60 



yet it is only out-door practice that will make jour read- 

 ing of value. May I venture to tell you what to do first? " 



" Certainly." 



"You see these roses are divided into two sorts. These, 

 having thick, rough leaves, are hybrid perpetuals. They are 

 not quite perpetual in this country, yet with care you can 

 get a second crop in September. You see there are no buds 

 left, only full-blown roses. When these are gone there will 

 be no more unless you cut them down with a sharp knife." 

 So saying, he took out his knife and cut off a fine rose, stem 

 and all. " It is better to cut them thus. It exhausts the 

 plant more to bloom one full rose than to grow six buds. 

 Besides, a new growth will start, and more flowers follow. 

 The more flowers you cut the more you will have. This 

 applies to almost all flowers. All plants seem determined 

 to produce a certain quantity of flowers. If unmolested, 

 they will perfect the flowers and then stop. If the flowers 

 are removed, the plant at once sets to work to replace them. 

 If they are again removed, it makes still another effort. I 

 would not advise the culture of the hybrids for profit. 

 The tea roses are the only true perpetuals." 



To this I listened with the closest attention, eager to 

 learn all I could. Then, turning to the pinks, he pointed 

 out how they should be tied up to stakes to prevent them 

 falling to the ground. This, with weeding and keeping the 

 soil open, was all that my garden required at present. 



"Do not be discouraged, Mrs. Gilinan. Persevere, and 



