EVERT WOMAN HER OWN FLOWER GARDENER. 53 



It is also best to grow roses on their roots, unless " standards " are 

 desired, for the old roots will throw up strong suckers, and thus assert 

 their rights to the detriment of their nursling ; unless these are constantly 

 watched for, and cut off, they will destroy the graft. 



The varieties of the rose have increased with such rapidity in the last 

 twelve years, and they have produced so many new races, that it is 

 scarcely possible for the most skillful botanist to refer each variety to its 

 proper parent species. There are Hybrid Pei^etuals, Bourbons, Bengal, 

 Chinese or Daily Rose; Tea-scented, Noisette, Perpetual Moss, Annual 

 Moss, Prairie Eose as climbers; Scotch, Damask and all the old varieties 

 of Garden Roses. 



From the thousands of names offered in the catalogues, lists of those 

 most desirable will be given ; but, of course, every one has his own pet 

 fancies. 



There is no plant which requires a richer soil or better repays the 

 cultivator for attending to its wants ; when grown in a congenial soil 

 its blossoms are perfect. 



The best soil is fresh loam enriched with well-rotted cow manure, 

 with a little sand. If a top dressing of this compost is given every 

 spring before the buds start, the branches will make fine growth. 



The finest clusters of flowers are always produced on new wood, and 

 close pruning will cause more new wood to grow, and ensure you a more 

 splendid show of flowers. Use the knife freely, though it does make 

 you ache to do so ; cut all the old growth out, and prune in last year's 

 branches a little ; thus pruned, the roots will throw up new shoots, from 

 whence will come the finest roses of the garden. 



As soon as the plants have done flowering, thin out the weak shoots, 

 and even some of the stronger ones, if they are too crowded; each 

 shoot left, should be exposed on every side to air and sun. The summer 

 flowering kinds thus treated will continue their growth from the main 

 shoots, and bloom much finer another year ; while the autumnal flowers 

 ^ush forth their buds the entire length of the stalk, and the second 

 flowering is perfected. 



The roses are improved in both varieties ; for shoots grown at that 

 period of the year invariably produce the finest flowers. 



It has been recommended by some writers, to destroy the first bloom 

 of those roses which bloom twice in the season ; because there is an 

 abundance of roses in June, and by so doing a finer bloom is obtained 



