Gardeners’ Chronicle (Nov. 15, 1879) p.631
Henry Bennett wrote:
“Some weeks since your correspondent, Mr. Burbidge, asked me if I would give, through your medium, information as to the origin of the Rose Mabel Morrison, and I regret the subject has escaped my memory till now. This Rose was raised by Mr. Joseph Broughton, of 43, New Bridge Street, Leicester, who double-budded a Brier stock with Tea Rose Niphetos, and Baroness Rothschild, The first bloom the latter produced came white; Mr. Broughton took two cuttings from this branch, and luckily one lived. The other died, also the original plant, so that it was as nearly being lost as possible. Mr. Broughton considered he had produced a graft hybrid. In this, I believe, he was in error, and consider it was only a common sport. I do not believe in the theory of hybridising by grafting, having experimented in all sorts of ways without success. The Rose is a beautiful one, though not generally double enough; but in my estimation, for bedding, it has not a rival as a garden white Rose. Occasionally it has come here quite full, much fuller than I have ever seen Madame Rothschild. In this state it is a splendid show Rose, being very large, and the petals beautifully reflexed. I have made many attempts to fix it in this way, without success, the young plants always going back to the normal condition. It can often be produced full by not cutting back, and allowing it to bloom from the terminals of the old wood; but it does not always follow that it comes quite full in this way.”