THE ELORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



73 



such (to the florist) base idea3 should 

 be thought of; and as we have always 

 kept in view the interests of flori- 

 culture when treating of the progress 

 of the ro3e, we are now disposed to 

 show how, in any garden tolerably 

 well managed, beds of roses on the 

 true bedding system may be planted 

 and maintained with every reasonable 

 certainty of success. 



It will be seen that in making a 

 selection for this purpose, great cau- 

 tion must be exercised. The most 

 prized of all roses, the Teas, are con- 

 tinuous and abundant bloomers ; but, 

 with the exception of Gloire de Dijon, 

 which is the most useful rose in 

 existence, they are too tender to be 

 generally used, and except in the 

 most favoured districts in the south- 

 west corner of the island, would 

 cither have to be taken up in autumn, 

 and kept over winter in pots, or in 

 large part renewed every spring, to 

 make good the losses occasioned by 

 the winter. This last alternative 

 would defeat the object in view, for 

 bedding roses are supposed to become 

 established features, and replanting 

 every season of some part of the col- 

 lection would result in the production 

 of a late and scanty bloom. Then, 

 if I take a few of the most valued of 

 hybrid perpetuals — say, for instance, 

 Jules Margottin — we have a first-rate 

 rose for a third or fourth row ; it 

 makes a huge bush, and produces a 

 grand display of its cherry-coloured 

 flowers. But this fine rose blooms in 

 a series of efforts, and its first bloom 

 is generally over before General Jac- 

 queminot, Geant des Batadles, Mrs. 

 Elliott, and other leading kinds, are 

 quite at their best. We are to have 

 for beds what are to be judged as 

 beds, and not as collections of roses, 

 continuous and late bloomers ; and 

 the choice lies among the Bengal and 

 Noisette roses first, and next among 

 the Hybrid perpetuals, Bourbons, and 

 Teas, choosing the hardiest, the freest, 

 and generally the moderate growers. 



That these remarks may not seem 

 out of season, we may as well inform 

 the beginner in rose culture that from 

 the present time to the middle of 

 May is the best in the whole year to 

 plant dwarf roses from cuttings struck 



last year. They may be had in any 

 quantity from the nurseries in small 

 pots, and may b3 turned out into beds 

 without the slightest check, and will 

 grow vigorously and bloom late in the 

 season ; and the next year, and every 

 year after, give an early and con- 

 tinuous bloom, provided the selection 

 is on the right principle in the first 

 instance. Generally speaking, a sound 

 loam, heavily manured, will grow any 

 kind of rose. But the more delicate 

 in habit, the more the variety needs 

 a lighter soil, and especially where 

 Teas and Noisettes are to be planted, 

 the soil should have a large admix- 

 ture of peat, leaf-mould, sharp sand, 

 and very rotten dung, or all of these 

 ingredients thoroughly worked into 

 it ; and the Teas and Noisettes 

 should be filled in at planting with 

 just such a mixture as would grow 

 fuchsias to perfection. Roses budded 

 or grafted on briars or manettis will 

 do very well on a heavy soil, but 

 on their own roots they are more 

 particular, and whatever will temper 

 the soil should be used for their en- 

 couragement. Plant them firmly, at 

 distances proportionate to their habit 

 of growth, water liberally at night 

 during hot dry weather, and they are 

 pretty sure to do what Eu gland re- 

 quires of every one of us — that is, 

 their duty. 



Now, as to the varieties. The two 

 most perfect bedding roses known are 

 Cramoisie Superieure and Fabvier, of 

 the Bengal section {Rosa Indica). 

 They begin to bloom early, and they 

 continue to bloom even after frost 

 has withered the wettest of their 

 buds, and they are of such a glowing 

 fiery crimson, that, as far as mere 

 colour is concerned, they have no 

 equals. They are very much alike, 

 and I have long endeavoured to de- 

 termine which of the two is the 

 best. I think I must decide for 

 Cramoisie, but it scarcely matters 

 which is used, or if the two are mixed 

 in the same bed. These are very 

 dwarf, have striking bronzy foliage, 

 and do not assort in the same row 

 or -mass with roses that have de- 

 cidedly green leaves. In the same 

 section of Bengal or China roses we 

 have Archduke Charles, which may 



