1882.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



55 



HOW TO GROW EOSES. 



The Rose prefers a deep, rich, mellow soil, 

 neither too light, nor yet very heavy. It 

 delights in an abundance of moisture, but dis- 

 likes it to remain and become stagnant about 

 the roots. With these few cardinal principles 

 always in view, any one can have fine Roses. 

 The finest specimens we ever saw, were grown 

 in the following manner. As the soil was 

 naturally uncongenial, being a heavy clay, 

 large holes were excavated, and six inches of 

 small stones thrown in the bottom for drain- 

 age. Over these were placed tough sods, and 

 the holes filled up with a mixture of thoroughly 

 rotten sods from an old fence row, with plenty 

 of decayed manure, and spent- 

 hops. The surface was in the 

 form of a deep basin, for the 

 purpose of retaining water. 

 After planting, a mulch, not 

 too heavy was applied — sphag- 

 num-moss is unexceptionable 

 — and vegetation soon com- 

 menced to show the most 

 astonishing results. Every 

 "wash-day," soap-suds were 

 applied liberally, and an occa- 

 sional dose of weak, liquid 

 manure, about once in two 

 weeks, was used. 



When in bljoom, Rose; 

 should be watered every day 

 say in the evening, and at the 

 same time the foliage can be 

 greatly refreshed by sprinkling 

 over the tops. As the forma- 

 tion of seed in any plant, is 

 a drain upon its system, 

 the moment a flower fades, 

 it should be removed. Early 

 spring is the proper season to perform the 

 regular pruning, as 'there are always injured 

 shoots to be cut away, the result of cold 

 weather; and as it is advisable to keep the 

 plants compact, the tall strong shoots ought to 

 be pruned with almost an unsparing hand. 

 Bear in mind that the young wood invariably 

 starts from the topmost buds, so that if you 

 wish dwarf, compact bushes, cut low at all 

 times. There is no difficulty in obtaining tall 

 plants, (and too often very slim), but it is 

 seldom we observe Roses well branched from 

 the bottom. In forming large beds of Roses, 

 where it is an expensive operation to remove 

 all the earth, dig the soil deeply, in fact trench 

 it at least two "spits" in depth. If clayey, 

 incorporate a liberal amount of coal ashes with 

 it, as well as plenty of manure, short, rotten, 

 and rich. Ground bones answer an excellent 

 purpose also. If very light, dig in plenty of 

 clay broken into small particles. It is a 

 decided mistake to tie up the tops during 

 Winter, with a great mass of straw, "to keep 

 them warm." A few evergreen boughs to 

 shade them, will be all sufficient. Hybrid 

 Perpetuals, Mosses, and Prairie Roses need 

 little, if any protection on the tops, but plenty 

 of stable manure about the roots. We have 

 seen good results from cutting back the tender 

 varieties of Teas, Chinas, and Bourbons, to 

 about six inches of the ground, and covering 

 all over with soil, and sometimes with manure. 

 Still, with all our care, the latter classes will 

 continue to be unreliable, but they can now be 

 purchased so cheaply from our leading florists, 

 that they may be treated as bedding plants, 

 and be replaced each year with but little 

 expense. In suggesting a list of varieties, to 



embrace all the principal colors, it is difficult 

 to please every one, for what true lover of the 

 Rose, has not a pet list of his or her own 

 selection? Still, we suggest only a few that 

 do well we -may say, in the majority of 

 instances : La France, Gen. Jacqueminot, 

 Alfred Colomb, Paul Neyron, John Hopper, 

 Maurice Bernardin, Chas. Lefebvre, Baronne 

 Prevost, Coquette des Alpes, Eugenie Verdier, 

 Louis Van Houtte, Victor Verdier, and Anna 

 de Diesbach, in Hybrid Perpetuals. Salet, 

 Comtesse de Murinais, Princess Adelaide, 

 Raphml, and Henri Martin, among Mosses. 

