THE KOSE AND ITS CrLTUEE. 



205 



Some of the best results in forming effective Rose- 

 groups in meadows and grass lawns tiave been pro- 

 duced by the removal of tall and dilapidated stan- 

 dards fi'om the garden, the planting of them rather 

 thickly in good soil, and leaving them to time and 

 nature to restore to vigour and mould into beauty. 

 The results were astonishing. Emancipated from 

 the enfeebling influences of the knife, they speedily 

 ran into a veritable maze of beauty and brilliancy 

 that delighted the eyes of every beholder. Several 

 Sweet-briars were planted with the Eoses for the 

 fragrance of their leaves, and grew so vigorously as 

 to tower high above and run all through and among 

 the Eoses, while AYood Violets and Primroses crowded 

 around the sides of the group, the whole illustrating 

 as well_as realising Moii-'s vivid description : — 



" On a mound 

 Of verdant turf with, wild flowers diamonded, 

 Sprang in his majesty of natural pride 

 An Eglantine, the red Eose of the wood ; 

 Its canny boughs, with threat'uiug prickles armed, 

 Eicli in its blossoms and sweet-scented leaves." 



Roses on Housetops. — Eoses on the roof are, 

 in fact, Eoses on the housetops, with their roots, 

 however, planted in the soil, and their tops displayed 

 for picturesque effect at a distance. But Eoses on 

 the housetop are meant to be grown on the roof, and 

 to be as accessible as those in the garden. AATien the 

 growing demands of our rapidly increasing population 

 compel architects to utilise our wasted roof -spaces by 

 making them flat and readily accessible, a great 

 f utm-e will be opened up for housetop horticultm-e, 

 Xo doubt there will be a few difiiculties, cultm-al 

 and otherwise ; but difficulties are made to be 

 mastered, and as the sanitation of towns improves, 

 the difficulties in the cultivation of Eoses on house- 

 tops will diminish. 



Even now, by a judicious selection of sorts — those 

 recommended for streets being the more suitable — • 

 and with careful cultm-e, no one need despair of 

 blooming Eoses in tolerable perfection on the top of 

 St. Paul's I Special preparation, as well as judicious 

 selection of the plants, is highly needful ; and these, 

 with cleanliness and a plentiful supply of food, will 

 grow Eoses in all places where light can get at 

 them. 



Roses on Balconies.— The conditions on these 

 do not vary greatly from those on the housetops, 

 unless it be that the circulation of air is less fi-ee, 

 and the temperature more variable. Balconies also 

 offer better facilities for being partially firrnished 

 with Eoses by plants led up from the ground. Such 

 magnificent balcony plants as the Banksian Eoses 

 might thus be led up to any heio-ht, and wreathe 

 balconies with their verdure and beauty. Theii' 



spineless branches and small smooth leaves present no 

 foothold for soot or dust particles, and hence they 

 could easily be kept clean. Where it is impracticable 

 to lead Banksian or other Eoses up from the ground 

 for the clothing of balconies, they can be grown 

 well in large boxes, pots, or tubs. Tea-roses, as 

 dwarf or other standards, would also be admirably 

 adapted for balconies. Eows of these towards the 

 front or in any part of a balcony, the front itself 

 being draped and partially covered with weeping 

 Eose sprays, would biing a new, and what has 

 hitherto been thought impossible, pleasui'e to tens of 

 thousands of town houses. 



It is most important that the plants should be well 

 estabHshed and freely rooted in tubs, vases, or pots, 

 before being placed in such novel and exposed posi- 

 tions. To purchase plants from nurseries, pot them 

 afresh, and place on housetop or balcony, is one of 

 the sui'est means of inciting failure. As the demand 

 for Eoses for such positions is created and extended, 

 the trade will speedily make a sjoeciality of keeping 

 in stock any quantity of well-established Eoses every 

 way suited for the purpose. 



Again, a few deaths or failures must not cause 

 disappointment. These occur sometimes in numbers 

 that are almost appalling in the best-ordered gar- 

 dens. In fact, with all our- advance in Eose-culture, 

 the hfe of individual Eose-plants was never worth 

 so few years' — months' — purchase as now. Hence 

 the housetop Eosarian need not despair. Should hia, 

 plants bloom well for two years he will have his 

 reward. But if kept clean by frequent overhead 

 sjTingings, heavy and coj)ious enough to rinse off all 

 dust and dirt, and well watered and fully fed at the 

 roots, there is little reason why they should not live 

 almost as long on the housetop as in the garden. 



Extremes of heat and cold must also be guarded 

 against. South balconies are like ovens when the 

 mid-day sun's broad glare beats fiercely on or into 

 them. Northern ones are also extremely cold. Others, 

 and also many housetops, are full of fierce and strong 

 artificial di-aughts. The Eose, though hardy, likes 

 none of these extremes, and means must be taken to 

 pro\ude partial shade and shelter when needful. 

 Neither must the roots be drought-parched, nor their 

 runs be converted into a swamp, nor into a j)atch 

 of the Arctic regions by being frozen tkrough. 



In a state of natm^e Eose-roots are seldom frozen. 

 They are doubly, trebly protected, by theii' tops, the 

 earth, and a non-conductor or di-hris of fallen leaves, 

 grass, &c. But in a pot or tub on the housetop, few 

 or none of those natural cold-resisters are present ; 

 and mats, old carpets, cocoa-fibre refuse, straw, or 

 paper wrapped well round and suifacing their root- 

 runs, must take their place. 



The extremes of heat and cold, of drought and 



