This keeps the extreme heat of the sun from penetrating to their roots; and as they are abundantly watered in hot weather, it 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, it is impatient of exposure in hot, dry soils and situations.

For rose beds on lawns the roses of this division are finely adapted, as they form such a mass of foliage and flowers. They may also be formed into a regular bank, rising gradually from the edge, by having dwarfs of different heights, and "petites tiges," or dwarf standards, in the background. They bloom remarkably fine on these little stems, and as the stem is protected from the sun by the branches of the plant, it increases in thickness much faster than when taller; tall stems, owing to exposure, are apt to become bark-bound and unhealthy, increasing but slowly in girth, and often requiring support. To have hybrid China roses in perfection as pillar roses, they require attention, and a superabundance of manure; but they will amply repay it, for a column twelve to twenty feet high, covered with such roses as Brennus, Blairii, Belle Parabère, Coccinea superba, Fulgens, Fimbriata, General Lamarque, George the Fourth, King of Roses, Petit Pierre,

or Triomphe d'Angers, &c. &c., would be one of the finest garden ornaments it is possible to conceive. To make these varieties grow with the necessary luxuriance each plant should have a circle, three or four feet in diameter, to itself; and if the soil is poor it should be dug out two feet in depth, and filled up with rotten mature 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 shallow or wet soils they will grow the better for being on a permanent mound. Plant a single plant in the centre of this mound, or, if you wish for a variegated pillar, plant two plants in the same hole, the one a pale-coloured or 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. 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.

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

Aurora, a most beautiful purple rose, often striped with white, may be made a seed-bearing rose of much interest; if self-coloured roses are desired it should be planted with Athelin, which has abundance of pollen; if striped and variegated roses, the Village Maid rose may be planted with it. The Duke of Devonshire, in a very warm and dry soil, will produce heps in tolerable abundance; and as it is inclined to be striped, it would possibly form a beautiful combination with the French rose Tricolor, which should be planted with it.

Souvenir d'une Mère, a very large and most beautiful rose, will bear seed if fertilised; the best union for this rose would perhaps be Celine, which is one of the most abundant seed-bearing roses we possess very large and brilliant rose-coloured varieties would probably be originated from these roses in combination.

Riego, which partakes of the sweet briar, might be made the parent of some beautiful briar-like roses by planting it with the Splendid Sweet Briar.

General Allard, a hybrid Bourbon rose, from which Monsieur Laffay has raised his new perpetual rose, "Madame Laffay," is much inclined to give a second series of flowers; 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.

Henry Barbet is also a hybrid Bourbon rose of great beauty. This should be planted with Triomphe d'Angers, with which it may be fertilised, but as the latter has but a small portion of pollen, and the former a great abundance, the process may be reversed; if seed can be procured from Triomphe d'Angers it must produce fine flowers, as it is one of the most beautiful and fragrant of

roses.

Petit Pierre, although very double, bears abundance of seed; as this is a fine and large rose deepness of colour might be given by planting it with the French rose, La Majestueuse. Legouvé with the Tuscany would probably originate a fine class of rich dark crimson roses, of which at present we possess but few that are really perfect in form and colour. Time will most probably put us in possession of many other seed-bearing hybrid China roses; at present, those recommended are all that can be depended upon.

THE WHITE ROSE.

(ROSA ALBA.)

Rosa Alba, or the White Rose, so called because the original species is white, is a native of middle Europe, and was introduced to our gardens in 1597. In some of the old farm and cottage gardens of Hertfordshire and Essex a semi-double variety is frequent; this is but a slight remove from the single flowering original species, and grows luxuriantly without culture in any neglected corner. The roses of this division may be easily distinguished by their green shoots, leaves of a glaucous green, looking as if they were covered with a greyish impalpable powder, and flowers generally of the most delicate colours, graduating from pure white to a bright but delicate pink.

Attila is one of the deepest coloured varieties of this division, with large and partially cupped flowers of a perfect shape. Belle Clementine, an old but very pretty variety, a hybrid departing in a slight degree from the characters of the group, often produces flowers finely mottled; it is a luxuriant grower, and forms a fine standard. Blanche Superbe, or Blanche de Belgique is a much older variety than the preceding, with all the characters of this division, and producing very large and double flowers of the purest white. Blush hip is a hybrid, possessing more of the characters of this