Roses in Selkirkshire, etc. 337 



The reason why Eoses do not answer, that is, flower 

 freely, on this soil, or any other, are generally two ; — one, 

 that they are not usually planted so as to have an open 

 east aspect, without which the red and pink Roses, the 

 hardier kinds, will never do much, as all Roses appear to 

 like the utmost amount of light with the best heat. The 

 Tea-Roses, only a few of which will stand out of doors, 

 have a better chance of ripening their wood on a south 

 wall, however. 



The second common error is pruning, as it is generally 

 understood, that is cutting off the young wood which has 

 still to flower, instead of the old wood, which has flowered. 

 One reason of this practice is, no doubt, that those who grow 

 Roses for the purpose of showing (which, as far as it goes, 

 is incompatible with having them for ornamental purposes) 

 do cut them in very severely to diminish the number of 

 flowers, and increase the size of the remaining ones. Another 

 is that the old summer Roses (which are by no means to 

 be despised) are generally the better of being stimulated by 

 pruning, being, most of them, of short compact growth. 



A cause of disappointment, which is not so much in the 

 grower's own power, is that the Hybrid Perpetuals, which, 

 properly treated, flower from June to November, are rarely 

 sold on their own roots, and that the stocks on which they 

 are bedded are constantly throwing out shoots ; if these are 

 not kept cut away, the Rose dies off. The best remedy is 

 to be in the habit of taking cuttings, every year, of such 

 Roses as are worth keeping. 



The best Roses to have anywhere are, probably, General 

 Jacqueminot, crimson ; La France, pink ; Gloire de Dijon, 

 buff ; and Haronne de Maynard, white. 



It is fair to mention that the beauty of the lodge at 

 Sunderland Hall is partly owing, at least, to Wood the 

 butler, who lived there long, and was a keen florist. 



