86 NATURE IN A CITY YARD 



more different minds about than gardening, 

 but I doubt.it. The study of it from maga- 

 zines and floriculturists is an experience to 

 blister the understanding and destroy con- 

 fidence in man. I bought some roses. 



" Don't you water 'em much," said the 

 man who sold them to me ; "for if you do 

 you are sure to rot them. They '11 send their 

 roots down and get all the water they want." 



The man was so confident he aroused 

 my suspicions, so I went to a magazine to 

 see if he knew his business. He did n't ; 

 for the periodical put stress on watering > 

 and said that roses could not do without 

 it. They needed sun. Then I tried an- 

 other magazine. It had nothing to say 

 about water or lime or sun, but it insisted 

 on very rich earth, and on letting the 

 bushes alone after they were set out. 

 Then I tackled a gardener, and he said : 

 " Roses ? Well, they 're kind of unsatis- 

 factory ; have so many diseases and bugs ; 

 but if you '11 dust them with tobacco and 

 use a sandy soil and give them manure- 

 water and let them have a drink when 

 they look thirsty, and stir the earth up 



