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TJie Country Ge7itlcma?i s Magazine 



assisted by giving them a sheltered situation, 

 and a httle protection during winter. It is 

 not my purpose to enter fully into the details 

 of Rose culture, but only to offer a few re- 

 marks as to general management, which will 

 enable any one to add some to their garden, 

 and be successful with them. In the first 

 place, the ground for the Rose must be well 

 drained, and a good strong rich loam is the 

 best soil to produce good flowers. If the 

 soil is naturally poor, it must be enriched by 

 the addition of some thoroughly decomposed 

 but not spent manure ; to this may be added 

 a situation, if possible, somewhat sheltered 

 from the north, and the principal elements 

 calculated to ensure success will be yours, 

 and, with due and seasonable attention, a 

 good crop of bloom may be reasonably ex- 

 pected. Still, even with these conditions 

 fairly carried out, it is possible the amateur 

 may not find the flower of superior excellence, 

 as there are so many little things which tend 

 to rob the Rose of half its glory, especially if 

 they are required to stage for competition at 

 a public exhibition. 



Leaving the Rose, however, let us turn to 

 a flower of more humble growth, and less 

 pretensions — the Dianthus barbatus of botan- 

 ists, but better known by its more popular 

 name of Sweet William. Now, here is a 

 flower presenting an immense variation 

 of colours, the blending of which is really 

 charming. It is a plant of the most easy 

 culture, the only care necessary being the 

 selection of a good strain to get the seed 

 from. This should be sown late in spring, 

 either in pans or in the open ground. If too 

 thickly sown in the open border, transplant 

 to their permanent positions when large 

 enough, choosing a dull or showery day for 

 the purpose. Nothing more will be necessary, 

 and the plants will make the garden gay for 

 a long time, commencing late in spring, and 

 lasting on well into the summer. 



Lathyrus odoratus (the Sweet Pea). — This 

 is an annual, but is one of the most beautiful 

 of our summer flowers. It is very old- 

 fashioned, and, I regret to say, much ne- 

 glected. A packet of mixed seeds is sure 

 to produce numerous shades of colour, and 



their exquisite fragrance never fails to please 

 and refresh. The seeds of the Sweet Pea are 

 usually sown in spring, but I find the best 

 way is to make a sowing about the beginning of 

 January, when the first crop of kitchen garden 

 Peas are put in ; by this means, they bloom 

 earlier, and if one or two successional sowings 

 are made, the season of flowering is greatly 

 prolonged. No uneasiness need arise in the 

 breast of the amateur respecting hardiness 

 for the Sweet Pea will be found equally 

 robust, and quite as capable of withstanding 

 severe weather as any other Pea. 



Reseda odorata (the Mignonette). — This 

 little gem is a universal favourite ; its odour 

 never palls upon the most delicate nerves, 

 and care should be taken that frequent sow- 

 ings of the seeds are made in the open bor- 

 ders from the middle of April until the middle 

 of July, by which means a continuance of its 

 pleasant aromatic perfume may be maintained 

 the whole season. For winter blooming in 

 pots, I would advise a few pots to be sown 

 about the end of July, and again another 

 batch about the middle of August, whilst, if 

 space allow, a third sowing should be made in 

 September. The soil for pot culture should 

 be about two parts light friable loam- to one 

 of leaf mould and well decomposed cow 

 manure, to which may be added, with consi- 

 derable advantage, a dash of silver or sharp 

 river sand. 



Tree-AIignonette. — This is frequently sup- 

 posed to be a difierent plant to the variety 

 we have seen grown as dwarf plants. It is, 

 however, identical. The way to obtain these 

 little trees is to sow a few seeds very thickly 

 in a pot, say about the middle of April ; when 

 sufficiently large to enable the operator to 

 judge which is the most robust, pull all the 

 others out, and encourage the growth of the 

 selected one. In order to make it grow 

 erect, tie to a stick whenever long enough, 

 and carefully remove all laterals, but do not 

 cut them close off to the stem. I prefer 

 leaving a leaf or two upon each shoot, as it 

 materially strengthens the stem, and at the 

 same time gives it a nice furnished appear- 

 ance, instead of the thin bare aspect it 

 usually presents. I prefer giving them smal 



