[Original]
Rosa Sulphurea.—This beautiful rose is difficult of cultivation both in England and in this country, though in Italy and the south of France it grows and blooms luxuriantly. Its original species is found growing wild, and yielding single flowers, on the Himalaya Mountains, and also, it is said, in Persia. Only two varieties are in cultivation,—the Double (called also the Yellow Provence) and the Dwarf Double. The climate of the Southern and Middle States is far more suitable to them than that of the North; though it is more than probable, that, with careful and judicious treatment, they would do well even here. They need a rich diet, and a sunny and airy situation, to induce them to expand their flower-buds, which are provokingly apt to fall before opening. They are also very liable to the attacks of insects. The difficulty of the cultivation of this rose is greatly to be lamented, since it surpasses even the Persian Yellow in beauty.
"Various situations," says Mr. Rivers, "have been recommended. Some have said, 'Plant it against a south wall;' others, 'Give it a northern aspect, under the drip of some water-trough, as it requires a wet situation.' All this is quackery and nonsense. The Yellow Provence Rose is a native of a warm climate, and therefore requires a warm situation, a free and airy exposure, and rich soil: a wall with a south-east or north-west aspect will be found eligible. Give the plants surface-manure every autumn, and water with manure-water in May; prune with the finger and thumb in summer, as recommended for the Persian Yellow. *
* M. Godefroy, a French nursery-man, has cultivated it as a
pillar-rose, in a free and open situation, with much
success. Manuring as above, and summer pruning, are
indispensable.
"At Burleigh, the seat of the Marquis of Exeter, the effect of situation on this rose is forcibly shown. A very old plant is growing against the southern wall of the mansion, in a confined situation, its roots cramped by a stone pavement: it is weakly, and never shows a flower-bud. In the entrance-court is another plant, growing in front of a low parapet wall, in a good loamy soil, and free, airy exposure: this is in a state of the greatest luxuriance, and blooms in fine perfection nearly every season.
"Mr. Mackintosh, the gardener, who kindly pointed out these plants to me, thought the latter a distinct and superior variety, as it was brought from France by a French cook a few years since; but it is certainly nothing but the genuine Old Double Yellow Rose.
"In unfavorable soils, it will often flourish and bloom freely if budded on the Musk Rose, the common China Rose, or some free-growing hybrid China Rose; but the following pretty method of culture I beg to suggest: Bud or graft it on some short stems of the Rosa Manetti. In the autumn, pot some of the strongest plants; and, late in spring, force them with a gentle heat, giving plenty of air. It will now also be very interesting to plant trees of this variety in orchard-houses: this seems to me to be the exact climate required by it. By this method, the dry and warm climate of Florence and Genoa may, perhaps, be partially imitated; for there it blooms in such profusion, that large quantities of its magnificent flowers are daily sold in the markets during the rose-season.
"The following extract relative to this rose is from the quaint old book, 'Flora, Ceres, and Pomona, by John Rea, Gent., 1655,' showing that budding and double-budding of roses and trees is no new idea: 'The Double Yellow Rose is the most unapt of all others to bear kindly and fair flowers, unless it be ordered and looked unto in an especial manner. For whereas all other roses are best natural, this is best inoculated upon another stock. Others thrive and bear best in the sun, this in the shade. Therefore the best way that I know to cause this rose to bring forth fair and kindly flowers is performed after this manner: First, in the stock of a Francford * Rose, near the ground, put in a bud of the Single Yellow Rose, which will quickly shoot to a good length; then, half a yard higher than the place where the same was budded, put into it a bud of the Double Yellow Rose; which growing, the suckers must be kept from the root, and all the buds rubbed off, except those of the kind desired; which being grown big enough to bear (which will be in the two years), it must in winter be pruned very near, cutting off all the small shoots, and only leaving the biggest, cutting off the tops of them also, as far as they are small; then in the spring, when the buds for leaves come forth, rub off the smallest of them, leaving only some few of the biggest, which by reason of the strength of the stock affording more nourishment than any other, and the agreeable nature of the Single Yellow Rose (from whence it is immediately nourished), the shoots will be then strong, and able to bear out the flowers if they be not too many, which may be prevented by nipping off the smallest buds for flowers, leaving only such a number of the fairest as the tree may be able to bring to perfection; which tree should stand something shadowed, and not too much in the heat of the sun, and in a standard by itself, rather than under a wall. These rules being observed, we may expect to enjoy the full delight of these beautiful roses, as I myself have often done by my own practice in divers trees so handled, which have yearly borne store of fair flowers, when those that were natural, not withstanding all the helps I could use, have not brought forth one that was kindly, but all of them either broken, or, as it were, blasted.'"