54 THE ROSE GARDEN. 



be further remarked, that this plan of dealing is also advantageous to the vendor ; 

 and he compensates for the accommodation afforded him, by sending a number 

 of plants free of charge, or prices the whole at a lower rate than he could have 

 done had the amateur selected them individually. The efforts of the Rose- 

 growers are directed towards obtaining the greatest possible cpiantity of the finest 

 varieties ; and independent of feeling it a duty to serve, in the best manner, those 

 who confide in them, it is their interest in two ways to supply only the choicest 

 varieties. In the first place, they have usually the largest stock of such ; and 

 then, it is these which will do them the most credit, and recommend them to 

 further transactions. It is no advantage to them to send bad growers, or second- 

 rate kinds : it is the reverse. The bad growers are always most difficult to propa- 

 gate and bring to a saleable condition, for which the trifling addition in price does 

 not compensate : and it is easier to grow four or five thousand of a first-rate 

 variety, than to grow a like number of plants divided into fifty different kinds. 

 We need not speak of the disadvantage they reap from the sale of any but the best 

 kinds ; and I believe they do this, even though the purchaser select them himself. 

 But beyond the advantages already mentioned as derived on both sides from this 

 method of dealing, the purchaser obtains better plants. In a collection of one or 

 two thousand varieties, there is a greater number of first-rate kinds than the most 

 ardent cultivator of Roses would be likely to purchase at one time ; and if the 

 plants of any particular variety are small or weakly that season, they are excluded, 

 and can be added to the collection at subsequent periods. 



Let us now proceed to make a few remarks on planting. We will suppose the 

 beds ready formed and prepared, and the order of planting arranged. There is a 

 sufficient number of plants at hand of the required heights and kinds to fill them. 

 If it be a Rosarium or a series of beds we are about to plant, we may suppose that 

 each group will have a bed to itself; or if our plans are not sufficiently extensive 

 to admit of this, each bed should be planted with varieties of one group only, or 

 at furthest with a combination of such as resemble each other in external cha- 

 racters. We are speaking now of planting the Rosarium, or a series of beds : in 

 a single bed or clump it is desirable to mix the groups. 



The disposing of the plants will vary so much, according to the plan of the 

 Rosarium or the taste of the individual, and is withal so simple, that it does not 

 appear necessary to enlarge on this particular point. One thing in planting should 

 be borne in mind — Never suffer the roots to lie exposed to the sun and wind, not 

 even for an hour. I fancy I hear, as I have heard some say, Nonsense ! the Dog 

 Rose is so hardy that you may expose it for a month to all weathers, wind, frost, 

 or sunshine, without fear of injuring it. I have often heard this asserted, and 

 have tried experiments, which it is not necessary to record here, to convince 

 myself of a simple fact, which it may be said no one ought to have doubted. One 

 experiment I will relate. In planting some French Roses, two plants of the same 

 kind were left out of the ground for two days and two nights in December. They 



