THE EOSE AND ITS CrLTURE. 



much as t^^•o feet long by six to twelve inches in 

 breadth. It has a similar distribution to F. eonso- 

 brina, but is found in addition in the Cape Verd 

 Islands. 



F. oDiithojjus, a Californian species, has rigid, 

 erect, polished, dark chestnut-brown stipes, and 

 deltoid bipinnate fronds, of a leathery texture and 

 very pale glaucous-green coloiu\ It makes a charm- 

 ing pot plant for cool-house decoration, and does best 

 in a rather light place. Well-grown specimens 

 measure about eight or ten inches in height. 



T. rot unci [folia has a stout creeping scaly rhizome, 

 and simply-pinnate dark green leathery fronds — a 

 foot or so in length — with from ten to twenty oblong 

 or roundish jpinnc^j on each side. This distinct and 

 j)retty fern, which is perhaps better known under 

 the name of Platylouia rotundifolia, is one of the 

 easiest to grow either in pots or on rock-work. It is 

 a native of New Zealand and Norfolk Island. 



P. tcmifolia is easily recognised by its claw-like 

 pinnae. It has tufted, dark chestnut-brown, polished 

 stipes, densely fibrillose at the base, and linear-lanceo- 

 late leathery fronds, pale glaucous-green both above 

 and below. In height it scarcely attains more than 

 a foot. A native of the Andes of tropical America 

 and also of the Sandwich Islands. 



Cultivation. — All the species above mentioned 

 are cool-house plants, and will thrive under tbe con- 

 ditions suitable for CJieilantJtes., the cultivation of 

 which genus has already been described. 



THE ROSE AND ITS CULTUEEo 



By D. T. Fish. 



HOSES IN OUT-OF-THE-WAY PLACES. 



CONSIDElvING the growing force, climbing 

 jDOwers, hardy constitution, matchless beauty 

 of leaf and flower, and delightful fragrance of the 

 Eose, it is surprising that it has been so sparingly 

 employed in the enrichment of landscape. Yaluecl 

 chiefly for its flowers, it has been treated from the 

 first as a mere flower-garden plant, and to a great 

 extent been cribbed, cabined, and confined out of 

 much of its exuberant vigour and natural beauty. 



A more artistic and appropriate use of Eoses could 

 not well be devised than their employment in clothing 

 the nakedness, breaking the monotony, hiding the 

 deformity, and relieving the ponderous weight of 

 dead walls and ugly buildings. The profuse and 

 liberal use of hard}'' free-growing Eoses as wall- 

 clothers, would add a new and one of the most 

 enlivening features to our towns and villages and 

 general landscapes. Eoses in such close proximity 

 to dwellings Avould prove as valuable in a sanitary 



as in an artistic point of view. The Eose, from 

 its free growth, its wide spread of foliage, and tbv,- 

 profusion and fragrance of its bloom, is one of tlu; 

 most powerful neutralisers of foul odours, ana 

 strongest antidotes to their injurious and deadly 

 influences. AVhen the sanitary power of plants i., 

 better known, and more correctly adjusted, the Rose 

 will be found wellnigh at the top of the list. The 

 more free and luxuriant its growth, the more 

 powerful its sanitary effects, and the higher its 

 artistic value. 



Hoses Tip Trees. — There is no desire to super- 

 sede the Ivy as the natural tree-clother. The Ivy 

 round the Oak is stereotyped into our landscapes, and' 

 become part and parcel of the rural life and sylvan 

 history of England. But there is no natural reason 

 why the Ivy in many cases could not be partially 

 clothed upon with Eoses. 



Some of the richest, sweetest features in gardens, 

 pleasure-grounds, and woods have been accidentally 

 formed by Dog-roses or Sweet-briars finding their 

 way up trees, and almost wholly hiding their boles 

 with a prodigal profusion of gracefully depending 

 branchlets wreathed with flowers : 



" Their wanton foliage in tlie air, 

 Luxiiriant as the flowing hair." 



Art can hardly reach higher than to imitate as 

 servilely as possible these yeriect examples. 



Eoses up trees labour under two disadvantage?, 

 which the cultivator must strive to remove or 

 reduce to a minimum of evil. They are robbed 

 of their rights alike at top and bottom. The tree- 

 branches shut out the sunlight and the dew ; the 

 roots of the trees steal the food provided for the 

 Eose-roots. Judicious thinning of the tree-boughs 

 will mitigate the former evil. The latter is far more 

 difficult to deal with. There is no remedy, and but 

 little chance for the Eoses, unless by isolating the 

 Eose-food from the roots of the trees. Brick, stone, 

 cement, concrete, have all been used as barriers ; but 

 these are expensive, troublesome, and not always 

 efficient. Gross-feeding climbers such as Eoses should 

 have a square yard of soil isolated to do them justice. 

 Failing so much, ricliness of root-run may partly 

 stand for mass. 



E-oses in Casks. — But the richer the Eose-soil, 

 the greater the danger that the tree-roots will find and 

 exbaust it. Hence isolation becomes of vital import- 

 ance, and tar, oil, beer, or wine casks are by far the 

 cheapest isolators. Knock out the bottom of the cask 

 or barrel, leaving the bung-hole for the exit of water, 

 l^lace three inches of drainage over the bottom, sink 

 it into the ground till the old bottom is about level 



