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ON THE CULTURE OF ROSES. 



slowly, they may be kept in dressed ground in small compass 

 for many years. The one which I have before me has been 

 four years planted ; and one or two others, about 10 years 

 planted, have yet but very small heads. I may here mention 

 that the young shoots of the elm resemble an immense pinnate 

 leaf, and thus the leaf of the rose harmonises better with the 

 foliage of the elm than I was led to expect before I made the 

 comparison with the rose and elm twigs united. 



The weeping ash makes an admirable trellis for a climbing, 

 or rather a trailing rose, and having pinnate leaves, the harmony 

 of the foliage with that of the rose is complete. Nothing but 

 a figure drawn accurately to a scale can give an idea of the 

 excellent habit of this tree, standing- as it does on a clean single 

 stem, and forming a globular head with a fine bold outline, which 

 may be varied by pruning to form an umbrella or semi-globular 

 head, or may be allowed to feather down to the ground, and 

 form an egg-shaped tent. 



Every weeping tree gives the idea of being depressed, and its 

 very name "weeping" implies a lack of comfort; therefore it 

 should not be alone, but have a partner, whose rosy face should 

 look upward, and at the same time look light and cheerful. To 

 intertwine a weeping ash with roses would seem to mingle joy 

 with its weeping, and make a striking contrast, since it could 

 not fail to excite surprise to see a tree that usually hangs its 

 head, and never shows a flower, come forth at last arrayed in 

 such a bloom. 



Various devices have been resorted to to hide the unsightly 

 shank or stem of the standard rose, with more or less effect. I 

 have sowed sweet peas round some, and planted other climbing 

 plants round others, and have succeeded very well sometimes 

 with such twiners as the ipomceas, &c, forming a cone of elegant 

 flowers, and making the rose-stake serviceable to support a suc- 

 cession of flowers after the roses had faded. Still these creatures 

 of a day, the ipomoeas, &c, deserted me in my utmost need, for 

 the least foul weather made them useless; and if they grew 

 freely, they would not stop at any reasonable length, and, being 

 so delicate when young, the smallest accident was sufficient to 

 make a blank. The want of evergreens in a flower-garden in 

 winter has long been felt, and, in short, to obtain a succession of 

 beautiful living objects is the aim of every gardener in planting 

 a garden. 



Now in this garden there exists, whether by design or acci- 

 dent I know not, a thicket of tall yew-trees, and in front of 

 these some very tall rhododendrons, and drawn up between the 

 yews and the rhododendrons there stands a fine rose-bush, and, 

 after the rhododendrons have flowered and faded, the rose blooms 



