69 
mrf fittk 
ROSES. 
With almost every other flower there is more or less 
difficulty in cultivation ; and it is very seldom that 
luxuriance of foliage is followed by corresponding 
bloom ; but the Rose requires so little care, and a few 
good varieties furnish such a vast amount of pleasure 
from June to the middle of November, it will amply 
repay for the attention bestowed. 
It is really only in preparing the soil for its recep¬ 
tion, and the month or so following the planting, that 
the cai'e is needed ; and when well started a half hour 
every morning in mellowing the soil and watering 
them, will be found sufficient to keep two or three 
dozen plauts in order. 
The soil they most delight in is a stiff loamy one; 
and if never used before for Rose culture, it is aston¬ 
ishing the growth the plants will make, and the size 
of the flowers. If the soil is a clay one, it must be 
well drained, and with sand aud good earth well mixed 
in, will be found to answer nearly as well; for the 
coolness and moisture furnished the roots by such 
ground during the hoi, dry summer months, is very 
grateful to them ; but in either case the Rose-bed must 
be properly enriched ; such a gross feeder demands a 
very rich soil, and this can be accomplished by mixing 
the fertilizer with this before planting, and also fre¬ 
quent watering with liquid manure. 
The digging and preparing of the Rose-bed should 
be done in early spring, as soon as the frost is suffi¬ 
ciently out to allow working, adding liberally well de¬ 
cayed material from the cow-yard; when warmer 
weather comes, this has become so well incorporated 
with the soil as to nourish the plants as soon as set 
out; but so few persons think of preparing a Rose- 
bed until seeing the plants in full bloom at a florist’s 
that such will be obliged to depend upon the liquid 
fertilizer for the summer, and defer further operations 
until autumn, when a heavy coating of material should 
be given it, digging well into the soil the following 
spring. 
The long drouths to which we are subject are very 
trying both to the young plants and those of larger 
growth. After experimenting in various ways, we 
have found this to be by far the most successful man¬ 
ner of watering them. Dig a hole by the side of the 
Rose-bush, not near or deep enough to injure the 
roots, however, and plant a flewer-pot about four 
inches in diameter; do not fill the pot with earth, but 
leave it empty, and have it either even or a little be¬ 
low the surface of the ground. When necessary to 
water the plant, fill this pot with water, and it will be 
astonishing to see how very rapidly the water is ab¬ 
sorbed ; refill two or three times ; the water given in 
this manner goes at once to the roots where it is 
needed, when, if applied to the surface of the ground, 
most likely would not be.given in quantity sufficient 
to reach the roots ; besides, surface watering tends to 
bake and harden the soil. Liquid fertilizers can be 
applied in the same manner, and should be given in 
moderate quantities, and not too strong, twice a 
week. 
Frequent stirring of the ground is necessary; this 
is best accomplished by a very simple but exceedingly 
efficient little implement introduced the past season, 
and called the “ Excelsior Weeding Hook ; ” it is gal¬ 
vanized and about the length of a trowel. Just im¬ 
agine the foot of a chicken with the joints bent at 
right angles to the foot, and you have the implement 
at once. 
And now for the varieties; it is perfectly useless 
for amateurs to experiment with those untried, and in¬ 
troduced by many of the florists as “ superb ” and 
“ splendid,” when very often the description and high 
price demanded, are in striking contrast to the plant 
itself. It is only now and then one finds a new Rose 
worthy of purchase; while so many of the old ones are 
really fine, and can be obtained at reasonable rates, it 
is better to select from them 
First in the list stand the hardy Tea-roses; they 
are few in number, but nothing can surpass them in 
delicacy of color and exquisite fragrance — a fragrance 
peculiar to themselves alone. The G-lorie de Dijon, 
creamy, pinkish white, with a huff centre, for its tint, 
perfume, aud luxuriance, stand unrivalled, and, what 
is very rare, the half-opened bud and full- blown Rose 
are equally perfect. There is always a succession of 
bloom, and the flower does not soon wither ; the foli¬ 
age is a beautiful glossy green ; it is a climber and 
rapid grower; one bush has in the last ten years cov¬ 
ered the side of a house, and is now one mass of bud, 
blossom, aud perfect leaf-spray ; if possible, a south¬ 
western exposure should be given it. 
The Brugere, of a peculiar, indescribable tint, is 
very perfect in its long, slender buds, which remain 
half-closed a long time. La Pactole will be found 
very valuable for its constant bloom and beautiful foli¬ 
age ; it is not a climber and the flowers are of a can¬ 
ary-yellow color. 
Safrano is perfect in hud, but loose and open when 
full-blown ; the color is extremely rich, a sort of 
orange-yellow, and there should be one of this variety 
in the smallest collection. Clara Sylvain and Madame 
Brary, both white, but the former a climber, are de¬ 
sirable. 
There are a number of others, valuable for tint and 
perfume, which unfortunately are not hardy; among 
these is the Devoniensis, delicate in color, with the 
perfume of the Magnolia; the plant may live through 
three or four winters, and then again we have been 
obliged to purchase every spring—but we must 
have it. 
