The Garden 3 :125 (Feb. 15, 1873)
Variegation in Roses

The following interesting communication of M. Du Breuil to the Giardini, an Italian Horticultural Journal, is worthy of some attention:—

"In July 1867 I paid a visit to the garden of a judge at Bagnéres-de-Bigorre. He showed me several standard Roses, and among them a Geant des Batailles, some of the dark red flowers of which were marked with numerous spots of a pale rose colour. I remarked the same peculiarity in varieties with paler flowers, such as General Jacqueminot. All were in a very fine condition of growth and presented all the other characteristics peculiar to the different varieties. Monsieur X. assured me that this variegation was permanent, and that it was capable of being perpetuated by budding. On inquiring what could have given rise to this singularity, he informed me that having been obliged, when budding a few years previously, for want of better, to use some buds which had no apparent eyes; these nevertheless sprouted and produced flowers, all of which exhibited the peculiarity described, and which he attributed to the imperfect conformation of the buds which he had employed. He then repeated the experiment with the same result, and he now produces this variegation at pleasure by operating in the manner described."