(1902)  Page(s) 228-9.  
 
Hybrid Perpetuals.
Abel Carrière (Verdier, 1875). — Of uncertain growth. Often makes strong secondary shoots, yet refuses to grow strongly in the spring. Foliage second-rate, and rather liable to mildew and orange fungus. The blooms often "come" bad: not "divided", but malformed and "anyhow": as a rule a small percentage only arrive at perfection. Not particularly good in petal: but the true shape, partly imbricated, is good when you get it. Beautiful colour, one of the really dark ones: a fair bloom to last, but not of the largest size. Like many of the dark Roses it requires hot, dull, dry weather, and in some seasons the petals will burn, i.e. turn brown, but I am doubtful if this is actually caused by the sun. Rain is more or less hurtful to all Rose-blooms, but the dark H.P.s, and this among them, will stand it as well as any. It cannot be called a free-bloomer, a good autumnal, or an early Rose: in fact it should only be grown by exhibitors.

(1902)  Page(s) 229-30.  
 
Hybrid Perpetuals.
Alfred Colomb (Lacharme, 1865). — Of fine growth and foliage in good soil but not on poor or light land. Seldom attacked by mildew and can stand some rain. The blooms generally come good, but occasionally divided, of fine typical shape, what the N.R.S. Catalogue calls "globular, high centre", which I think should be rather "semi-globular, high centre": very good in petal, centre, size, lasting qualities, fragrance, and colour. This is a first-class late show Rose, good as a standard, fragrant, free in bloom, and fine as an autumnal, with clean, smooth-skinned, handsome wood, striking well as a cutting. The flowers are often extremely like those of Marie Baumann, though the wood and habits of the plants are very different. In my opinion, if either of these two well-known Roses was now brought out as a novelty, having been hitherto unknown, it would be considered synonymous with the other. Marshall P. Wilder is held to be too much alike and therefore considered a synonym, but a very capable amateur considers it an improved strain.

(1902)  Page(s) 230.  
 
Hybrid Perpetuals.
Alfred K. Williams (Schwartz, 1877). — Makes long shoots as a maiden, or at times on good soil as a cutback, but the constitution is weak. Thorny, with good foliage, and will stand some rain. This is a Rose of great reputation, because the blooms nearly always come perfect, forming first-class examples of the popular "imbricated" shape, i.e. something after the form of a camellia. Not a good bloom to last, or of the largest size, but prominent as a show Rose from its shape and bright colour. It is not a very free bloomer but comes again pretty fairly in the autumn. It is quite a late Rose with me, as the shoots, though not very stout, run up to some height ; but it comes early with some growers. The plants are not hardy or long-lived, and fresh ones should be budded every year, preferably on the briar, as, though some do well as cutbacks, maidens are more to be depended on: some find it answers best as a standard. Not to be recommended for those who cannot give it good soil and high culture, but well spoken of in America and Australia. (My notes are from Philadelphia in America, and from Sydney in Australia.) Grand Mogul is said to be a seedling from this beautiful Rose.

(1900)  Page(s) 284.  
 
Alister Stella Gray (Paul & Sons, 1894) - Raised by the well-known amateur, Mr. A. Hill Gray, of Bath. A Noisette, free blooming and perpetual, with very small flowers of a plae and rather dull yellow, borne in cluster. Suitable for pillars rather than arches.

(1900)  Page(s) 285-286.  
 
Belle Lyonnaise (Levet, 1869).- A rose of the Gloire de Dijon race, whose manners and customs will be described under the name of the head of the family. All are inferior to the type in freedom of bloom, and sometimes in hardiness or vigour; otherwise they differ only in the shades of colour. This is one of the first descendants of the ever popular Gloire de Dijon : the colour is pale yellow and the growth fairly hardy.

(1902)  Page(s) 235.  
 
