ROSES. CHINA ROSE: History.-Description. - Soil.- Pruning.-Watering. - Varieties. TEA ROSE: History. Culture. Varieties. BOURBON ROSES: History. Culture. - Varieties. PINKS: Indian Pink. Carnation.- Difference between Carnation and Picotee.- Classes. -Soil.-Potting.-Care of Flowers.- Culture out of doors. - Prop (117) agation. Layers. - Pipings. - List of Carnations and Picotees. FUCHSIAS: History. - Growth. How to direct it. Wintering. - Soil. Varieties. N continuing our list of plants adapt ed for window gardening, we come to the queen of flowers, the Rose. A book, rather than a portion of a chapter, should be devoted to this flower; but as our space is limited, we must with a word, dismiss the large divisions of June, Hardy or Hybrid Perpetuals, Pro vence, Damask, Galic, Moss, Climbing, Austrian, Noisette, and Banksian Roses, each of which would require a separate treatise, and confine ourselves to the China, Bourbon, and Tea families. Many of the others are of great value for the greenhouse, some being, in our climate, purely green-house roses, and others being invaluable for forcing; but none succeed with parlor culture, though many are well known in the garden, and may claim more than a passing mention when we come to the concluding portion of our book, the Flower Garden and Shrubbery. CHINA ROSE. And, first, the China rose. While treating of parentage, we may also include the tea rose, which, with the China, comes from the same ancestor, the Rosa Indica and its varieties. From this stock come all the China and teascented roses, which, by skilful hybridization, are now so multiplied that already their name is legion. Properly speaking, the three roses which are the oldest, and may be considered parents of the race, are Rosa Indica, the common Chinese rose, R. semperflorens, the crimson or sanguinea rose, and R. odorata, the Chinese or sweetscented tea rose. The China rose and its hybrids are usually stout growing, and sometimes of a close, twiggy habit. With us they will not endure the winter without protection, but south of Baltimore, stand out uninjured. They are the common rose of window gardening, and are known as "monthly roses." The colors vary from white to deep crimson or red, running through all the shades of blush and pink. They are often exposed for sale in early spring at the corners of streets and in the market places, every little shoot being crowned with a bud or flower. The foliage is generally smooth, glossy, and fine cut, clothing every little twig, and of a lively, fresh appearance. It will survive almost any treatment, and will live if but a ray of sunlight can reach it. It is the poor man's friend, and clings to him in every vicissitude; yet, while possessing adaptability to circumstances in a remarkable degree, no plant will better repay care and attention. Cleanliness, washing, and syringing are essential to good health; give plenty of light, and it will repay you by abundance of bloom. Though as its common names (daily or monthly rose) imply, it will not bloom every day, yet there will seldom be a day when it will not have a flower or a bud upon it. It will ask you, too, for an occasional smoking; for the green fly is very fond of the delicate juices of its young shoots, and this indeed of all roses. Do not give it too large a pot. Roses will do well in smaller pots, in proportion to their size, than almost any other plant. SOIL. Yet the soil must be rich and well mixed. It should consist of four parts of the richest black loam, or leaf mould, two parts of well-rotted manure, with a slight ad mixture of fine sand. This soil should not be sifted, but lumpy, yet well mixed together. In potting, as much of the old soil as can be taken off without breaking the roots, should be removed, and the plant set just up to the neck or collar, on the new soil; settle the earth well around the plant, and give a gentle watering from the fine rose of a watering pot. Pruning should be done as required; the eyes will break any where; therefore, whenever a branch becomes too long or unsightly, cut it in; there need be no fear of injuring the plant. If they have been planted out in the garden during the summer, on removal to the house in the autumn they will need a severe pruning. Cut off the young wood to within a few inches of the old wood, and give the plants a little rest, by giving less water and little heat; when you wish them to bloom, bring them into full sunlight, give more heat, and, as soon as the young branches have begun to push, give plenty of water. Every eye will produce a shoot, crowned with one or more buds; after blooming, shorten in the blooming branches about one half; new eyes will push, and a second display of bloom be the result. In watering roses, care must be taken not to render the soil |