-coloured varieties, with finely-shaped cupped flowers.

It will, I feel assured, repay the amateur if he will plant Comte Plater, Emerance, or Pauline Garcia against a south wall, and fertilise their

flowers with the pollen off Rosa Harrisonii, or the Persian Yellow: if seed can be procured, some novel yellow roses must be originated.

THE HYBRID CHINA ROSE.

(ROSA INDICA HYBRIDA.)

Rosier Hybride de Bengale.

The superior varieties of this fine division give a combination of all that is or can be beautiful in roses; for, not only are their flowers of the most elegant forms and colours, their foliage of extreme luxuriance, but their branches are so vigorous and graceful, that perhaps no plant presents such a mass of beauty as a finely grown hybrid China rose in full bloom. They owe their origin to the China, Tea-scented Noisette and Bourbon roses, fertilised with the French, Provence, and other summer roses, and also to the latter crossed with the former; the seeds of such impregnated flowers producing hybrid China roses. These have in many cases resulted from accident, but latterly from the regular fertilising process, as mules or hybrids have been raised from well-known parents.

In England, but few varieties have been originated; as the common China rose does not in general ripen its seeds sufficiently for germination. The parents of Brown's Superb Blush, which is

an English hybrid, raised by the late Mr. Charles Brown, of Slough, one of our most scientific and persevering cultivators, cut off in the prime of life, was the old Tea-scented rose, Rosa indica odorata, impregnated with some hardy summer rose. Rivers's George the Fourth is also an English rose; but as this came by accident, its origin is not so well ascertained. Rosa Blairii is also English, and raised from the yellow China, impregnated with some variety of hardy rose. All these roses have the true characters of the family: leaves smooth, glossy, and sub-evergreen: branches long, luxuriant, and flexible. They give a long continuance of bloom, but they never put forth secondary or autumnal flowers. This is a most peculiarly distinguishing trait, and an interesting fact. Impregnate a Bourbon, China or Noisette rose, all abundant autumnal bloomers, with the farina of a French or Provence rose, and you entirely take away the tendency to autumnal blooming in their offspring. They will grow vigorously all the autumn, and give a long, but not a secondary series of flowers. Some of these hybrid China roses produce seed abundantly, which is rather a remarkable feature, as so few hybrid plants are fertile.

Hybrids produced from the French rose impregnated with the China rose, are not of such robust and vigorous habits as when the China rose is the female parent; but, perhaps, this is an

assertion scarcely borne out by facts, for the exceptions are numerous, and, like many other variations in roses and plants in general, seem to bid defiance to systematic rules. By some cultivators the roses of this division have been much more divided than in my catalogue, forming "Hybrid Noisettes," " Hybrid Bourbons," &c. &c.; but as these all owe their origin to the common China rose, their offspring may with justice be called Hybrid China roses. I have, however, found the Hybrid Bourbon roses distinct in their characters, and they now form a group, or division, in the catalogue.

Those that have been raised from Noisette roses have a tendency to produce their flowers in clusters; those from Bourbon roses have their leaves thick, leathery, and round, forming a most distant group; those from the Tea-scented have a delicate and grateful scent; but all have those distinguishing family traits as before given, and accordingly they group beautifully. It is a difficult task to point out the best in this division, as they are nearly all well deserving of cultivation. However, by making a few remarks, such as cannot be given in a descriptive catalogue, I may perhaps be able, in some measure, to direct the choice of amateurs to those most worthy their notice.

Brennus, the Brutus of some collections: this very superb rose will form a finer object as a pillar

*

rose or standard than as a bush; its luxuriant shoots must not be shortened too much in winter pruning, as it is then apt to produce an abundance of wood, and but very few flowers. This rose often puts forth branches in one season from eight to ten feet in length: if these are from a dwarf, and are fastened to a wooden or iron stake, and not shortened, the following season they will form a pillar of beauty but rarely equalled. Blairii, a rose not so much known as it deserves to be, is a very distinct and unique variety, so impatient of the knife, that if pruned at all severely, it will scarcely put forth a flower: it is perhaps better as a pillar rose, than grown in any other mode, as it shoots ten or twelve feet in one season, and its pendulous clusters of flowers which are produced from these long shoots unshortened, have a beautiful effect on a pillar. Beauty of Billiard is, of all roses, the most glowing and beautiful: its colour is described in the catalogue as scarlet ; but it is rather a fiery crimson, so vivid, that it may be distinguished at an immense distance. This rose also requires care in using the knife; the extreme tips of the branches may be cut off, and some of them thinned out; it will then bloom in great perfection, but care must always be taken in winter pruning to leave its shoots nearly their

*All the roses to which this term is applied make very long and flexible shoots, well adapted for training up a column, thus forming a pillar of roses.