A hardy plant, always in bloom, of the class called 
Bourbon, is the Souvenir de la Malmaison. The Roses 
are immensely large, very double, of a delicate flesh- 
color, and altogether one of the best in cultivation. Of 
the same class are Leuson Gower, salmon rose in 
color, and Sombriel, a white Rose, the early bloom of 
which will be found rather inferior, as it seldom ex¬ 
pands perfectly ; but the later Roses are all could be 
desired ; the bush is inclined to climb, but if preferred 
more stocky, can be pruned into shape. 
But it is among the bloom of the Hybrid Perpetual 
lovers of dark, rich velvety Roses- will revel. The 
crowning glory of this class is one we purchased sev¬ 
eral years ago, labeled Professor Koch; as it has 
never been found at any of the florists since similar in 
color, we imagine it to have been an imported Rose, 
wrongly labeled ; it is a climber of the most luxuriant 
growth, and surpassing all others in glory of color, 
perfect outline, and velvety petals; a trellis covered 
with this Rose, and the Glorie de Dijon, both in full 
bloom, with the sunlight bringing out the depth of 
color and rich tints of each, is more beautiful than 
could he imagined. 
Next to this Rose, aud in every way desirable, stands 
Prince Camille de Rohan; it is very similar to Pro¬ 
fessor Koch in color and form, only not uniformly so 
handsome; but where the two varieties cannot he 
compared, the Prince would be considered superb. 
Napoleon and Emperor of Morocco are so very simi¬ 
lar in every respect, it is not necessary to add both to 
the list; the flowers of each are very dark, the edge 
of each petal tipped with black, rendering them both 
unique and handsome. General Jacqueminot is a 
rapid grower, very hardy, fine bloomer, and every way 
desirable ; the bud is perfect, but the full-blown Rose 
is rather too open. 
King of Spain, of a dazzling color, should be added 
to every collection, while General Washington, of im¬ 
mense size, a beautiful shade of crimson and ex¬ 
tremely double, is invaluable. 
Geant des Batailles is showy, but the full-blown 
Rose is so wanting in color, and there are so many 
others more desirable, we have discarded it entirely. 
Victor Verdier, a beautiful, clear pink, and Anna de 
Diesbach, similar in color, are to be recommended. 
Baron, not Baronne, Prevost, one mass of magnificent 
flowers, each Rose large and full, of a bright rose-color, 
is a free and constant bloomer ; as it inclines to climb, 
support should be given it. 
La France, a delicate, satiny pink, is fine, both for 
color and rapid growth. The Archduke Charles is 
classed among the Bengals, but of so much greater 
luxuriance of habit, it hardly seems in place. Genoese 
Marble is another name for the same Rose, and is too 
valuable to be omitted from any collection ; the outer 
petals are a dark crimson, and shaded to the centre, 
which is very light; a fine bloomer and fine grower. 
Celine Forrestier belongs to the Noisette family, which 
are those blooming in clusters ; in color it is entirely 
distinct from any other, and is a very superior Rose. 
Marshal Neil is a superb Rose of the same class, but 
is so tender, it can hardly be depended upon; the 
beauty of the flower is so great, that it repays one to 
purchase a new plant every spring. 
As the list of desirable plants I have given only 
comprises about two dozen varieties, it will be found 
sufficient for a small plot of ground, and when a larger 
space is to be filled, duplicates of many of these varie¬ 
ties would not be amiss; but this list really embraces 
those that best repay the care of cultivation, and for 
variety of color, hardiness and free blooming qualities, 
cannot but prove satisfactory. 
The best time for transplanting is early in the sum¬ 
mer, and after sunset should be taken in preference 
to earlier iu the day. If done just before a shower, 
the ground settles nicely around the roots. The plant 
must be shielded from the sunshine for a week or so, 
until it is well established; this is best done by put¬ 
ting over it an old loosely woven basket, which will 
admit free passage of air, but not admit the sun’s rays, 
and should be much longer than the plant. Another 
way is to drive a stake near the plant and incline a 
large square board, changing its position in the mid¬ 
dle of the day, to follow the sun; at. sunset the basket 
or board must be removed for the flew to fall, and re¬ 
placed about eight o’clock the next morning. With 
care, Roses can be moved even in August; In pur¬ 
chasing do not select the largest plants, as transplant¬ 
ing checks their growth, while small ones hardly feel 
it, and make healthier and finer bushes. 
If the leaves of a Rose-bush turn yellow, and it 
looks unhealthy, taking up in the morning, putting it 
in milk warm water and carefully washing the roots, is 
very beneficial; it should remain in water, sufficient 
to cover the roots, until evening, and after mellowing 
the soil, again set it out; shield from the sun a few 
days. A weak decoction of soot water is excellent; 
but it must be applied very weak and not too fre¬ 
quently. 
Early in June a small green worm, called slug, ap¬ 
pears, and if not checked, so destroys the leaf sprays, 
they look as if scathed by fire ; it applied before the 
worm appears, early in May, whale-oil soap is a cer¬ 
tain preventive; it is bought by the pound or can, 
and dissolved in cold water; a quarter of a pound to 
two pails of water is the right strength; applied by 
means of a syringe every evening for a week, effectu¬ 
ally destroys all trace of the nuisance. They only ap¬ 
pear once during the summer. Susan Gibbons. 
