AND THEIR SETTINGS. 263 



are to make up one's collection, and then to distribute the smaller 

 sorts around the larger, so that all may be seen to advantage, and 

 made to appear like a single bush, or symmetric group. As it is 

 desirable to know each sort when out of flower and leaf, labels, 

 fastened with copper wire, can remain attached to the stems near 

 the base as well when in groups as when separate. 



It must not be understood that we favor great formality of out- 

 lines in a group, or what is called a lumpish mass, but only that 

 the general outline of bush or group shall be symmetrical, and that 

 it shall contain a sufficient mass of foliage in itself to allow the 

 straggling spray, which gives spirit to its outline, to be relieved 

 against a good body of foliage. However formally a rose-bed is 

 laid out, the free rambling growth of the plants will always give a 

 sprightly irregularity of outline sufficient to relieve it from all ap- 

 pearance of primness. It is as unnatural to force the rose into 

 formal outlines as to suppress the frolicksomeness of children ; but 

 in both cases the freedom natural to each may be directed, and 

 made to conform, to the proprieties of place and occasion. Allu- 

 sion has previously been made to the bad taste of conspicuous 

 pieces of white-painted carpentry very generally used as supports 

 for running roses. The simpler and more inconspicuous such 

 supports are made, provided they are substantial, the better. 



