The Cultivation of Flowers 
195 
standards, which may range from 2 or 3 ft. to even 6 
or 8 ft. in height, according to the purpose for which they 
are wanted. Then we have climbing kinds of such varied 
forms that they are suitable for almost any kind of climb- 
ing. Some kinds may be trained against the walls of 
our houses, and another kind, with its large clusters of 
flowers, may be very effectively trained on trelliswork. 
Or we may train them on arches or pillars and chains, 
thus forming a living fence which in its season becomes a 
mass of exquisite blossoms. Again, what is more effective 
than a rose-covered porch? And even the solitary brier 
in some cottage garden has a charm of its own. 
Roses will succeed fairly well on almost any garden 
soil which is not too light, but they succeed best on a 
rather heavy loam. Therefore if the soil should be too 
light it may be made more suitable by digging into it 
a quantity of loam, or even clayey soil, and manuring 
with cow manure. If the soil is a stiff clay it may be 
made more suitable by draining it and digging into it 
sharp sand, road grit, &c., and manuring with horse 
manure, as these will lighten it and make it more suit- 
able for the growth of this particular plant. The ground 
should be trenched two or three spits deep, according 
to the depth of it, and left rough until planting time. 
A great deal of the success of rose cultivation will 
depend on the method of planting. On no account should 
they be planted too deeply. If the roots get down into 
the subsoil they can never grow well. On the other 
hand, they must not be planted too shallow or they may 
be blown about by the wind, and in summer get too dry 
at the root. 
