CHAPTER XXX 

 ROSES 



ROSES are plants apart. Some few of them are easy to 

 grow, but most of them are shy and difficult, requiring to 

 be grown by themselves. Although shrubby, they are not 

 of any value as shrubs. An exception is the rugosa, which 

 is usually grown as a shrub and not as a rose. 



To grow roses properly, one must understand them. First 

 of all, let us study their classes. 



Perhaps easiest to grow is the rosa rugosa, a Japanese 

 rose that grows into a thick bush, with delicate single flowers 

 that appear at intervals all summer, and give place to large 

 red hips which make the bush very attractive. The foliage, 

 of this rose is its great beauty, being of a rich dark glossy 

 green that is not troubled by either insects or diseases. 

 The foliage of all other roses is too frequently sickly and un- 

 attractive. Colors of the rugosa are red, pink, and white. 

 It is treated exactly like any shrub, and makes an excellent 

 hedge. 



Next easiest are the climbing roses. These do not really 

 climb at all, since they have no means of holding to a sup- 

 port; but they send out long shoots which can be trained 

 to posts or trellises. Best known is the crimson rambler, 

 but lovelier is the Dorothy Perkins (pink) , which is quite as 

 hardy and less likely to mildew. The old-fashioned sweet- 

 brier, while it does not grow so tall, is well worth growing for 



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