AND THEIR SETTINGS. 
263 
are to make up one’s collection, and then to distribute the smaller 
sorts around the larger, so that all may be seen to advantage, and 
made to appear like a single bush, or symmetric group. As it is 
desirable to know each sort when out of flower and leaf, labels, 
fastened with copper wire, can remain attached to the stems near 
the base as well when in groups as when separate. 
It must not be understood that we favor great formality of out- 
lines in a group, or what is called a lumpish mass, but only that 
the general outline of bush or group shall be symmetrical, and that 
it shall contain a sufficient mass of foliage in itself to allow the 
straggling spray, which gives spirit to its outline, to be relieved 
against a good body of foliage. However formally a rose-bed is 
laid out, the free rambling growth of the plants will always give a 
sprightly irregularity of outline sufficient to relieve it from all ap- 
pearance of primness. It is as unnatural to force the rose into 
formal outlines as to suppress the frolicksomeness of children ; but 
in both cases the freedom natural to each may be directed, and 
made to conform, to the proprieties of place and occasion. Allu- 
sion has previously been made to the bad taste of conspicuous 
pieces of white-painted carpentry very generally used as supports 
for running roses. The simpler and more inconspicuous such 
supports are made, provided they are substantial, the better. 
