The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-05-08
ROSES AND THEIR CULTURE

Not all flower lovers have the love
OF gardening. The love of flowers is
not always accompanied by the delight
OF stirring the soil and fussing in the
garden. nor is the effect the same on
the individual, for, while nothing but
good can come of the love for flowers,
devotion to gardening sometimes be-
comes such a hobby that a mans
business or profession and woman's
household duties may suffer as a
consequence.
In Gibbons Decline and Fall of
ths Roman Empire" Diocletian, when
solicited to reassume the reins of
government and the imperial purple,
explains that "If he could show Maxi
milan the cabbages which he had
planted with his own hands at Sa-
Iona, he should no longer be urged
TO relinquish the enjoyment of happi-
ness for the pursuit of power.' Ano-
Their author of more modern times
says in the preface that eff a man
desires to be free man, gardening
he should shun like gambling and
take refuge in hotels away from this
pernicuous enchantement."
FOR many years 1 arose an hour
earlier each day that / might spend
this extra time in my garden. and at
night | rushed home to complete
some task l had denied myself the
privilege of finishing before office
hours. A particular friend was Izaak
walton, another baseball fan, and
neither would allow his business to
interfere with fishing or ball games.
Now they have both contracted the
gardening habit and only a tour Of
the country in a friends car can in
terfere with our pleasure.
Against the love of flowers no warm
ing is necessary. Though children, in
appreciation of their natural beauty,
IKE to pick wild flowers, it is rather
the JOY of picking than appreciation
of the flowers that gives them the
pleasure. The love of flowers is inert
In us all. the love of roses or any par
tlcular flower Is q matter of cultiya-
ton. Even the most devoted rose en-
thusiast will seldom, if ever, confine
himself to the one flower. While I
sacrifice any flower to find room for O.
ne rose Especially yellow rose, 1
would not be without other flowers.
To do so would be narrow, and my
heart is big enough for a good bed
of tulips aund other spring Towering
bulbs, also dahlias carnations, sweet
peas. iris and gladioli.
1t is one of the sad things about our
great cities that many have not the
opportuni-y of enjoying flowers or
their culture. Not long ago one of the
flower missions of New York distri-
buted many punches at one of the
schools in the tenement district. One
little tot looked wistfully at a beauti-
ful bouquet, which, when offered to
her, she declined, saying: II don't
need no flowers, I amt dead yet"
erct<-. I,a
ers use deNcept at funerals.
Alger Petts says: cone who has
acquired real love for flowers has
added to his mental wealth, and he
who N any way implants the begin
ming of similar love in other people
Is thereby adding to their wealth by
increasing their capacity for pure en-
1oyment--enjoyment which, so far
from delaying, grows by what it feeds
upon, and can be often ministered to
without expense
No one is any the worse, but prob
ably better, for having his thoughts
occasionally directed to Childhood
rs and the wealth of innocent
meories easily recalled by the sight
of some Of the old-fashioned flowers
of grandmother's garden.
"One impulse from a vernal wood
May teach You more of man,
OF more of evil and of good
Than all the sages cam
Wordsworth
There Is an indescribable influence
of flowers not felt by those whose
minds are not in sympathy with it,
but felt powerfully by some The
n ystic influence in "Intimations''---
''TJ me the meanest flower that blows
Can give thoughts that do often lie
Too deep for tears"
What Is more rare than q day in
June in our rose gardens here in the
favored Pacific Coast I wish could
inoculate each one of you with the
rose fever. It's very contagious and
like the ague, Is hard to shake off
It's wholesome in its influence. 1t
keeps you home with your family, and
the results, 1t will bring out all the
aesthetic in your nature, give you a
genuine interest in a delightful pas
time, the development of which Will
be appreciated by your family, your
neightbors, and every observing pas
serby.
Visit the rose show in June and get
an inspiration. The rose shows Of
England have done more to develop
the love for the beautiful in the past
80 years than all other forces COM
bined in all the previous times.
The gardening profession is be-
coming recognized more as a profess
sion than formerly, and gardeners are
now provided with much better living
quarters on the large estates. In fact,
the head gardeners house is now
more prominently located amid beau
tiful surroundings and, in some in
stances, might easily be mistaken for
the masters.
Only few years ago the gardener
cottage was showed away in some I'M
frequented nook or corner of the We
getable garden. To make the best of
large estate and make good with
the owner, the gardener must be a
man of more than ordinary intelli-
gence, with special aptness and train
ing with a love for his work.
The owners, however, experience
little of the &, 1uine pleasure. If they
would mount the rose hobby and ride
it for a season their happiness could
be complete ROSEA