THE ROSARIES. 269 



Pliny enumerates twelve varieties cultivated in Italy. What would 

 he have said to the innumerable varieties which are now grown in 

 our gardens ? 



Our cultivated roses are extremely beautiful, and we grow them in 

 the greatest perfection. Roses are essentially plants of light and air, so 

 much so, that they like to be exposed to the full light of the sun and to 

 the air of heaven,, and very ill bear the smoke of our London gardens, 

 or even of the suburbs. But with light and air, and an annual top 

 dressing of manure over the roots, they may be grown with ease and 

 success. My garden yields roses nine months out of the twelve, and 

 in the months of June and July tens of thousands of roses are in flower 



at the same time. 



" Of roses there were great wone, 

 So faire were never in Rone." 



There is a lovely little rose, the Rose de Meaux, which is one of the 

 earliest to blossom in May, and is highly fragrant. It is delicate in 

 its growth, but may be readily propagated by division, or rather by 

 suckers. 



Next in order of flowering come the Scotch Roses (fig. 55) which 

 have many varieties of different shades of colour. 

 They are beautiful twice in the year, first when 

 covered with the otto-of-rose-like odoriferous 

 flowers ; and later, when the flowers are passed, 

 and are succeeded by their seed pods. The 

 fancy of florists for Scotch roses is a thing of 

 the past, but I have many plants, and no 

 gardener should be without them, as they are FIG. 550 .- Scotch Rose, 

 most readily propagated from suckers, and are cultivated without 

 any trouble. Formerly there were numerous varieties, but I do not 

 know where they can now be procured. 



The Austrian Briars are so brilliant when in flower that they are 

 distinctly visible across the garden. They are difficult to cultivate, 

 and cannot bear the slightest taint of smoke, yet no garden should 

 be without them. The Persian Yellow (fig. 551) is the best variety. 



