PLANS AND PLANTING SCHEMES. 223 



varieties most suited to the soil and its surrounding. 

 Like human beings, flowers have their likes and dis- 

 likes, and if they are to do well these must be care- 

 fully studied. 



But now to the consideration of the second, and 

 the more formidable reason why many of us do not 

 grow this beautiful flower, althoug^h we should like to 

 do so. We think that the hobby is far too expensive 

 a one, and we cannot afford it. How often 1 have 

 heard people make this remark ! People whom I have 

 known spend in an unsatisfactory way on their g^arden 

 enougfh money in one year to make them the possessors 

 of one of the finest Rose gardens in their neighbour- 

 hood. If we were to consider one of the smallest gar- 

 dens and one of the poorest of gardeners, yet it would 

 be well within his reach, provided he could spare the 

 ground. I have known cottagers start Rose-growing 

 from a mere nothing, a few briars obtained from the 

 hedgerows and some buds from a more fortunate 

 friend, and I have watched such men go from strength 

 to strength until they have been growing Roses that 

 would do credit to blooms grown by some of our expert 

 growers. 



There is, however, we will trust, to the possessor 

 of a garden no need to exercise such thrift. Rose 

 trees are to-day so cheap that even the poorest can 

 obtain a few trees from any of our English nurseries at 

 very little cost ; or, should he so desire it, he can buy 

 briars cheaper still, and bud his own. Dealing, 

 however, with such a subject as '* the economy of the 

 Rose garden," It is naturally necessary to show that 

 in an all-round way the cultivation of Roses can be 

 maintained as cheaply, if not cheaper, than that of 

 other flowers. ^ This, I will assert, is certainly the 

 case, and especially so when It is reckoned (as, indeed, 

 it should be) as being part of the expense of any 

 garden. The greatest expense connected with rose- 

 growing is the initial outlay, and the cost of trees, 

 compared with herbaceous plants and the like, is gene- 

 rally a little more ; but In the long run this Is easily 