 Queen of the Prairies, Baltimore Belle, Gem 

 of the Prairies, and Greville, for hardy 



TYPE OF TEA ROSE. 



climbers ; and as a choice list of Everblooming 

 varieties, embracing both old and new, we 

 name Hermosa, Bon Silene, Agrippina, Sol- 

 faterra, Perle des Jardins, Appoline, Jules 

 Finger, Soxivenir de la Malmaison, Safrano, 

 Duchess of Edinburgh, Marie Van Houtte, 



HYBRID PERPETUAL ROSE LA FRANCE. 



Catherine Mermet, Lamarque, Madame Lam- 

 bard, Marie Guillot, Chromatella, Letty 

 Coles, Devoniensis, and Isabella Sprunt. 



Whether Roses should be grown from cut- 

 tings, or by budding on some strong growing 

 stock, as the Manetti, is yet an open question, 

 opinion on the subject being much divided. 

 For general purposes however, when our 

 flower-loving people are not thoroughly ac- 

 quainted with the nature of wild-roots, we 

 recommend the plants grown from cuttings; 

 notwithstanding, if due care is taken to remove 



all suckers, the budded plants will grow 

 stronger, and perhaps yield larger and finer 

 blooms than the others. The new system of 

 sending out well ripened young Roses by mail, 

 has done more to disseminate this lovely flower, 

 than all else combined, as hundreds of people all 

 over the country, and especially those residing 

 at a distance from nursery centres, can abun- 

 dantly testify. The plan however is liable to 

 abuse by unprincipled florists, as a cutting 

 j directly from the sand-bed, or when potted 

 but a short time, has not sufficient vitality to 

 withstand a long journey, and removal. 

 The Rose has a few insect enemies that are 

 \ easily conquered if taken in time. In all cases 

 endeavor to destroy them, as 

 soon as discovered, as in many 

 cases the baneful effect of their 

 presence is not seen for some 

 time after their appearance. 

 The Green-fly or Aphis is the 

 most frequent, and the most 

 readily destroyed. Boil a few 

 Tobacco stems in water, so as 

 to form a strong solution, 

 which may be either syringed 

 over the plants infested, or ap- 

 plied with a soft brush. Fu- 

 migation with Tobacco-smoke 

 is the best system, provided 

 the plants are in a close apart- 

 ment, separate from the dwel- 

 ling. The Rose-caterpillar in 

 the open air, is very destructive 

 some seasons, but if the foli- 

 age is dusted with powdered 

 hellebore, in the mornings 

 whilst the dew is on, the worms 

 soon leave. A dusting of sul- 

 phur will be found efficacious 

 when mildew puts in an appearance, but this 

 disease should be guarded against by not allow- 

 ing the plants to be exposed to sudden changes 

 of temperature. ' Josiah Hoopes. 



DAMAGED LILT BULBS. 

 In relation to the great difficulties which are 

 found in preserving Lily bulbs in good condition, 

 the experience of J. Wood as related in the Lon- 

 don Garden may be of value to our readers, and 

 his practice worthy of a trial. Mr. Wood says : 

 "Late last autumn, from 100 bulbs of Lilium 

 auratum I selected thirty as unfit for pot cul- 

 ture, being cankered, mouldy, and otherwise 

 damaged. I placed them on the surface of an 

 inside Peach-house border, and covered them 

 with fine charcoal ; in about a fortnight I took 

 them out, when I found them looking much 

 healthier and quite plump; still, I had little 

 faith in them, especially as I had no accommo- 

 dation for them under glass. Just then, how- 

 ever, a newly formed piece of rockwork was 

 near completion, and there was some good veg- 

 etable soil at hand. I therefore had these in- 

 ferior bulbs placed on a small slope facing the 

 south, and each one covered with half a spade- 

 ful of fine charcoal, then all covered to the 

 depth of 9 inches with the above-named soil ; 

 twenty-five of them sent up vigorous shoots, 

 and being very rank some were then removed. 

 All but two have from two to seven flower buds, 

 and the steins vary in height from 2 ft. to 4 ft. 

 The late rains checked them, but the more re- 

 cent fine weather has brought them forward 

 again, arid now some are finely in flower. They 

 are protected by a wall from the west winds, 

 otherwise they are fully exposed. Whatever 

 the behaviour of this batch may be another 

 I consider myself already repaid." 



