CULTURE. 35 



Culture. 



We may confine all the varieties of this group 

 to pillars, or to~ large standards to be planted in 

 conspicuous situations : although their beauty, 

 like that of all summer roses, is fleeting, they are 

 certainly gorgeous objects when well cultivated. 

 To cultivate them well is to lay round their stems, 

 on the surface of the soil, in a circle three feet in 

 diameter, early in November, a good proportion of 

 manure; and mind that, before the blooming season 

 commences, this is added to, as they require the 

 surface of the soil moist when in flower ; they 

 will also continue much longer in bloom if this is 

 attended to. The great objection to this surface- 

 manuring, for it should not be dug or forked in, 

 with English gardeners is its unsightly appear- 

 ance, particularly round trees, on well-dressed 

 lawns ; this may be soon obviated by covering 

 the manure with some green moss ; and, to keep 

 the birds from disturbing it, which they will do 

 after worms, place on the moss some pieces of 

 rock or flints; thus forming an ornamental 

 mound. In France, roses are cultivated with 

 much and well-rewarded care ; for even standards 

 of thirty years' growth have, every spring, a large 

 quantity of manure laid on the surface round 

 their stems. This keeps the extreme heat of the 

 sun from penetrating to their roots ; and, as 

 they are abundantly watered in hot weather, it 



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