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FLORA AND SYLVA. 



of the best material only, local stone or 

 brick, simple in colour, and the roof of 

 stone as in Oxford, Northamptonshire, 

 or Sussex. Failing that, any enduring 

 material such as Oak-shingles, which 

 make good roofs. The floor should be 

 of stone or stout plain tiles, and the walls 

 sound in everyway. So planned there is 

 some good use for the summer-house, 

 al though not so handy for open-air meals 

 as when the garden room is part of the 

 dwelling. Thefront, facing south, should 

 be of pillars as in Italy, and it might be 

 so contrived as to be useful in winter by 

 putting in sashes. The nature of our in- 

 sular climate is such that the kind of 

 half-house and half-garden shelters we 

 describe are more needed with us than 

 in warmer climates, and demand more 

 care in their planning. 



RUSTICUS. 



ROSE HEDGES. 

 Since the ill-named hybrid perpetual 

 Roses have been displaced in Rose gar- 

 dens by the true perpetual bloomers, it 

 is well to think of other uses for these 

 showy and vigorous Roses, and there is 

 none better than that of forming hedges 

 and dividing lines with them. They give 

 fine effect in their season, though they 

 do not flower so long as the Tea and 

 Monthly Roses, and they are never so 

 good as when grown in a bold way. It 

 is essential that they should be on their 

 natural roots, as if we make hedges of 

 Roses " worked" on the Dog Rose we 

 may soon get a wall ol thorns, of which 

 we have many in our hedgerows already! 

 While it is not easy to obtain the Teas 

 and new Monthly Roses on their natu- 

 ral roots there is less trouble about the 



red hybrid Rose in that way. Or we can 

 easily strike them from cuttings, and 

 in good ground they reward us by free 

 growth and a longer flowering season. 

 As to support, the roughest trellis will 

 do, as also those made of Oak and iron- 

 work,while a hedge without any support 

 may often be enjoyed. Such "fences" 

 need not be wholly formed of Roses, 

 for Clematis and Honeysuckle may take 

 their place in it here and there, as also 

 some of the finer wild Roses. If we have 

 to do with good Rose soil the work will 

 be light. Mark out position of the hedge 

 2 feet wide, and trench that space 2 feet 

 deep, using plenty of manure. Where 

 there is doubt about the soilbeingof the 

 right sort, the whole of it should be re- 

 moved and replaced with three parts of 

 loam and one of manure. There are 

 many gardens the soil of which, with 

 the addition of one barrowfulof loam to 

 every yard length of hedge and about 

 half that quantity of manure, will grow 

 the red Roses well. Plant as early as may 

 be in the autumn or winter, avoid deep 

 planting, keeping the collar about 2 

 inches under the surface. When planted , 

 a layer of short, rotten manure over the 

 roots will do good. During the first two 

 years little pruning will be needed, the 

 second spring after planting any strong 

 shoots that exceed 3 feet in length should 

 be cut back to that point. In the ground 

 should be placed a few neat sticks, to 

 which some of the lower branches should 

 be tied to form the base of the hedge 

 and bring it into shape. After the second 

 year the growth will gain more vigour 

 1 and increase in length. The strongest 

 ; shoots should be cut down to 4 feet the 



