NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
The Culture of Roses =~ 
Perhaps never during the many 
years of its widespread popularity 
has the rose been more fashionable 
for garden planting than it is at the 
present day. The scores of new 
varieties, which have been created 
and perfected through the wonder- 
ful skill of modern fiorists, have 
made this beautiful ‘‘queen of flow- 
ers’’ a greater favorite than ever be- 
fore, and today there are few gar- 
dens to be found which do not harbor 
at least a few members of 
the great rose family. 
Professional gardeners 
have been devoting a 
great deal of time and at- 
tention of late years to 
the cultivation of roses, 
for it has been the fash- 
ion for every lurge estate 
to have in connection with 
it a garden set aside ex- 
clusively for roses. The 
fad tor gardening of this 
sort, like so many other 
caprices of the rich, has 
been eagerly taken up by 
many people of more 
moderate circumstances, 
and rose growing 1s now 
the pet hobby of not a 
few e nthusiastic ama- 
teurs. 
In its favor it must be 
admitted that a more 
sensible fad has seldom 
been adopted. The healthful out- 
door labor which gardening e¢alls for 
is a boon to the business man who 
is shut up, in his office all day, and 
surely the resulting crop of delicate, 
fragant blossoms is an ample rec- 
ompense to the flower lover, in re- 
turn for the labor and outlay neces- 
sary. 
In order to insure a good degree 
of success in the cultivation of roses, 
the beginner should have some 
knowledge as to the requirements of 
his plants.. It is true that some roses 
of hardy and courageous varieties 
will make a brave struggle and often 
grow strong and thrifty under un- 
favorable circumstances, but the best 
results can only be secured by giv- 
ing due consideration to soil condi- 
tions, fertilization, and the proper 
eare of the plants. 
The amateur will make no mistake 
in growing his roses in a garden 
quite by themselves, as this is by far 
the most satisfactory way. Many 
people in their anxiety to beautify 
By MARY H. NORTHEND 
their grounds, make the mistake of.. «=, 
laying out a rose bed in some con- 
spicuous portion of the lawn. By 
nature the rose is clearly unsuited 
for such a position, for not only is 
its foliage in most cases unsatisfae- 
tory for ornamental purposes, but 
the loveliness of the blossoms as well 
can be best appreciated and enjoyed 
only when viewed close at hand. It 
requires the intimacy of a small gar- 
den, from which all other flowers 
aah 
THE SPAULDING GARDEN AT BEVERLY FARMS 
are excluded, to properly emphasize 
the beauty of each individual rose. 
When people commence to realize the 
truth of this, they will see the wis- 
dom of planting their roses in simple, 
well arranged gardens. 
One of the first problems which 
confronts the would-be rosarian’ is 
the selection of a suitable location 
for his rose garden. If the best re- 
sults are to be obtained spot must be 
chosen with an eye to its natural 
adaptability to the needs of the 
plants. The most satisfactory site 
for a rose garden is an open piece 
of ground, preferably with a south- 
west exposure, and high enough to 
be free from very late spring frosts, 
which are apt to cause so much 
trouble in low land by nipping the 
tender young shoots as soon as they 
put forth. To be ideal the location 
must have plenty of sunshine, for 
roses delight in warmth and light 
and fresh air. In many eases it is 
a wise precaution to provide for 
some protection against high winds, 
“away. 
and with this end in mind some 
gardeners choose a location in close 
proximity to trees. It is never ad- 
visable to plant roses in, such a spot_ 
_for two good reasons. 
In the first 
place they do not. take kindly to 
being shaded, and furthermore it is 
impossible for the plants to thrive 
when all the nourishment from the 
soil prepared for them is being ab- 
sorbed by greedy tree roots. as often 
happens in such cases. The latter 
difficulty can be prevented 
by sinking a_ four-inch 
wall of stone or brick to 
feet between the garden 
ing off the roots. How- 
no small amount of bother 
and expense, it is by far 
the best plan to avoid it 
altogether, if possible. 
The next thing to be 
taken into consideration, 
after the garden site has 
been selected, is the condi- 
gross feeders and require 
plenty of nourishment. 
Good, rich loam contain- 
clay is considered the 
most. satisfactory soil for 
the hardy varieties, but a 
tendency toward sogginess should — 
be carefully guarded against. In 
case the ground is not sufficiently — 
artificial — 
drained by nature 
means should be supplied for the 
superfluous moisture _ to filter 
A simple and effective way of 
providing the proper drainage is to 
open up the rose beds to the depth 
of about three feet and then fill in 
about a foot with a layer of clam 
shells, broken brick, coarse gravel 
or any similar substance that makes 
a porous filling. A few. cinders 
spread above this will serve to keep © 
the soil from washing down and at 
the same time allow the water to 
filter through freely. The remain- 
ing depth may be then filled in with — 
carth which has been prepared. ‘The 
lower soil for a depth of about eight- 
een inches should be enriched by 
means of a generous amount of well 
rotted cow manure thoroughly work- 
ed in, and a little bone meal, scat- 
tered with 4 sparing hand before the 
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the depth of about four 
and the trees, thus head- 
ever, as the construction 
of such a defense entails — 
tion of the soil Roses are 
% ing a small percentage of | 
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