Countess of Oxford (Guillot, 1869).— One of a large family of smooth-wooded Roses, all I believe descended from Victor Verdier (1859). I had at one time at least ten varieties of this family, but they have all been discarded but four, the one under notice, Eugénie Verdier or Marie Finger, Pride of Waltham, and S. M. Rodocanachi; of these, the last mentioned alone seems likely to survive here as the fittest, but Countess of Oxford and Pride of Waltham are well spoken of among the few H.P.s which succeed in Australia. All the different members of the family have the same or similar manners and customs. They have characteristic smooth wood and good foliage which is most lovely in the early spring, and does not suffer much from mildew, but is especially liable to the attacks of orange fungus or red rust, the early shoots being often quite bare of leaves by the end of August. They do not like light soil or the manetti stock, and require "liberal treatment." Countess of Oxford is of the largest size, sometimes even inclined to be coarse, good in petal and centre. The shape, which is rather open, is fairly lasting, but the colour soon gets dull, and is much lighter on weaker plants: a free bloomer but not so good an autumnal as some of the family. The variety is especially liable to sport, Pride of Reigate, Pride of Waltham and others having already appeared. A white sport of this variety, of which Pride of Reigate, a striped Rose, gave some hope, might be an acquisition.

(1902)  Page(s) 238.  
 
Duchesse de Vallombrosa (Schwartz, 1875).-- Requires good soil and generous treatment; with these it will grow strongly with distinct habit and foliage, but it will not thrive everywhere. It is not very liable to mildew, but the blooms cannot stand rain at all, and being of a light colour are subject to injury from thrips in a dry season. They have a decided tendency to come badly shaped, often with me having a gap or chasm in the outline, as though a piece had been cut out. The shape is rather too open and flat at the best, but it is of large size, free-flowering, fair in lasting qualities, and pretty good in a dry autumn.

(1902)  
 
Etienne Levet (Levet, 1871) Of robust and smooth but very uncertain growth; long, strong, and stout in rich soil where it has a good hold, but otherwise quite short and stumpy. The foliage is very fine, and the blooms come early and well, with large very smooth shell-like petals; there is, or should be, a good point, but the general shape is open, the centre weak, and the form not lasting. Must be cut young for exhibition and tied up at once, for it is of no use in hot weather. Not much injured by mildew or rain, but not good as a free bloomer or autumnal, and of no use in hot climates. It is of large size, and its grand petals and smooth, even outline make it an effective show Rose in a cool season; but, though it does well on the manetti, for general cultivation or on weak soils it is not one of the best. Duke of Fife (Cocker 1892) is a deep crimson sport from this variety, and a much worse grower.

(1900)  Page(s) 235.  
 
One of a large family of smooth-wooded Roses, all I believe descended from Victor Verdier (1859). I had at one time at least ten varieties of this family, but they have all been discarded but four....Eugénie Verdier or Marie Finger, Pride of Waltham and S.M. Radocanachi...All...have the same or similar manners and custom. They have characteristic smooth wood and good foliage which is most lovely in the early spring and does not suffer muich from mildew but is especially liable to the attacks of orange fungus or red rust, the early shoots being often quite bare of leaves by the end of August. The do not like light soil or the manetti stock...

(1900)  Page(s) 242.  
 
Eugénie Verdier (J.B. Guillot, 1869) syn. Marie Finger (Raimbaud, 1873) This rose used to be called Mademoiselle Eugénie Verdier but the title word seems lately to have been dropped by common consent....for there are two other roses name Madame Eugénie Verdier, one H.P. and the other Tea, and a H.T. "Souvenir" of the same. Moreover in the case of this Rose the synonym Marie Finger is most commonly used to save this confusion, but we must have a rule with regard to these troublesome synonyms and stick to it, and it seems fair that the oldest name should be the one to abide by, though an exception seems almost needed in the case. ...of moderate growth. Of large size, and beautiful and attractive colour, which might be called silvery pink, but not of very good lasting qualities, the centre being rather weak, and the form soon lost. Very ree blooming, and an excellent autumnal. A great favourite in America, but of little use here for exhibition.