120 



The Rose Garden. 



Having chosen the varieties, if planted out of doors they should be planted in 

 a rich soil. In pruning the branches should not be shortened in very closely. Long 

 pruning is most suitable here. 



But the planting season has passed away, and a glance at our seed-bearers satis- 

 fies us they will soon be in flower. It will be but fair to suppose that they have had 

 more, rather than less, attention paid to them than plants in common, for they are 

 more than usually interesting. The soil ought to have been hoed occasionally during 

 Spring, and watered during dry weather. The caterpillar should have been closely 

 sought for by hand, and the aphis got rid of by syringing repeatedly with soot-water 

 or tobacco-water. 



It is seldom that all the flower-buds can be developed to advantage, and as they 

 increase in size it will be seen which had better be removed. Secure a good portion 

 of the earliest and boldest buds, but not all of such ; leave a few in different stages of 



Fig. 32. IDEAL ROSE, form cupped. 



forwardness, that the work may be spread over a convenient extent of time. Wherever 

 buds are seen forming imperfectly or in an unfavourable position where they do not 

 obtain the full sun remove them at once. 



Before we commence hybridizing, it is necessary that we should have fixed ideas 

 of what we are going to do : we should have certain objects distinctly before us, and 

 for the realisation of these objects we must work. Without this we cannot expect to 

 obtain a full measure of success.* 



As a first step towards the attainment of these ends let us consider what consti- 

 tutes a good Rose, and fix the results of this inquiry firmly on the memory. 



* I crossed one year more than a thousand flowers. The adjustment of parentage and manipulation kept me 

 very fully occupied for a period of six weeks. 



