THE AMATEURS ROSE GARDEN. 



and put into three or four-inch pots, in 

 which they are bloomed. Usually not 

 more than from one to three flowers are 

 allowed a single plant. By this method 

 very good flowers are obtained. They 

 are convenient to handle and make a 

 very pretty display. 



Chrysanthemums are very easily rais- 

 ed from seed, but extra good kinds are 

 thus only rarely obtained. So the ama- 



teur, who wants only a few j^ood plants, 

 can hardly afford to rely upon seedlings. 

 For the past two years leading florists 

 have been making great efforts to obtain 

 good varieties that flower early. As a 

 result we may now have very good chry- 

 santhemum flowers during the month of 

 October, and a few as early as Septem- 

 ber. — Gardening. 



THE AMATEUR'S ROSE GARDEN. 



^E find mention of the rose in the 

 earliest writings, both sacred 

 and profane. It was undoubt- 

 edly very generally esteemed 

 and used for ornamentation on both 

 public and private occasions. As an 

 instance, it may be mentioned that the 

 Romans put it to a very significant use 

 at some of their private dinners and 

 feasts. A rose was placed over the 

 principal door and he who passed under 

 it silently bound himself not to reveal 

 anything that was said or done within. 

 Hence arose the saying, "Sub Rosa." 

 The limits of this paper will not allow 

 me to give an history of the rose, but of 

 the way to cultivate it. 



There have been so many papers read 

 on the rose, and so many good books 

 printed, that it is hard to say anything 

 new, but, as most of the books written 

 and papers read have been English and 

 suitable to an English climate, therefore, 

 they would not do for this climate, and 

 are a little confusing to the amateur. 

 This paper is for this locality, further 

 south you can start earlier, and further 

 north a little later. The first requisite 

 in the culture of the rose is the prepara- 

 tion of a suitable place for planting them. 

 The best position is none too good for 



them. What I consider the best is fac- 

 ing the east, with protection on the north 

 and west. I do not mean protected by 

 large trees, but by fences or hedges. 

 The rose likes to have a fairly open 

 exposure with a free circulation of air 

 about it, but, when I say that, I do not 

 mean such a circulation as would drive 

 a forty-horse power windmill. In con- 

 nection with the choice of location, we 

 must see that the roses are provided 

 with a proper soil. They will do well 

 in any good garden soil free from stand- 

 ing water. The soil must, of course, at 

 first be thoroughly manured, as the rose 

 is a gross feeder. 



Roses that have been grown out of 

 pots should, if possible, be planted 

 while in a dormant condition in the 

 spring, as it is almost impossible to lift 

 a rose while the sap is running, and at 

 the same time have it make a good rose. 

 Roses that are potgrown can be planted 

 any time in this latitude, from loth of 

 May to the loth of October, but, if set 

 out in midsummer, a little extra care 

 will be needed in watering them. Res- 

 pecting the size of plants that should be 

 set out, I advise those who can obtain 

 them to put out plants of two years' 

 growth. Do not put out bantlings. If 



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