The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-09-18
For THE FLORAL DEPARTMENT.
The Rose In Florida.

order to grow them successfully Nearly
every dwelling is located on pine land,
which. in most cases, is of a light, sandy
nature and very deficient in humus. If
roses are set out in such soil without its be-
ing properly prepared in nine cases out of
ten they will make little growth, gradually
starve and finally die. There are a few
notable exceptions however. The old Ben
gal Rose, Agrippina, the Pink Daily (Bour-
bon.) the Cherokee and Mccartney or
Chickasaw Roses and at least two or three
unknown sorts. not only hold their own but
flourish and bloom with the greatest lux
uriance and without the slightest attention.
Because most varieties do not succeed in
the poor. light soil in its natural state, many
persons jump to the conclusion that roses
are failure here anyway. and consequently
many yards are never graced by the charm
ing presence of the Queen of Flowers. ="
But by properly enriching the soil with
either stable manure, commercial fertilizers
or muck or a judicious combination of all,
the most beautiful roses may be raised in
perfection and plenty. If clay is added to
the soil-to make it heavier-so much the
better and more lasting it will be. 1t costs
little except labor to fix the soil SO that
roses will grow as we'll and attain as high a
degree of perfection here as anywhere else.
In soil so prepared such we'll known sorts
as Catherine Mermet, Isabella Sprunt La
France and Safrano attain a height and
width of as much as eight feet. and bend
under combined weight of buds and bios
SONS.
Not all roses, however, flourish here on
their own roots, no matter how carefully
the soil may be prepared for them. But if
they are budded or grated on some strong
growing variety which does do well here
they succeed perfectly. A notable example
is the well-k known Noisette Rose Marechal
Neil On its own roots it is inclined to be
poor grower anywhere. and here it is
usually total failure grown in that way.
But when budded or grated on some strong
growing stock it is a perfect success in
every way. When the stock is congenial
ope-like the Cherokee for instance-this
exquisite rose will run like a grapevine.
completely empowering the longest piazza,
soon clambering to the ridge-pole of two
story building and producing bushels of its
matchless flowers. The buds are often of
immense size and the flowers slow to de-
velop, but they are very persistent. re-
naming in good form for long time, often
until they actually wear out. 1t flowers
more or less every month, and there is
rarely day in the year that buds or open
flowers may not be gathered from good
sized vine, but its most prolific season Of
Towering is February, March and April
when it produces its buds by the hundreds.
The hardy roses of the North-Mosses,
Hybrid Perpetuals and-Climbers-are here
almost wholly supplanted by the Teas, Hy-
Bird Teas, Polyanthas, Bourbons. Chinese
or Bengols, and Noisette or Everblooming
Climbers which are perfectly hardy in this
mild climate and bloom almost continually
the year abound. While the Moss. Roses
erow"fairly we'll here they very rarely pro-
duce ablossona and are not worth the space
they occupy or the attention they require,
The climate is too mild to give the Hybrid