260 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



the thick sward, impervious alike to air and water. Or they may be 

 in paltry pincushion beds, the space of open soil they require being 

 occupied with vigorous habited bedding-plants. We do occasionally 

 see standard roses looking so well in pincushion beds on lawns, that 

 we dare not condemn them in toto ; but often enough thej- disfigure 

 rather than adorn the place ; and stands generally, about approaches 

 and near the windows, are out of taste, because of their inevitably 

 ungraceful appearance at all times, except when in flower. "Where 

 the amateur is stubborn about standards in pincushion beds, yet 

 anxious to try his hand at improving them, the following plan 

 might answer: — For every standard, make a circle, three feet in 

 diameter, and have trees of four to five feet high if possible. Dig 

 these circles two spades deep, witb an abundance of manure. This 

 will be the first start towards a vigorous growth. Plant them as 

 shallow as possible, sufficient only to cover their roots, and clasp 

 the collar — that is, so much of the stem, just above the roots, as was 

 in the soil before, or less than before, if possible. After planting, 

 which we suppose to be done in October or November, spread over 

 the beds a few inches of half-rotten manure, to protect the roots 

 from frost ; secure the roses with iron rods for stakes, and then 

 throw down six inches depth of cocoa-nut fibre, and make a pretty 

 bed by plunging in the fibre potted evergreens, A wooden or wire 

 edging, to enclose this, would give a neat finish, and there would be 

 inaugurated the first step in combining standard roses with the 

 plunging system. In the spring, the evergreens can be removed, 

 and potted bulbs, in flower, take their place ; next change yellow 

 alyssum and perennial candytuft ; next change anything you please, 

 for you will have all the summer flowers to choose from. Suppose 

 in front of a suite of windows, looking on a lawn, half a dozen such 

 beds, at six or eight (or more) yards apart ; would they not, in very 

 many cases, far surpass, in beauty and interest, the existing schemes 

 ■of floral embellishment ? In the course of a year the roots of the 

 roses would push up amongst the fibre, and it would be well to lift 

 them, prune the roots moderately, and re-plant. This may appear 

 to make much labour for a little display ; but the fact is, standard 

 roses ought to be lifted every year, wherever they are. If this 

 were done, there would be no suckers, because the buds and pushing 

 suckers would be pruned from ofl' the roots ; there would be no 

 deaths in winter ; there would be finer flowers. 



Many other things besides roses are badly done in small gardens ; 

 but we must not aim at making a catalogue of grievances. Perhaps 

 these few remarks may explain the whole of our meaning to some of 

 our readers. At all events, our hope is that they may be useful to 

 many. 



S. H. 



