The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-10-30


sides many varieties of flowers and
shrubs grown in the open ground. In
one greenhouse $500 roses are being
trained to winter blooming for COM
mercial purposes. A large number of
skilled workmen are kept busy grating,
roofing, spraying, watering these and
other thousands Of roses which will be
out on the market at the season for
planting.
The rose is, indeed, the queen of
flowers, a title bestowed so long ago
it seems to have come into existence
with the flower. 1t stands first in popu-
larity and brings the highest price IN
cut flowers. No garden is complete
without as many roses as it can accom-
modate, or as the purse Of its owner
will allow.
Texas produces as fine roses as any
country, her climate and soil being
eminently suited to their needs, and by
proper culture we may have them in
abundance from March until Christ
mas out of doors. The soil necessary
to bring about the best conditions is
made of sand, clay and we'll rotted COW
manure in equal proportions, thorough
| 1y mixed, and we'll spaded in. This is
the formula used by Mr. Green and to
see his roses is to be convinced there
can be no better method used. Roses
are subject to some diseases, and have
their enemies, insects which prey upon
the leaves and blossoms, but these may
be successfully combated by frequent
sprayings with any one of the numer-
Gus insecticides on the market.
Roses are easily propagated in a
homely way from cuttings. Take the
ripened wood and branch that has
blossomed, leaving two or three buds
upon it after cutting off the dead BIOS
som; cut back to within an inch of the
first bud, press this cutting firmly into
the soil up to the last bud on the stem
and set where it is to grow is the
better plan. Water thoroughly, then
turn over the cutting an ordinary half
gallon fruit jar and press the latter in
to the soil. Water when needed and
do not remove the jar until the follow
ing spring after frosts are over. Two
thirds, at least, of such cuttings will
grow Young roses should not be al
lowed to bloom the first season after
planting. The buds should be picked
off as they appear. It requires some
courage to do this, but the fall roses
will repay the sacrifice.
In selecting flowers for the home
garden it is wise and most satisfactory
to decide upon those which are hardy
and which require but little care af-
ter they are once established. Most
of the perennia1s are both hardy and
snowy and the two qualities combined
afford a wealth of color throughout
the season. There is wonderful va
rlety from which to make choice; so
great that one finds it difficult to make
a reasonable selection A few varie-
ties we'll chosen and we'll cared for
give more satisfaction than a greater
number neglected.
| Much is written of the old fashioned
garden of Our grandmothers. These
were planted with ho11yhocks, peo-
MES, hlacs, spireas, tiger lilies, flags
dahllas, lady slippers, touch-me-nots,
marlgolds, winter pinks, (our chrys-
anthemums), sweet peas and nasturti-
ums, and SO no finer collection could be
made to give constant bloom and
brightness to the garden from early
spring until December.
OF the perennia1s, the peony comes
first. Planted once they continue to
increase in beauty and bloom, year
after year. Their season of bloom is
April and May. With them we have
the splrea and lilac and little later
comes the ever welcome old flags,
purple and white, and their finer SIS
ters-1n variety of cO1ors-the Ger