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A Main List of Roses

In the main list the numerals 2 and 3 appear in column marked "List.” The roses listed No. 2 are those which have stood the tests very well; they have surpassed the great main body of varieties which have been discarded as not coming up to the requisite standard. No. 2 is a list of honor and is for good, all-round roses, with the faults plainly noted under the various headings. Before putting these roses in this No. 2 list hundreds of roses have been carefully tested, and these are the ones which have been found most suitable for our climate and conditions as all-round varieties.

For a person wishing a greater variety of all-round roses than is included in the first forty-eight, No. 2 is recommended.

The roses listed No. 3 are special roses and should be mainly ordered either for large gardens or collections, or by persons thoroughly understanding their failings, all of which are noted under the various headings.

It would be easy to make list No. 3 very much larger, but it is cut down on the theory that every rose contained therein should be the very best of its kind, or have some special merit. For this reason there may be some roses which it will be thought should have been included, but for average conditions, and particularly for the amateur rose grower who does not wish a very large number of roses, this list will be found more than sufficient, and this book is written for such persons.

In list No. 3 are included some weak-growing roses with beautiful blooms; they are not perfectly hardy and, in addition, are weak growers, but are so distinct in their beauty that they should be included in any large collection, particularly by a person understanding their failings. In list No. 3 some single roses are placed which, while good bloomers and of robust habit, are so much below the average in the form of their blooms that they should not be included in any list but No. 3.

It has been aimed to cover, under the columns of the main list, the principal points of each rose.

Under the greater number of headings the letters "A"-very good, "B"-good, "C"-fair, "D"poor, "V"-varies, are used to describe each variety.

Under the heading "Form of Rose" the abbreviation "Si" indicates that the rose is single. Under the heading "Size of Bloom," "L"-large, "M"-medium, "S"-small.

It will readily be understood that under "Growth," for example, all the roses marked "A" are not absolutely the same in growth, but for all practical purposes they form an approximate class under "A," all of which come up to a certain standard. This principle applies to all headings. Growth is marked, not only for the height and strength, but also for the number of canes and uniformity.

Under "Hardiness" the system is changed to give the number of inches of good wood left in the spring. Where a rose kills down to the ground level the letter "G" is inserted in the column, and where a certain percentage winter kill, the letters "W K" have been added. Last year, with a new shipment of a thousand roses, chiefly new varieties, about twenty plants, or two per cent., have been lost, and some of the new plants were very small and weak. This immunity from deaths is due to the fact that the roses are "hilled up" every autumn, as described in the chapter on "Cultivation."

On account of the number of new roses constantly being planted in the testing beds from all parts of this country and Europe, it is impossible to entirely eliminate disease, but in a way this has its valuable side, because the roses tested are brought in contact with disease and the varieties which are immune, or nearly so, stand out. It may therefore be that certain roses marked down for "Foliage" will do better with the average amateur than they will here. To receive "A," the foliage must be practically immune from mildew and spot, and must hold well throughout the season.

In marking for "Stem" a long strong stem is marked "A," short stems and those not able to sustain the weight of the bloom are marked "B," etc. In "Size" a rose is considered "Medium" which runs from three and a half to four and a half inches in the spring. Smaller roses are marked "S" and larger roses marked "L."

It seemed best to give the actual number of blooms on all the varieties so that a grower would know the number of flowers he might expect. In this connection, it will be understood that the number of blooms varies greatly under different climatic conditions. As a usual thing the rose season here commences about the twenty-fifth of May, but testing beds in which the records have been made are about five hundred feet above sea level. In Southern Philadelphia, where the altitude is less, the bloom commences at least ten days earlier. Of course, in all localities the time of blooming is affected by the season. A month which gives cool weather and much rain increases the blooming of a rose, and a month of great heat and drought will naturally reduce the number of flowers; but as the records are taken from a number of years in the majority of cases, an average should be reached which is exact enough for all requirements. In a short test a rose may do well in one bed and badly in another. This has been insured against as far as possible by planting a number of roses of each variety, and having a test of never less than two years. "Form" has been marked for the length and beauty of the bud and also for the substance of the open flower; petallage and size have both been considered; short buds and blooms which open singly or flat are marked "B," etc. "Lasting" refers entirely to the keeping qualities both before and after cutting. "Color" is marked for the clearness and beauty of the color; "B" or "C" are used if the rose is either somewhat muddy or verges on a solferino shade, which is not considered of the first beauty in roses. The color descriptions of the blooms in the Main List are mostly taken from the catalogue of Alexander Dickson & Sons, Ltd. It is noted where there is a very marked difference between this and roses tested here. Where two letters are used, it will be understood that the description in question will range, for instance: from "B"-good to "A"-very good, etc. The last two right-hand columns are a handy reference for planting and pruning, and the distances for planting may be followed implicitly. These have been changed in many places because during the last year experiments with spacing have proved that roses do better with more room. Therefore, while the marks given could be shaded to a slight extent, for general garden work they should be closely followed. They are based on the cultivation afterwards advised. It is most important that with these distances a mulch be used to protect the rose roots from the heat, otherwise they are too great. This is especially true in localities with open porous soil, or where local conditions cause quick drainage. As a rule, a rose will require more space on Multiflora than on Briar, on account of its greater growth on this stock. The pruning column will be understood after the chapter "Pruning" is read; the number of eyes given for pruning being for the strongest wood, weak wood being cut lower down. "D.W." in this column stands for dead wood.

Nearly every rose has some slight perfume, but in very many cases it is so mild that it is hardly noticeable. A column is therefore not added for perfume, but with roses in which the perfume is distinct, the same is noted under the description of the variety. Where Multiflora is suggested in the left-hand column, the plant is marked for growth on Multiflora, and where special bed is noted, the rose is marked for special bed.

The Main List referred to will be found on the following pages.

Name and Description Size of bloom Class Pernet-Ducher, 1909 Use