Cultivation. 13 



improved? If it can, then, in nine cases out of ten, other 

 things being equal, quarters may be rendered suitable for the 

 reception of Roses. Personally, we would much rather start 

 with a light, well-drained soil than a heavy, clayey, water- 

 logged one. There is a popular impression very widely dis- 

 seminated that clay soils are par excellence the soils for 

 Roses. We would, however, point out that there are clays 

 and clays. Those to select are the greasy yellow ones that 

 are characteristic of certain districts, to which we have 

 already referred. Still, taken all round, we prefer the 

 lighter made-up soils, as they are workable when the clayey 

 ones can scarcely be looked at. 



The Rose-garden in the Making. 



As to the form which a Rose-garden, large or small, 

 should take, that must be left to individual taste. There are 

 many who think that the Rose needs no setting off, and that 

 a healthy collection of well-grown plants is a sight in itself. 

 One thing, however, is absolutely necessary the beds of 

 which it is composed should be accessible without much 

 standing on them, and therefore those about 4ft. wide are 

 the best. This will admit of three rows of Dwarf bushes, 

 and all the plants can be reached without standing on the 

 beds themselves. " How dreadfully formal! " some persons 

 will say. True, it may be so; but when we are desiring 

 the welfare of the Rose itself, something must be sacrificed. 

 If the beds, too, are small, provision can be made for the 

 various families. There may be a bed or beds of Teas, 

 another of Moss Roses, another of summer-flowering Gallicas 

 or Hybrid Chinas, another for some specially favourite 

 variety, such as A. K. Williams or La France. If 

 persons are anxious for variety in the form of their 

 beds, it is in their power to make a geometric garden of 

 their Rosary ; but most of the best Rose-gardens one sees 

 are made in the manner described, and some of the very 



