SONGS OF THE FLOWERS. 215 
REMARKS. 
StanparpD CurmBine Roses.—The prettiest form in which many 
of the climbing roses may be introduced to the garden is that of a 
standard. Those varieties which make shoots of a moderate length, 
produce, when worked on a straight stem of five or six feet high, and 
allowed first of all to form a broad expansive head, and then to assume 
a naturally drooping ‘habit, a surpassingly beautiful effect, the long 
pendant branches forming so many festoons of roses. On lawns, the 
effect of tree-roses thus flounced and wreathed is excellent. Such 
plants must have but little pruning; and that little confined to the 
shortening of any casual over-luxuriant shoots and the cutting clean 
away any such as become old and worn out. In other respects, the 
plants must be left to nature. Many of the Boursault roses are well 
suited for this purpose ; as also are some of the Sempervirens, or ever- 
green group. 
Compost ror Pot Piants.—A mixture of soils which will be 
suitable for growing the generality of plants, may be prepared thus :— 
To three parts of the turf of a loamy pasture partially rotted, add one 
part of turfy peat soil, such as heaths are found growing in upon our ° 
commons, and one part of cow-dung or hot-bed manure, in a com- 
pletely rotted and friable condition ; mix these ingredients well 
together, but do not sift them, except for very small pots. If the loam 
is adhesive, add about an eighth part of sharp sand—silver sand is 
generally preferred.—A Practitioner. 
SONGS OF THE FLOWERS. 
NO. 6.-THE FORGET-ME-NOT. 
Turis beautiful little flower, which, at this season, enamels the banks 
of our rivers with its corollas of celestial blue, has become celebrated 
by a German tale, so full of melancholy romance as to affect all the 
Damons and Phillises of Europe that haunt the purling streams. 
It is related that a young couple, who were on the eve of being 
united, whilst walking along the delightful banks of the Danuhe, saw 
one of these lovely flowers floating on the waves, which seemed ready to 
earry it away. ‘The affianced bride admired the beauty of the flower, 
and regretted its fatal destiny, which induced the lover to precipitate 
himself into the water, where he had no sooner seized the flower than 
he sank into the flood, but making a last effort, he threw the flower 
upon the shore, and at the moment of disappearing for ever, he ex- 
claimed, “ vergils mich nicht,” since which time this flower has been 
made emblematical of, and taken the name of “ Forget-me-not.”? 
It has become a favourite flower with the German poets, as some 
lines of Lord F. L. Gower’s translation of Giethe’s “ Lay of the 
Imprisoned Knight,” will evince :— 
