THE FLORIST. 81 



tion with the catalogues published annually by Mr. Rivers and 

 other eminent Rose-growers. I will now proceed to make a few 

 observations on planting. 



In passing through the country, I am often sorry to see neat 

 cottages, villas, and even mansions, with some half-dozen or more 

 stunted standard Rose-trees planted in the turf, neither dead nor 

 alive, forming no ornament ; whereas had more care and attention 

 been bestowed on them when they were planted, the case would 

 have been quite the reverse. Their owners have no notion of the 

 true cause of their failure, but cast all blame upon the nurseryman 

 from whom the plants were obtained. I have seen young plants 

 just taken from the nursery, where they had been attended with the 

 greatest care, planted in a hole scarcely large enough to contain 

 their roots in a very poor lawn, with the turf laid close up to 

 their stems, and without any manure. How, therefore, can they be 

 expected to thrive ? Should you venture to give a hint to a person 

 who is planting in this manner, it is more than probable your remark 

 would be answered by, " I don't understand it myself; but I believe 

 my man (a kind of nondescript between a gardener and groom) does." 

 Such a person under the skilful direction of a master or mistress 

 would be useful ; but when the operation of transplanting is entirely 

 left to his discretion, it is too often performed in an improper, 

 slovenly manner, and the beauty, health, and even life of the plants 

 are sacrificed. Where it is desirable to plant Standard Roses singly 

 in grass lawns (and what can be more ornamental than a well -grown 

 healthy plant covered with bloom ?). a circle of turf should be 

 removed not less than five or six feet in diameter. If the first spit 

 of soil be moderately rich, it may be placed on one side, and the 

 whole of the subsoil, to the depth of three feet, entirely removed, 

 and replaced with a mixture of good rich loam, good strong stable 

 manure, or old night-soil, and the top spit next the turf well mixed 

 with them. If the top soil is rather light, a good proportion of the 

 subsoil, if heavy, may be added to it, in order to make the compost 

 heavier, as I find Roses budded on stocks of the Doer-Rose flourish 

 best in a moderately heavy soil. Tread the mixture in the hole, to 

 prevent it from sinking, till nearly full, place the plant in the centre, 

 spreading the roots and fibres in an horizontal direction, and cover 

 them with rich garden-mould. Especially avoid planting too deeply. 

 On the top spread a layer of subsoil, poor sand, or road earth, one or 

 two inches thick, to prevent the turf from growing more luxuriantly 

 than the rest of the lawn. In replacing the turf, leave a circle not 

 less than eighteen inches or two feet in diameter around the stem. 

 This should be filled, instead of subsoil or poor sand, with a rich 

 compost, which will be washed down to the roots by the rain. To 

 ensure the future health and vigour of the plants, one or two gallons 

 of good liquid manure should be poured on this circle two or three 

 times every succeeding winter. 



The same remarks are applicable to Roses in beds or borders ; 

 but the whole of the beds or borders should be dug three feet deep, 

 mixing the top soil, the subsoil, and a good quantity of manure 



