120 



THE FLORAL WOELD AND aARDEN GUIDE. 



ones it is not for us to say, but at all events the stems make first-rate flower 

 sticks. But roses of all kinds, 07i their own roots^ are not at all difficult to grow- 

 in suburban gardens, and these the townsman should look after ; and let him, 

 in the process of looking, take care that no nurseryman persuades him that 

 briars and manettis are to be preferred. A rose on its own roots will do for 

 itself what no stock can do for it, that i^, reneto itself from the root perpetually. 

 Suckers from stocks are nuisances ; suckers from roses are roses. It is to the inte- 

 rest of the trade to push grafted and budded roses, and therefore delusions respecting 

 them prevail. 



As to fruits, generally speaking, apples, pears, cherries, plums, and the common 

 bush fruits, such as currants, gooseberries, and raspberries, do well in suburban 

 gardens if properly treated ; but peaches, nectarines, and strawberries do not thrive. 

 Thei'e are exceptions, of course, but we are speaking generally ; and unless the 

 garden to be planted is large and open, breezy, with abundance of light, we 

 should be very cautious about planting the last-named subjects. Townsmen fond 

 of fruit, and who cannot succeed with certain kinds, should " go in" boldly for 

 the best dessert gooseberries, such as Companion, Pitmaston Greengage, White- 

 smith, Hedgehog, and other of the highly-flavoured kinds. As for apples and 

 pears, all the good sorts may be planted, for wherever a tree of any kind can 

 live, these will, and give good fruit. Last summer we saw some boys pelting a 

 huge Swan's-egg pear tree in the City Road ; it was loaded with fine fruit. The 

 Golden Pippin apple, the Shepherd's Fame apple, and the Bringewood Pippin 

 answer well ; but it is best to be cautious about planting Ribston Pippin and 

 Blenheim Pippin, though these do well if the garden is open and sunny. 



S. H., in The Field. 



SONG OF sPEma. 



S, joy for the dawn of the promising year. 

 The birtb-time of beauty and bliss, 

 "When spring stoops down with a smile and a tear, 

 And zephyr first ventures a kiss. 

 We sing the song of the green spring-time, 

 The season of pearls and flowers, 

 • The morning of beauty, the budding, and prime 

 Of earth, and her jubilant bowers. 



'Neatb the glancing eye of the daisy white, 



The glimmering grass is springing, 

 And swelling buds of mezereon bright, 

 Their magical light are flinging ; 



Then sing the song of the green spring-time. 



The dawning of life and joy ; 

 When the golden gleams of a happier clime 

 The fetters of earth destroy. 



For summer is near, and buttercups blow, 



And sunshine glimmers aloft ; 

 And winds play tunes which merrily flow. 

 Though in melody mellow and soft ; 



Then sing the song of the green spring-time, 



The season of promise and bloom. 

 When buds have birth, and the gladdened earth 

 Awakes from her wintry tomb. 



