" O blessed nature, O rns ! rus ! 

 Who does not sigh for the country thus, 



Absorb'd in a worldly torpor— 

 Who does not yearn for its meadow-sweet breath, 

 Untainted by care, and crime, and death, 

 And to stand sometimes upon grass or heath — 



That soul, spite of gold, is a pauper ! " — Hood. 



/^^ much lias been written upon the subject of Floriculture in general by professionals and 



^Btek amateurs that the theme has become somewhat hackneyed, and the neophytes, who turn to 



^n^ the subject with awakening interest and enthusiasm, are apt to contemplate with awestruck 



wonder and dismay the mass of miscellaneous literature anpertaining thereto with which 



A they are mentally confronted ; quite naturally taking it for granted that in order to attain 

 success all these elaborate details as set forth must be apprehended and observed, else 

 failure will necessarily follow. This conclusion is quite erroneous. Roses may be culti- 

 vated with a gratifying degree of success by any one who is sufficiently interested to give 

 to the effort a Httle thought and attention, without reference to the experience of others. We do 

 not mean to assert that the knowledge thus acquired is not helpful and valuable ; what is to be con- 

 demned is the apathetic spirit of dependence which it tends to inculcate and foster. We often mar- 

 vel at the skill displayed and success attained by persons of only moderate abilities and resources ; 

 their knowledge of methods seems to be largely intuitive, and whatever aptitude they possess to 

 have been acquired in the great kindergarten of Nature by contact and by observation. We are apt 

 to encumber ourselves entirely too much with prolix details, without attempting to exercise the 

 mind upon the realities of Nature, thereby rendering it alert, perceptive and receptive with reference 

 to the objectivity of its environment. It should always be borne in mind that our cultivated plants 

 are adaptations to certain natural laws and conditions of growth to which they necessarily respond. 

 Temperature, light, soil and moisture form a summary of these elementary conditions, which, as 

 they combine in their proper and natural relationship, promote activity and perfection of growth, 

 and measure the degree of success to be attained. These are the cardinal points of the compass; 

 the known quantities given to find the unknown ; the first principles of the art to be considered 

 under whatever circumstances the cultivation of plants is attempted. 



r^llthnnr Select, if possible, the most 



wuiwvi.... sheltered sunny location for 

 VLUlllPfHlOn planting, avoiding the close 



Of "K?OCi(>& proximity of large trees, 



vi u\vv%,v... | whose dense foliage and di- 

 vergent roots monopolize the immediate sur- 

 roundings to the exclusion of almost everything 

 else ; the presence of young trees and dwarf 

 shrubbery will not be hurtful. 



preparation 

 of Soil 



Roses may be grown to per- 

 fection in the ordinary gar- 

 den soil. In cases where the 

 natui - al surface earth has 

 been removed by grading, or has been covered by 

 a clayey or sandy subsoil thrown from the excava- 

 tion made for the cellar, it will be necessary to 

 restore at least a part of the original fertility by 

 substituting a quantity of loam, which may readily 

 be obtained under the sod by the roadside or from 

 the fields; in the absence of this, street dirt or 

 sweepings will answer the purpose. To each 

 wheelbarrow load of loam add about one-third its 

 bulk of well-rotted stable manure, also some sand, 

 if there is a lack of this constituent ; select the 

 spot where you wish to locate the bed, spread the 

 new soil and manure evenly upon it and spade 

 altogether to the depth of twelve inches or more, 



thoroughly mixing and mellowing. If street dirt 

 or sweepings are used the composition may be 

 sufficiently rich in fertilizing matter. 



IfCrtilnCrS Fine, well-decomposed stable 

 j) v nujvtgt manure is the best for general 

 purposes, and the results obtained from its use 

 will be highly satisfactory. If this cannot con- 

 veniently be obtained, fine ground bone or other 

 commercial fertilizers may 7 be employed, but re- 

 quire judgment in their application ; if used too 

 freely they are likely to injure the plants. The 

 manure may be applied late in the Fall, Spring or 

 Midsummer; if in the Fall, as a surface dressing, 

 it will serve as a partial protection over Winter ; 

 if in the Spring and Summer, it will be beneficial 

 as a mulch. 



After the ground has been thor- 

 oughly prepared, manured and 



{planting ,., 



mellowed, with the hands make holes in the soil 

 about twelve inches apart; set the plant a little 

 deeper than formerly, arrange the roots in their 

 natural positions, cover with fine earth, pressing 

 it firmly down upon them and in around the stem. 

 After planting, water freely, and if the weather is 

 hot and the ground dry continue to water at in- 



to 



