also prevents that rapid evaporation which would otherwise take place, so often rendering watering useless. This practice is, after all, only imitating nature; for the Dog Rose, upon which all the fine varieties are grafted, grows naturally in woods and shady places; consequently, its roots are impatient of exposure in hot dry soils and situations, and prefer firm undug surface-manured borders.

Hybrid China roses, as pillar roses, require also a superabundance of manure and some attention; but they will amply repay it, for a column twelve to fifteen feet high, covered with such roses as Brennus, Blairii, Chênedolé, and a few others, would be one of the finest garden ornaments it is possible to conceive. To make them grow with the necessary luxuriance, each plant should have a circle, at least three feet in diameter, to itself; in the centre of this circle, a stout stake of yellow deal, tarred at the bottom, should be inserted two feet deep, so as to stand eight feet out of the ground: this part may be painted green. If the soil be poor, it should be dug out three feet in depth, and filled up with rotten manure and loam this compost must be laid considerably (say one foot) above the surface of the surrounding soil, so as to allow for settling: in wet soils they will grow the better for being on a permanent mound; but such soils should always be drained. Plant a single plant in the centre of

this mound; or, if you wish for a variegated pillar, plant three plants in the same hole, two palecoloured and white, the other a dark variety: cover the surface with manure, and replenish this as soon as it is drawn in by the worms or washed in by the rains. Water with liquid manure in dry weather, and probably you will have shoots eight to ten feet in length the first season. Three of the most vigorous should be fastened to the stake, and the spurs from these shoots will for many years give abundance of flowers. I scarcely know whether to recommend grafted roses on short stems for this purpose, or plants on their own roots; this will in a great measure depend upon the soil, and perhaps it will be as well to try both. Most roses acquire additional vigour by being worked on the Dog Rose; but some of the robust varieties of this family grow with equal luxuriance when on their own roots: finally, for dry and sandy soils I am inclined to recommend the latter, unless plants can be procured budded on the Manetti rose, which, of all others, is the best adapted for dry soils.

Pruning.

When grown as large standards, these roses require peculiar pruning. If their shoots are shortened too much, they will grow vigorously, but give no flowers: they should therefore be

thinned out, so that the head of the tree is not at all crowded, and then be shortened to within twelve buds of their base; a crop of fine flowers will then be produced. This is the pruning to be done either in the early part of November or in February: we will call it the winter pruning. There is another mode of pruning these roses, partly in summer, which will be found highly eligible: thin out the shoots in the winter, and leave a selected number of those that are most vigorous nearly their full length, merely cutting off their tips: these will be loaded with blossoms so as to make the trees quite pendulous. As soon as the blooming season is past, shorten them all to within six inches of their base: they will immediately put forth strong shoots, which, while in a very young state, thin out, leaving those that are the most vigorous. These shoots treat in the same manner the following year. By this method of pruning, a pendulous graceful head is formed, instead of a stiff formal one, so common to standard roses. In pruning these roses when trained as pillars, the spurs from the shoots fastened to the stake merely require thinning out so as not to be crowded, and then shortened to within five or six buds of their base. Trained as

pillar roses they give flowers often too abundantly, so that they are small and ill-shaped; it is therefore often a good practice to thin the flower buds as soon as they can be distinguished.

Raising Varieties from Seed.

I shall now proceed to give a list of those roseB from which, in combination with others, choice seedlings may be raised.

Fulgens should be crossed with the Bourbon rose, Gloire de Rosomène, or with the China rose Fabvier, and General Jacqueminot with the same kinds, or any semi-double rose that gives abundance of pollen. Large and double roses may thus be produced, with a tendency to bloom in autumn.

This rose should be planted in a very warm border, or trained against a south wall with Bourbon Gloire de Rosomène; and if carefully fertilised with it, some beautiful crimson autumnal roses would probably be originated. Chênedolé may also be subjected to the same treatment. What a fine autumnal rose one like it would be!

THE HYBRID BOURBON ROSE.

(ROSA BOURBONIANÁ HYBRIDA.)

Rosier Hybride de l'Ile Bourbon.

THIS magnificent race of roses (and indeed the phrase is not misplaced), owes its origin to the Bourbon Rose, itself a hybrid*, thus showing the illimitable powers of nature when assisted by art.

See Bourbon Roses.

A very distinct feature in these roses is their thick, round, and glossy leaves, remaining on the plant till late in autumn; and particularly distinguished by this peculiarity is Charles Duval, a large, finely-shaped, and very double rose, of a bright rose-colour, of the most robust habit. This, when budded on a very stout stem, either as a half or full standard, soon forms a large tree, than which nothing among roses can be more ornamental. Our next, Coupe d'Hébé, is, however, the gem of this family; in colour it is of a beautiful wax-like pink, and in the disposition and regularity of its petals it is quite unique: this, like most of the group, soon forms a large bush or tree, and is also well adapted for a pillar rose.

Paul Perras is a fine, very large rose, of the most luxuriant growth. Like all in this group, it is calculated to form a standard of the largest size, and well deserves a conspicuous place on the lawn, either as a standard or pillar rose; in colour it is of a fine bright rose.

Paul Ricaut is a most desirable variety in colour; one of the most brilliant of the group: its flowers large, beautifully shaped, and of a brilliant carmine, approaching to crimson. Charles Lawson, its rival in size and shape, is in colour a brilliant rose, and, like all I have named, forms a fine vigorous-growing standard. The culture recommended for Hybrid China roses may be applied to these, as they are of the same race.