This class, then, may be defined as the offspring of intermarriage of the French and other June roses with the Chinese Rose and its hybrids. It has, however, none of the ever-blooming qualities which distinguish the China roses. It is remarkable, as a class, for vigor of growth, in which, strange as it may appear, it surpasses, in some cases, both its parents. Most of the Hybrid China roses are, moreover, perfectly hardy even in the climate of the Northern States; and they are admirably adapted for forming pillars. For this purpose, they should be planted in a very deep and rich soil. If the soil is naturally poor, dig it out to the width and depth of three feet, and replace it with a mixture of strong loam and old manure. Some of the Hybrid Chinas thus generously treated, and trained and pruned in the manner recommended in a former chapter, will form most gorgeous decorations of a garden; for in the size of the flowers, in beauty of form, and brilliancy of color, some of the varieties are unsurpassed. Every autumn, the surface of the soil around the stem should be covered with manure to the depth of several inches; and this should be allowed to remain throughout the summer, renewing it as often as necessary, after a previous forking-up of the soil, which this covering or "mulching" enriches, at the same time that it keeps it moist and cool.
The following are among the best of this family of roses: Beauty op Billiard, of vigorous growth, and bright-scarlet and crimson flowers. Brennus, or Brutus, is a superb rose, of great size, and strong, rapid growth. Blair, No. 2, is particularly adapted for a pillar rose; its bloom being very profuse. The color of its flowers is pink or blush. George the Fourth is an old rose raised some forty years ago by the excellent English cultivator, Mr. Rivers. Its bright crimson color and its neat foliage make it very attractive, though it is less double than some other varieties. The Duke op Devonshire is of a lilac-color, striped with white, and perfect in form; its petals overlapping with the greatest regularity. Charles Duval is of a deep pink; Charles Lawson, of a vivid rose. Chenedolé is regarded by many as the best rose of the class; for its color is the brightest and clearest crimson, and its flowers are large and very full. Inferior roses, however, are frequently sold under its name, especially in I this country. Coupe d'Hébé is remarkable both for the perfection of its cup-like form, and for the delicate rose-color of its petals. Its growth is very vigorous; and, like most of its kindred, it is perfectly hardy. General Jacqueminot is a large purplish-crimson rose. It must not be confounded with the Hybrid Perpetual of the same name. Fulgens is of a deep crimson. Triomphe de Bayeux is white, and an excellent pillar-rose. Madame Plantier is also white, but very distinct from the last; for, as it sprang on the mother's side from the Noisette, it blooms in dusters. Its individual flowers are surpassed by those of one or two other white roses; but the extraordinary profusion of its bloom, its graceful habit, its neat foliage, and its hardy, enduring nature, make it, on the whole, the best rose of its color in cultivation. Paul Perras is Bourbon on the mother's side, as is also Paul Ricaut. The first is of a pale rose, the second of a bright crimson. Vivid is a seedling of the English rose-grower, Mr. William Paul. Its flowers are not large, but they are of the most vivid crimson; and the vigorous habit of the plant makes it very suitable either for a pillar or a trellis.
"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.
* These directions, it will be remembered, are for the
climate of England. The November pruning will not do here;
indeed, it will require much precaution to make even the
hardy roses succeed as standards.
"I shall now proceed to give a list of those roses, from which, in combination with others, choice seedlings may be raised.
"The Duke of Devonshire, in a very warm and dry soil, will produce hips in tolerable abundance; and, as it is inclined to be striped, it would possibly form a beautiful combination with some striped rose, which should be planted with it.
"Riego, which partakes of the Sweet-brier, might be made the parent of some beautiful brier-like roses by planting it with the Splendid Sweet-brier.
"General Allard, a hybrid rose, from which Monsiem Laffay raised his 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 Rosomènes; and, if carefully fertilized 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!"—Rivers.
