ROSES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7507, 15 September 1902, Page 3

ROSES.

AN ENGLISH CONFERENCE.

One of the features of the English xose sea* son just past (June and July) was a conference and show held at Holland House, where a number of leading xosarians met to discuss the latest information regarding their favourite flower. An authority, unnamed, contributes an appropriate article' to the "Garden," in which be submits <a list of British raised roses. In the list are tie names of many of ■the favourite varieties of the day, and from all appearances (says a contemporary) Britain ■will continue to hold her own and even surpass other countries in this respect. • One of the earliest of British raised roses is the still popular Devonienais, introduced in 1838. The writer in the journal just quoted lemanksupoa ■the evident desire of British raisers to depart from the beaten track. Unless a novelty, in a> show TOBe is remarkably good it ia< not wanted 1 , but British decorative roses may well bo improved and increased. We see in M. Pernet Dudher's Soleil dOr and in Herr Schmidt's Leuchstern (two Continental novelties) what it is possible to accomplish in -this direction, for in the one ease we have the old Persian Yellow not ordy improved, but given also a perpetual flowering character, and in the other instance B. mulliflora has given U9 a charming single that must become a general favourite. The remarkable advance in the improvement of R. wichunana— as, for example; Dorothy Perkins ndi Alberic Barbier— shows that a graceful race of gamblers is about to be evolved from this trailing species, for they are as beautiful on a pergola as on a rootery or rockery, and surpass all others in grace and rapid) growth. These novelties are, not of English origin, but there is nothing <to hinder raisers trying their hand on other speoies and tribes, such as the Scotch roses, the Moss rose, the loveliest single rose grown (Austrian Copper), the Macartney, R. einica, and many other epeoies, not forgetting our own- native wilding, R. cariina. . The hope is expressed that raisers will' strive to fill up ithe gaps, and, above all things, produce free growing, free blooming, and fragrant rose 3. TWO DISTINCT NEW BOSES. • At the Holland House Conference, Mr J. G. Baker, F.R.S., V.M.H., described two new roses from the United States of America. Both species are* distinct, their nearest relation being Bosa spinoeissima; in their habit they/ recall the Scotch lose, and their flowers aro bright red. One of them, Rosa stellara, differs however from all other known soses in- having the three terminal leaflets arranged -lice those of a Potentil'.a. It is not yet in estivation, and comes from New Mexico, where it ds found at an altitude of from 5000 to 6000 feet above the sea. The other epeoies, called Bosa mimrtifolia, is characterised by its very email and d«epiy toothed leaves. Its locality is given as the - coast hills of Southern California," tout the level at which it is found ihas not yet been. Tecordetl. Up to the present, Rosa minutifoiia has 1 not succeeded well in England; it has been, grown at Kew Gardens, but Mr Baker w of opinion that the English climate is too damp andi too warm for it. THE " HYBRID TEA " (ROSA INDICA ODORATA HYBRIDS). The Rev J. H. Pemberton, M.A.; next read an exhaustive paper upon "Hybrid Tea Roses" (Rosa indica odorata hybrids). Quotations made by Mr Pemberton from ihe report of the last Rose Conference (1889) went to show that " Hybrid Teas " had, up to that time, made little real advance, but that, nevertheless, the separation, of these hybrids from the parent group was recognised even then ac having been made none too soon. The yearß 1870-1880 were the era of " Hybrid Perpetuals " ; the next decado was sacred to "Exhibition Teas," said Mr Pemberton; and now the " Hybrid Teas " were challenging both of these classes for the supremacy. Th» introduction of Mr Bennett's " Her Majesty," with its few and odourless blossoms, Bet people thinking; was it for this that the roses of. our grandmothers, with their '■exquisite scent and masses of flowers, had ibeeil discarded ? In the «nd! it was resolved 'to have the latter back again, with anything that was as freeflowering and perpetual.

The psychological moment for the introduction of the Hybrid Tea was seized upon. The trade catalogues of a careful grower who excludes come modern varieties which Mr Pemberton is inclined to recognise, show a gradual increase of "Hybrid Teas" from six in 1890 to sixty-five in 1901. Similarly the official catalogue of tho National Rose Society for 1884 contains but three varieties not "Hybrid Perpetuals" or "Teas," tiat for 1893 gives the names of twenty " Hybrid Teas," and the issue for 1897 includes forty, of dhe latter. Hence, Mr Pemberton rightly claims that the progress of " Hybrid Teas " has been phenomenal.

It is stated, Mr Pemberton went on to say, that the first " Hybrid Penpetual " was in reconciling the grouping together of the "Marquise de Salisbury" and '" Caroline Testout," the former showing affinities with Rosa spinosissima, the latter with B. canina. It is stili more difficult to discover a dividing line between " Kaiserin Augusta Victoria " Hybrid Tea-, and " Maman Cochet " ; and what prevents " Grusa an Teplitz " from being classed as a " China " ? Babbits axe excellent judges of "Teas," and roses possessing a. strain of " Tea," but, while leaving untouched many so-called " Hybrid Teas," io "Suzanne-Marie Rodocanachi " they are most partial. It is stated that Mr Pemberton went on to say that the first " Hybrid Perpetual " was the result of a cross 'between a " Hybrid China " and a " Damask Perpetual." On the other hand, there is considerable variation in roses of the scented group which appears to owe its origin to the " Blush Tea " 'brought from China in 1810, and tihe "Yellow Tea," which came from the ante country in 1834. Was not the "Hybrid Tea," Mr Pembertou asked, origin ally a. cross between the "Hybrid Perpotual" and' the "Tea Scented"? What happens now in the case of a seedling is this: — If the raiser cannot well call it a " Perpetual " or a " Tea," -he dubs it a " Hybrid Tea." The National Rose Society, moreover, refuses to admit "Hybrid Perpetuals " to the decorative rose class, and new roses called " Hybrid Teas " obtain recognition which they would not do if given the former name. The need for deciding what is a " Hybrid Tea " is thus emphasised. THE NATIONAL SOCIETY'S SHOW. A# regards this year's display of .exhibition blooms, 'English journals state that the show held by the National Rose Society of England was an exhibition of surprising beauty and general excellence, although many a winning etand of flowers would have taken a different place in a better rose exhibition year. " Exhibitions vary from year to year," " The Garden " remarks, "as far as outward appearances go, but on this occasion one class in particular gained the approval, not merely of the general public, but of the ardent exhibitor, who we have been led to believe steadfastly pursues the same path as his forefathers, and regards any divergence from set rules as a sin against all ihat the ' florist ' has held most precious since the days when rose exhibitions added a new joy to the pleasures of English gardening. The class we mean was that for twelve varieties of seven . blooms each *to be shown in vases. There I were six entries, and the display formed' quite a. feature of the show, tho winning flowers of Mr George Prince showing how beautiful (he rose is when so arranged that the delicate shading on the petals' 'and natural pose of tihr flower arc as perfect as on the bush in the garden. All this natural beauty is lost whei. the flowers are set out with mathematical regularity on a greon painted box. We regarc' tho rose exhibition a-s possessing an immense influence for good in furthering a. wholesom-: desire to produce individual flowera of a higldegree of excellence, but there is no reaEor. why the National' Rose Society, which may be regarded as a leader in' such matters, ehoulc not develop the vase class now that such r. welcome innovation has charmed not mcreh tho visitor, but 'the keen exhibitor, who lingered over the superb flowers in vases and declared that exhibition roses shown in this way were more pleasurable than those in the boxes. The complexion of the English garden ia changing for the better, and the maker oJ show schedules, who is not forgetful of the change, is> wise."