14 



HOME AXD FLO^YEES 



but a suggestion of its first bright color 

 left upon its petals. The third was a 

 sweetbrier, remarkable only for the pro- 

 fusion of its small flowers and its spicy 

 fragrance both of flower and blossom. In- 

 ferior as it was in all respects, everybody 

 loved it, and every garden gave it place. 

 Nowadays it is almost impossible to find 

 either of these Roses in the lists of the 

 florists. They have been forced into the 

 background by aggressive competitors, and 

 "it does not pay"' to grow them, Ave are 

 told. But I have good reasons for believ- 

 ing that there would be a good sale for 

 them if tlie flower-loving -public knew 

 where they could be obtained. I base this 

 belief on the many letters that come to me 

 from all parts of the country whenever I 

 make mention of them, asking where they 

 can be found. Though lost to sight, they 

 are still dear to memory among those who 

 knew them in their childhood. Some of 

 the letters which come to me asking about 

 old favorites are really pathetic in their 

 expression of love for the flowers of "auld 

 lang syne.'^ By searching among old gar- 

 dens which have not been allowed to grow 

 entirely to grass and weeds it is possible 

 to find these Eoses still, and the removal 

 of a root of them to a place where they can 

 be given the care the Eose requires would 

 soon result in a btish which would give 

 a good deal more pleasure than a fine speci- 

 men of the Jacqueminot or the Meteor, for 

 its flowers would have the charm of greater 

 novelty. Xext time you take a trip into 

 the country suppose you make an expedi- 

 tion in search of old gardens, and if you 

 find these Eoses there, as you sometimes 

 will, ask the owner for a root of them to 

 take home with you in fall. Plant them in 

 a rich soil — one rather heavy with loam 

 is better than a light one — and keep the 

 grass from choking them. In two or three 

 years you will have a bush as high as your 

 head, and one that you can not reach 

 around, and in June it will be a thing of 

 beauty that you would be glad to make a 

 joy forever, and I venture the prediction 

 that your friends will turn away from 



your aristocratic hybrid perpetuals and 

 Teas to ask for a blossom from this, to 

 them, unknown variety. Its lovely color 

 and most delightful odor will win their 

 admiration as few other roses can. You 

 need never fear losing these Eoses by 

 winter-killing. They have become inured 

 to all manner of hardships, and ask for no 

 protection. Because of their hardiness, if 

 for no other reason, they arc- more satis- 

 factory than any of our modern Eoses, 

 and you will congratulate yourself on 

 having added them to your collection when 

 you fl_nd them coming through the winter 

 unharmed, when your perpetuals have lost 

 the greater part of last season's growth in 

 spite of the covering you gave them in fall. 



Every old garden had its Lilacs. A 

 double Lilac was unknown fifty years ago, 

 and the only variety in general cultivation 

 was the one most frequently seen today. 

 A few gardens enjoyed the distinction of 

 having a white variety, but this was never 

 very popular, as it was a shy bloomer. Of 

 all the old flowers I doubt if there was one 

 held in friendlier esteem than this. Its 

 beauty and its sweetness endeared it to all, 

 and it has held its own better, perhaps, 

 than any other of the old flowers. It is 

 such a sturdy, self-reliant plant that those 

 who have but little time to devote to the 

 garden feel safe in giving it a place, know- 

 ing it will not disappoint them. If I could 

 have but one shrub it should be the Lilac. 

 Because of its large size, when well gTown, 

 I would never give it a front place, but 

 keep it in the rear, where it might serve 

 as a background for smaller shrubs. In 

 old gardens you will often find it planted 

 in rows on each side of the path leading 

 from the gate to the house. In blossom 

 time such an arrangement has a charm 

 that leads us to overlook its formality, but 

 at other seasons of the year it is not to be 

 desired. The only Lilacs that can be 

 safely planted close to the house or lietween 

 the street and house are the Persian va- 

 rieties, which never grow to great size, 

 and always retain the characteristics of 

 a shrub. 



