Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-15
TWO GARDENS OF ROs1s.
Those OF bancroft, the Historian, and
COrcOran, the PhilanthrOpist.

|
| COrcOran, the PhilnnthrOPist.
Washington Corr. of the Philadelphia Iimcs.l
| Mr.. Bancrofts rose garden is now nprimc.
He has attached to his Washington residence
a lot in the rear. planted in grass, which hc.
longcd to the house when he bought it, and
another much larger one, fifty by one HIN
dred feet, n, right angles with it, which he
purchased later. THIS is all planted in roses
of the choicest varieties that will grow in the
open air. The high fences enclosing the
garden are fairly lined with roses, which are
trained against their sides, as also are honey
suckles. A rose house, with glass roof, is on
one side the garden, in which there is never
any artificial heat, but Mr.. Bancroft uses it
only that he may have his pets bloom earlier
in the Spring than they would out Of doors.
| In the main portion of the garden rose bushes,
supported by slender sticks, are planted as
| thickly us is possible for them TO b., consist
| ent with neatness and conditions favorable to
| their growth.
Narrow paths run between the rows,
| through which their owner walks in mingled
pride and tenderness. There are over 500
varieties, and he can call each one Of his pets
by name without moments hesitation. He
visits them regularly between and O'Clock
every morning, clipping off blossoms that are
past their prime, and twigs that need cutting
lie says, as an instance of how fashions
change in flowers, rs in everything else, that
there are not half dozen different kinds of
roses cultivated now which were grown by
rose fanciers 20 years ago he has himself
been rose cuturist many years, he says,
and there are only two or three kinds now in
general use which were cultivated when he
first began.
Mr.. Bancroft is working very hard on his
history, saying in as matter of fact way
us If he were speaking of something that
must be done before taking an ordinary jour.
ny
whatever do must be done quickly"
These long mornings he often begins work
at o'clock. He takes a light breakfast al
ways, and afterwards walks in his garden, |
and by 0 o'clock goes to his study; where he |
remains until near 2 o'clock, when after u |
substantial lunch he takes his ride on horse |
back. He is willing to see those with whom |
he is well acquainted while in his garden, or
in the evenings after half past seven o'clock,
for he does all his literary work in the early |
part of the day, but while he is in his study, |
engaged in writing, no one is allowed to dis.
tur0 him.
One square east of Mr.. Baneroit's garden
is that OF another octogenaran, Mr.. w. w.
Corcoran, who Is over two years his senior.
Mr.. Corcoran's garden attached to his Wash,
ington residence is nearly rs large as LlfeWI
cite Square, on which his house fronts. ON
the west side it extends all the way from !
to streets along Connecticut avenue, and al
the back it runs along street from Connec-
ticut avenue to Sixteenth street, but |
as portion runs back to the house adioin-
ing Mr.. Corcorans and the next lot it is
not all of uniform depth. 1t is very neatly |
kept but has known few, il any, alterations
in the past quarter Of century, so it is an
garden and contains none of
the new varieties Of flowers. 1t has many
evcrgreens and enormous bushes of myrtle |
and few of the blossoming species of fruit |
trees, a well-kept lawn near the house and |
beyond it fountain and many flower BEDS |
by circuitous gravel walks. There |
are verbenas, pink and red carnations, large |
bushes of mock orange, covered with bios
SONS, and Towering geraniums and hello |
tropes The rear of the garden is mostly given |
up to roses, but they are the roses of quar-
ter OF a century ago, not the fashionable
kinds of to-day. There are moss roses, both
white and pink, and other rieties, which
when planted were the choicest money could
buy. The very high brick walls which ef-
fectually conceal the garden from the streets
on which 1t borders are entirely lined with
luxuriant ivy.