THE ALBA ROSE.

Rosa Alba.- The parent of the Alba, or White roses, is a native of Central Europe. The species is so called from the prevailing delicacy of hue in its varieties, many of which are of a pure white, while none are of a deeper coloring than a bright pink. The original stock is spineless; but many of its progeny, in consequence, probably, of hybridization, have spines in greater or less number. The upper surface of the leaves has a glaucous or whitish tinge, and the shoots are of a clear green.

FÉLICITÉ is a large double rose, of a delicate flesh-color, and a most symmetrical shape. LA SÉDUISANTE is of a bright rose in the centre, shading into flesh-color at the circumference: it rivals the last in the perfection of its shape. MADAME AUDOT is of a pale flesh-color. MADAME LEGRAS is a white rose of a peculiar delicacy, and very graceful in its habit of growth. THE QUEEN OF DENMARK is of a clear rosy pink. SOPHIE DE MARSILLY is of a delicate rose-color, slightly mottled, and, when half opened, is a rose of remarkable beauty.

The Alba roses bloom abundantly, and form in masses a beautiful contrast, in their chaste and delicate hues, with

the deeper colors of the French and Hybrid China roses.

They rarely bear seed freely.

THE FRENCH ROSE

Rosa Gallica.

This rose draws its origin from the south of Europe, where its wild progenitor still grows abundantly in the hedges. It is one of the best known, and longest under cultivation, of all the species. We confess our strong partiality for it. It is perfectly hardy, compact in growth, abundant in bloom, beautiful in form, and rich and various in coloring. It will grow and bloom anywhere, and endures neglect with a patience unknown to most others of its race. Yet none better rewards a careful and generous culture. It returns a rich response to the care bestowed upon it; and, under high cultivation, the members of this group have no superiors in beauty. It is not, however, in favor at the present day. Roses of equal beauty, though, not of equal hardihood, and endowed with the one valuable quality in which it is wanting,— that of continuous or repeated blooming, - have, of late, supplanted it. We may as well say here, while protesting against the neglect into which the hardy June roses have fallen, that, of the so-called Perpetuals, a great many

are undeserving of the name. Some, even with tolerably good treatment, rarely show a flower after the June blooming; and none will put forth freely and abundantly in autumn, without more pains in the management than most persons are willing to bestow.

The French Rose has been known in England since the close of the sixteenth century. It is very prolific, and innumerable seedlings have been raised from it. Some of these produce flowers exceedingly double, of the most vivid color, and remarkable even now for the symmetry of their forms. Among the rest is a great variety of marbled, striped, and spotted roses, which, though curious and interesting, are certainly less beautiful than the "selfcolored" sorts.

The varieties of this rose formerly catalogued and cultivated might be numbered by hundreds. Of these, it is needless to mention any but a few of the best and most distinct.

BOULA DE NANTEUIL is a rose of the richest crimsonpurple, with a centre, at times, of a vivid red. It varies, however, very much in different seasons, and, while sometimes splendid in coloring, is occasionally dull and cloudy. GRANDISSIMA is of a deep purplish-rose, very large and double. KEAN closely resembles it. ADÈLE PRÉVOST is

of a silvery blush. BLANCHEFLEUR is white, with a tinge of flesh-color. CYNTHIA is of a pale rose. THE DUCHESS OF BUCCLEUGH is of a dark rose. ОHL is of a deep crimson and scarlet, and, when grown in perfection, is one of the finest roses in existence. LA REINE DES FRANÇAIS is also of a bright crimson. PERLE DES PANACHÉES is white, striped with rose; and ŒILLET PARFAIT is white, striped with light crimson, much like a carnation. D'AGUESSEAU, GLOIRE DE COLMAR, LATOUR D'AUVERGNE, TRIOMPHE DE JAUSSENS, LETITIA, NAPOLÉON, DUC DE VALMY, and TRANSON GOUBAULT, are all excellent roses of this family.

"To grow them fine for exhibition, as single blooms or 'show-roses,' the clusters of buds should be thinned early in June, taking at least two-thirds of the incipient flowers from each manure should also be laid round their stems on the surface, and manure-water given to them plentifully in dry weather. With this description of culture, these roses will much surpass any thing we have yet seen in this country.

Although the varieties of this group are summer roses only, their period of flowering may be prolonged by judicious pruning; and for this purpose two trees of each variety should be planted, one to be pruned in October, the other early in May, or just when the buds have burst into leaf: these will give a regular succession of flowers. In pruning,

cut out with a sharp knife all the spray-like shoots, and then shorten to within six or eight buds of their base all the strong shoots (by such I mean those that are above fifteen inches in length): the weak shoots cut down to two or three buds. This is the pruning required by the Alba, Damask, and Hybrid Provence roses.

...

*

"To raise French roses from seed, they should be planted in a warm, dry border sloping to the south, in an open, airy situation: the shade of trees is very pernicious to seed-bearing roses. The following kinds may be selected, as they bear seed freely: The Tuscany Rose, a very old variety, with rich, deep crimson, semi-double flowers; also Ohl and Latour d'Auvergne. The two latter should have their flowers fertilized with the pollen of the Tuscany Rose, and some fine crimson roses will probably be raised. The Village Maid and Eillet Parfait are the most eligible to raise striped roses from: if their flowers are deficient in pollen, they should be fertilized with those of Rosa Mundi."- Rivers.

The Hybrid Chinese Rose

Rosa Indica Hybrida. - This class has been divided by some writers into three; viz., Hybrid China, Hybrid

* Some of the roses recommended for seed-bearing are old varieties, which may be procured from any old-fashioned English rose-nursery.