freely in November and December; their fragrance is then delightful. Triomphe des Beaux Arts and Oriflamme de St. Louis, of the same parentages are also charming winter roses, to which we may add our old favourite General Jacqueminot, which, under the same management, will bloom very nicely. In addition to this valuable quality, I had almost forgotten to add that the flowers of these free-blooming and not very double roses, although almost odourless under the bright sun of June, in winter exhale a delicate and agreeable perfume.

WILDERNESS ROSES.

For this idea I am indebted to Professor Owen, who, wishing to ornament a wild part of his ground, full of thorns, grass, and weeds, adopted the following plan, which, I am inclined to think, is quite worthy of record.

Large sewer tubes, rejected on account of flaws in the enamel-lining, were sunk vertically in the pure gravelly soil to within an inch or so of the surface, and filled in with loam and manure, and a rose planted in the centre of each. The soil in the tube was kept free from weeds, and the running grass, and other weeds outside were prevented making their way into such good quarters. To give the roses extra vigour, some manure water was

given to them occasionally in the summer. The effect of roses growing in the highest state of luxuriance in a wilderness was most charming. The inside diameter of these tubes is 16 inches, their length 30 inches, so that they go below the roots of weeds, which would otherwise soon devour the rich compost in which the roses delight.

Every alternate year in November the tubes should be emptied, filled with fresh compost, and the roses replanted in them.

EARLY SPRING ROSES.

THE Hybrid Perpetuals are the only roses adapted for this mode of culture, which is very simple. About the end of August select some plants in a bed of roses, that you wish to bloom very early in spring; then cut all the weak shoots and shorten all those that are strong and vigorous to within five or six buds of their base. A moderate-sized tree, whether dwarf or standard, will furnish from five to seven of these vigorous shoots. They will, soon after being pruned, put forth numerous young blooming spurs; in October thin out these spurs so that the tree is not crowded, and pinch off the bloom buds, giving no other pruning, and in spring they will reward you with a crop of flowers earlier by ten days than roses managed in the

usual way. I have seen them from a fortnight to three weeks earlier; in 1848 they were in full bloom on May 14th.

A VERY OLD ROSE-TREE.

WHEN at Cologne in July 1857, I heard from a friend residing there, that a rose-tree existed at Hildersheim, which was planted by Charlemagne. I thought it a fable, and most unfortunately passed by Hildersheim without calling to search into the matter. Resting some time at Leipsic with a literary friend, I made further enquiries, and through him have just received the following account from his friend at Hildersheim. The present size and description of this remarkable tree may be relied upon. I give in the following narrative the words, as nearly as possible, of my Hildersheim correspondent, the first part merely legendary: When Charlemagne had conquered the territory of the original Saxons, several foreign potentates hastened to show him marks of esteem and respect; among others an ambassador from the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, who, as a symbol of his authority, carried a purple banner on which were embroidered the arms of his sovereign-six roses on a golden field. Charlemagne, struck with the homage, planted a rose-tree on the place of reception, to commemorate the event. Louis the

Pious, at a later period, came to the district of Hildersheim on a hunting excursion, and after his sport, ordered mass to be said in the open air, at which all his retinue were present. The officiating priest, on returning to his habitation, and just as the Court were commencing their repast, missed the "holy image" (it is presumed the cross), and after searching in vain for it, proceeded on his way back to the place where the open air mass had been performed. It was becoming dark, and in his hurry and fear he seems to have nearly lost his way, when, lo! his eyes lighted upon the cross resting upon the branches of a wild rose-tree. He immediately attempted to regain it, when, wonderful to relate, the cross adhered to the tree, and eluded his grasp. After several ineffectual clutches, he felt sure that some high power had interfered; he therefore ran to the Court and apprised the pious Louis of the wonderful sight. The whole Court rushed forth, and on approaching the rose-tree fell on their knees in thankfulness for the sight of such a miracle. Louis then ordered the present cathedral of Hildersheim to be built over the rose-tree.'

Such are the legends of this famous tree, often referred to by German authors. Dr. Grashof, of Hildersheim, gives the following description of its present state :-The roots are buried in a sort of coffin-shaped vault, under the middle altar of the crypt, which crypt is proved by known docu

ments to have been built in the year 818, and to have survived the burning of the other parts of the cathedral on the 21st of January, 1013, and the 23rd of March, 1046.

"It is remarkable that the chronicles of the town and Chapter make no mention of any harm having befallen this famous tree, which for centuries has been considered one of the lions of the district.

The vault in which it grows is open to the rain, and this is put down as a proof that the tree could not have been planted after the cathedral was built.

"The trunk, eleven inches in diameter, is conducted through an opening in the wall, which is five feet thick, and then reaches outside some inches above the surface of the ground, from whence two old branches and three

younger arms spread out with their twigs and leaves, and cover a space twenty feet in height and twenty-four feet in breadth, being arranged on a sort of iron railing on the eastern side of the vault.

"This tree has been an object of especial interest to the Chapter from the building of the cathedral; and botanists attribute its present size to the fact of its being sheltered from frosts and storms by the different buildings and cloisters of the cathedral, and from the touch of rude hands by trelliswork.

'Bishop Hepilo (1054-1079) had it carefully