THE HISTORY AND CULTIVATION OF THE ROSE. 33 



richest beauties of the garden. Standard Roses planted 

 in single lines or avenues look well, or planted round the 

 borders of a lawn in small gardens. It is scarcely neces- 

 sary to say they are shown to greater advantage on a lawn 

 or from grass walks than from gravel. Standard Roses 

 are sometimes planted at intervals in herbaceous borders 

 and thus have a very pretty effect. Weeping Roses planted 

 singly on lawns form specimens of great beauty. The 

 Ayrshire and Sempervirens are best for the purpose, 

 and should be worked on stems of 5 feet and upwards. 

 Weeping Roses are formed by special pruning and 

 training. By cutting the plant in closely when young a 

 sufficient number of pendulous shoots will be produced to 

 form an umbrella-shaped head ; the following season these 

 left unpruned will form laterals. Henceforth, there is little 

 trouble to bring the tree to perfection ; the main shoots 

 should not be shortened, when the branches will extend to 

 the ground, producing flowers the greater part of their 

 length. There was one practice formerly very prevalent in 

 planting Standard Roses on lawns, viz., that of placing the 

 turf close up to the stem of the plant immediately after 

 planting. It certainly gives to the whole a neat and 

 finished appearance, but the sacrifice is too great for the 

 sake of neatness alone. Were the plant to be allowed 

 thoroughly to establish itself, and the turf to be then laid 

 on, it would not be so injurious, but it is desirable to avoid 

 even this. Turfing over prevents in some degree the air 

 from permeating the soil, and this proves anything but 

 beneficial to the growth of plants. Again, of what benefit 

 to a plant can the genial showers of spring be which have 

 first to pass through the thirsty turf and give sustenance 

 to the blades composing it? 



But we have dwelt long enough here, and proceed in 

 the third place to make some remarks on the cultivation of 

 the Rose. 



In forming a Collection of Roses the first points that 

 should be considered are, whether the soil and situation 

 C 



