THE ROSE AND ITS CULTURE. 



203 



Roses are fastened as they grow, and the whole 

 ti-ame-work is speedily hidden. Iron or wire can 

 also he used instead of wood where the latter is 

 scarce, and dwarf hedges may he got up without any 

 special props. But few things are more offensive to 

 good taste than an amhitious-looldng hedge of Roses 

 swayed out of all form, or laid level with the ground, 

 hy winds. 



Fix the Roses to the supjKirts at planting, some- 

 what looselj", and so that they may subside with the 

 soU, and not be hung up to the stakes. And in 

 about two months afterwards prune out all the 

 weakest shoots, and shorten back the strong ones to 

 from a foot to a yard, according to the strength and 

 vigour of the plants. As this is the first, and maybe 

 almost the last pruning in the ordinary sense of the 

 term that the hedge of Roses will require, it is best to 

 out back rather severely, to insure a strong break at 

 bottom, so as to furnish a good permanent base for 

 the hedge. Another good plan is to tie the stronger 

 shoots down horizontally along the bottom raU or 

 base of the stake. Either way, a vigorous break 

 and free growth near to the ground-line must be 

 obtained. 



About the middle of June some of the more 

 vigorous growths might be stopped. They will 

 break afresh, in time to ripen their second growth 

 before the winter. The Roses may be topped rather 

 than pruned after their first season's grovrth, and, if 

 a uniform formal hedge is desired, this trinmiing 

 should he repeated annually. But for a real rustic, 

 picturesque, wildly luxuriant, and most effective 

 Rose hedge, leave them to nature above, and the 

 rich border for their roots below, after the first 

 season. 



Finally, choose Roses on their own roots for Rose 

 hedges, as otherwise the plague of suckers will be 

 incessant ; and as the struggle for existence mostly 

 ends in the survival of the fittest — that is, in the 

 fierce struggle of a Rose hedge, the strongest — the 

 Roses will finally succumb to the briars, and leave the 

 astonished possessor a briar hedge in lieu of the Rose 

 one he so carefully planted and so liberally supported 

 above and below. On the other hand, there is no 

 speedier or better mode of getting up Roses rapidly, 

 either in existing hedges, woods, or other out-of-the- 

 way places, than that of budding many Roses on 

 existing briars, and taking some little pains to sup- 

 press the briars and encourage the Eoses ever after- 

 wards. 



Koses in Shrubberies and Woods. — These 

 are more effective when planted in considerable 

 masses. Some of the most striking effects may be 

 produced in both by draping a few prominent boles of 

 trees here and there with Roses, as already shown. 



and forming a group of the same or other and 

 contrasting Roses near to these, extending the one 

 wild Rose as it were into a small colony. In all 

 cases where Roses are introduced into shrubberies 

 and woods, they should he very much left to nature, 

 or if any art is employed, it should be so skUftdly 

 concealed, and so hidden beneath the highest possible 

 examples of natural grace and beauty, as to wholly 

 hide the art. Almost any of the Roses named or 

 specified in the foregoing lists will answer well for 

 these purposes. But whatever selections of Roses 

 axe made, the different varieties of the Sweet and 

 Austrian Briars and Scotch Roses should not he 

 forgotten. 



Of the Roses best adapted for forming effective 

 groups in woods, the follovring Ayrshire, Evergreen, 

 Prairie, and Multiflora Roses will be found suitable : 

 — ^Dundee Rambler, pure white ; Queen of the Bel- 

 gians, rich creamy-white ; Ruga, flowers flesh-colour, 

 very fragrant ; Splendens, hnds crimson, melting 

 into pale flesh with age : one of the best. The Ever- 

 green Roses are not strictly so, though most of them 

 hold their leaves throughout the greater portion of 

 the winter: Adelaide d'Orleans, flowers creamy- 

 white, in large clusters ; Felicite Perpetuelle, flesh- 

 colour changing to white, large clusters; Donna 

 Maria, pure white, very fine, not so robust as most 

 of the others ; Rampante, pure white ; WiUiams' 

 Evergreen, one of the freest and best. Among the 

 best of the Prairie Roses are the following : Beauty 

 of the Prairies, pink ; Gem of the Prairies, crimson, 

 blotched with white, the only fragrant Rose among 

 these North American species ; Bosa rubrifolia, Queen 

 of the Preiiries, rosy -purple. Among the Multiflora 

 section of Roses, De la Grifferaie, deep rose, 

 changing to blush ; Laura Davoust, pink, flesh, and 

 white, in large trusses j and Rttsselliana, rich lake 

 and Ulac, are the best. 



For shrubberies, any of the sorts recommended for 

 pillar or pyramidal Roses may be introduced, either 

 single or in masses. Standards and dwarf standards 

 also look well towering above dwarf shrubs. In 

 sheltered shrubberies, too, groups of C!hinese, Tea, or 

 Noisette Roses may be alternated with other shrubs 

 with the happiest effect ; such Noisettes as Triomphe 

 de Eennes, CeHne Forestier, and Teas, as Gloire de 

 Dijon, Bougere, and Homere, being among the best 

 for use in quantity in such positions. 



Koses in Streets. — It is a far cry from the 

 wild woods to the crowded streets, and yet Roses 

 may be grown in the latter. The smoothest-leaved 

 and stemmed species and varieties of Roses, and 

 those of the most robust and vigorous constitution, 

 should be chosen for street cultvire. Smooth-leaved 

 Roses would retain httle or no dust or soot, and 



