Many of these roses can be grown to great advantage in a cold grapery, in a bed suitably prepared. They differ greatly in hardiness, and in respect to ease of culture. Some are so vigorous as to form greenhouse climbers, and so hardy as to bear a Northern winter by being simply laid down, and covered with earth, like a raspberry. Of these is Gloire de Dijon, a rose of most vigorous growth, and closely resembling in the shape of its blossoms that matchless Bourbon Rose, the well-known Souvenir de la Malmaison. Its color, however, is very different, being a mixture of buff and salmon. It has one defect,—a crumpled appearance of the central leaves, which gives them a somewhat withered look, even when just open. Five or six large plants of this variety are growing here with the utmost luxuriance on the rafters of a glass house, without fire. In winter they are protected by meadow-hay thrust between them and the glass, and have never been injured by the frost.
For preserving a small number of Tea roses through the winter, an ordinary cellar answers perfectly, provided there is no furnace in it. They may either be potted or "heeled" in earth in a box. A few degrees of frost will not hurt them. Roses and all other plants will bear the same degree of cold much better in a close, still air than in the open sunlight and wind.
The prevailing colors of Tea roses are light and delicate: of the rose-colored varieties, Adam is one of the finest, as is also Souvenir d'un Ami. Moiret is of a pale yellow, shaded with fawn and rose. Bougere is of a deep rosy bronze, large and double. Silène resembles it in color, and is very much admired. Canary is of the color which its name indicates, and its buds are extremely beautiful. Yet, in this respect, no variety can exceed the Old Yellow Tea, which is, however, one of the most tender and difficult of culture in the whole group. Devoniensis is very large, double, and of a pale clear yellow; a very fine rose, but shy of bloom. Gloire de Dijon, already mentioned, is a superb rose, though somewhat wanting in that grace and delicacy, which, in general, characterize this class. Madame Bravy is of a creamy white, and very beautifully formed. Madame Damaizin is salmon, and very free in bloom. Madame William is of a bright yellow, large, and very double. Niphetos is of a pale lemon, turning to snow-white. Safeano is one of the most distinct and remarkable roses in the group. It is of a buff and apricot hue, altogether peculiar. Its buds are beautifully formed; as are also its half-opened flowers, though they are not very double. It is a very profuse bloomer, easy of culture, free of growth, and hardy as compared with most other Tea roses.
"With attention, some very beautiful roses of this family may be originated from seed; but the plants must be trained against a south wall, in a warm, dry soil, or grown in pots, under glass. A warm greenhouse or the orchard-house will be most proper for them, so that they bloom in May, as their hips are a long time ripening.
"For yellow roses, Vicomtesse Decazes may be planted with and fertilized by Canary, which abounds in pollen: some fine roses, almost to a certainty, must be raised from seed produced by such a union. For the sake of curiosity, a few flowers of the latter might be fertilized with the Double Yellow Brier, or Rosa Harrison. The Old Yellow Tea Rose bears seed abundantly; but it has been found from repeated experiments that a good or even a mediocre rose is seldom or never produced from it: but, fertilized with the Yellow Brier, something original may be realized. Souvenir d'un Ami and Adam would produce seed of fine quality, from which large and bright rose-colored varieties might be expected; Niphetos would give pure white Tea roses; and Gloire de Dijon, fertilized with Safrano, would probably originate first-rate fawn-colored roses: but the central petals of the latter should be carefully removed with tweezers or pliers, as its flowers are too double for it to be a certain seed-bearer."—Rivers.
[Original]
Rosa Moschata.—This rose is a native of Asia, Northern Africa, and adjacent islands. In Persia it is said to reach a prodigious size, resembling some gorgeous flowering tree. It is said, too, that it is the favorite rose of the Persian poets, who celebrated its loves with the nightingale in strains echoed by their English imitators. Being very vigorous, it is best grown as a climber; but, with us, it requires the shelter of glass. It flowers in large clusters late in summer, and in a warm, moist air, exhales a faint odor of musk.
The Double White Musk has yellowish white flowers of moderate size. Eponine has pure white flowers, very double. The New Double White, or Ranunculus Musk, is an improvement on the Double White, which it much resembles. Nivea, or the Snowy Musk, can hardly be said to belong to the group, as it blooms only once in the year. Ophir, Princess of Nassau, and Rivers, are also good examples of this family.