126 THE ROSE GARDEN. 



at any time during summer. Some buds, which were gathered at the same 

 time and placed in a vase in a warm room, continued to unfold for several days. 

 It is especially necessary to remove decaying flowers during autumn, as, from the 

 moisture they retain at that time, they cause the rapid decay of those which sur- 

 round them : a pair of scissors is very useful for this purpose. 



It is an excellent plan to wash the stems of Rose-trees in the winter, which is a 

 time of leisure in the garden. A mixture of cow-dung, soot, and lime, two parts 

 of the latter to one of each of the former, serves for this purpose. This will de- 

 stroy insects which may have sought shelter in the crevices of the bark, and also 

 the moss and lichens which often grow there. It will further soften the bark and 

 favour the swelling of the stem. 



It is not an infrequent occurrence that the pith of a shoot decays from an old 

 wound in pruning, leaving the living wood hollow like a flute. It is well to place 

 on the end of such shoots a little of the composition used in grafting (see " Graft- 

 ing"), which will exclude the wet, and preserve the branch from decay. 



As winter approaches, it is necessary to devise some means of protection against 

 frost for those kinds which are susceptible of its influences : such are, the Tea- 

 scented and some of the Chinese and Noisette. It is surprising what a little shel- 

 ter suffices : branches of the common fern, which grows plentifully on most wilds, 

 answer for the purpose, as do laurel or fir-boughs : the latter, having a more lively 

 appearance, are preferable. They should be stuck loosely among the plants, if 

 dwarfs, that the air may circulate freely ; if standards, a branch or two may be 

 placed in and round the heads, securing them in the most favourable position by 

 a tie with bast. All the Tea Roses form beautiful objects as Standards : the only 

 objection to the culture of many, as such, is their extreme tenderness. I have 

 often thought this difficulty might be overcome by the use of bee-hives. Drive 

 three stakes into the ground triangularly ; on these nail a board with a hole cut in 

 one side extending to the centi-e, that the stem of the tree may be drawn in so that 

 the head rests immediately upon the board ; fasten it there, and then place a hive 

 over the head. This will undoubtedly form sufficient protection for the tenderest : it 

 is not very troublesome or expensive ; and if the hives are painted they are not un- 

 sightly, and their durability is increased. The framework may remain during 

 winter ; the hives are required in frosty weather only. In March this protection 

 may be withdrawn, at which time the tender Roses may be pruned. Intense cold 

 doubtless kills many tender kinds when left wholly unprotected; and the alterna- 

 tions of frost and thaw are equally destructive, raising the plants out of the ground, 

 and exposing their roots to the drying winds of spring. In the winter of 1846-47 

 I witnessed many die from the latter cause, which had been uninjured by the se- 

 vere frost. To prevent these consequences, a little fresh soil should be thrown 

 over the roots immediately after a thaw, and, when the ground is tolerably dry, 

 press it firmly around the stems. 



