“‘Professional floriculturists,’” explained Billy, “are men who raise flowers as a profession or business.” “Thank you,” said Eleanor. The children were in the rose arbor, where the girls had begged him to give them a lesson on roses. “Because,” Eleanor had said, “roses are my favorite flowers.” “Mine, too, except violets,” Mary Frances had added. “The result of this specializing,” resumed Billy, “is that there are many beautiful new kinds of roses constantly being introduced into our country, for while a good many new roses have been produced here, the most have been produced by growers across the ocean, in Ireland and France.” “I never knew that,” exclaimed Eleanor. “I thought that roses were—just roses.” “So did I!” declared Mary Frances. Then suddenly, “Oh, here comes mother! Don’t stop talking, Billy! Mother will love to hear!” “Oh, I don’t think—” began Billy. “Please let me listen, Son,” interrupted his mother’s pleasant voice. “You know how I love roses, I would certainly appreciate hearing what you learned from your teachers about them.” “Well, all right, Mother,” said Billy, “but I’ll stick more closely to my notes than I generally do, since we are honored by your presence.” The girls made room for her on the arbor seat, and Billy opened his note book. “Here is the place,” he said in a moment. “Here commences the lesson on Roses— OLD-FASHIONED ROSES A flower garden would be lacking in interest and beauty, indeed, without the Queen of Flowers, the rose. No matter how small the garden space, some roses may be grown, and their loveliness and perfume will well repay the work of caring for them. There were no such beautiful roses in your grandmothers’ gardens as you may grow to-day, for more beautiful and more perfect roses come into existence every year. Perhaps you have heard of “Damask,” and “Cabbage,” and “China” roses; old-fashioned sounding names they are, very familiar to the ears of your grandparents. They were the great-great-grandparents of the hardier and lovelier roses of to-day, the “Hybrid Perpetuals,” and “Hybrid Teas.” HOW NEW ROSES CAME ABOUT Some few of the new roses were accidents, so called because good Mrs. Bee carried some strange rose pollen to the pistil of one or more of the old-fashioned roses, and the new rose seed-babies took on a new nature. When the little plants from the new rose seed-baby bloomed, rose lovers were delighted with the more perfect loveliness of the new flower. They carefully saved the new plant, and tenderly cared for it. When it was old enough and strong enough, they took “cuttings” from its shoots, and grew more plants like it.