356 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[December, 



the fact will be quickly found out, and they will 

 come to the front at once. 



Jersey City Heights, N. J., Nov. 2, 1885. 



PROTECTING ROSES IN WINTER. 



BV M. L. HIGGINS. 



largest cut flower growers in this vicinity, who re- 

 ceived some of the same stock at the same time 

 from the same source, had a similar experience to 

 ours, or very nearly as bad, his loss being about 

 one-third. Mr. Oelschig, in his article, states that 

 the roses in his State are in vigorous growth and 

 full bloom as late as the end of October. Now, 

 with this condition of affairs, I fail to see how a 1 My rose plants are in straight rows, four feet 

 thorough ripening of the whole plant, root and apart, and three feet apart in the rows. Before it 

 top, can be achieved so as to be fit for delivery by is time to cover them for winter (which is usually 

 December 1st, and later than this would not do for from the loth to the 15th of November), and 

 us Northern florists. All experienced growers while the plants are free from frost, I bend them 

 know that a " ripened " condition of the whole , down near the ground in the direction of the rows 

 plant is necessary with Hybrid Perpetual roses and fasten' them there. I then place a row of 

 lifted from the ground before they are in perfect 1 boards about eighteen inches wide 



(mme were 

 made of three six inches wide fence boards) on 

 each side of the rows, and nine or ten inches from 

 the plants, thus, | | and let them stand until I 

 wish to close them for winter. I have a lot of 

 leaves gathered and in a dry place, and after the 



condition. I do not condemn the Southern-grown 

 roses sweepingly, for if the conditions of soil and 

 climate are such as to enable the plant to become 

 properly "ripened." then there is no reason why 

 the South should not compete with Europe in 

 roses from the open ground ; but unless they are ground has become frozen and winter liable to set 

 thoroughly ripened failure more or less is certain in, 1 put a good body of the dry leaves on the 

 to follow. It is just possible that these two lots of : plants, and bring the tops of the side boards to- 

 roses were injured by the roots getting dried ; gether thus, /\^. I then throw some cow manure 

 before they were packed in Savannah, or by heat- , between the rows, to be worked in in the spring ; 

 ine in the cases, but they showed no indications 1 but before putting on the manure I throw a little 

 of either, and hence we came to the conclusion dirt on the lower edges of the boards, then close 

 that it was an unripened condition of the root and up the ends of the rows with boards or dirt and 



top a consequence of growing in a section of the I all will be well. If I fear danger from mice, I put 



country where the needed rest of deciduous plants some poisoned meal into an old fruit can, and 

 could not be given, that did the mischief. It is a place it on its side among the plants. My roses 

 well-known fact, that in Florida and other ex- are planted where the snow does not blow off, but 

 treme Southern States, Hybrid Perpetuals, Mosses, drifts over them more or less, which of itself is a 

 and other deciduous roses are hardly ever seen in ' great protection. In the spring before it is time to 

 perfection, and in some sections dwindle and die ; remove the covering fully, I open the boards at 

 no doubt for the reason that there is never long ! the top, giving the plants air ; but, should a cold 

 enough continued low temperature to give them spell occur, it is but a few moments' work to close 

 the needed rest that all deciduous plants demand, the tops of the boards again, when all is safe. 

 Asparagus, rhubarb, peaches, apples, pears and Cared for in this way, I hardly ever lose a plant, 

 cherries refuse to give satisfactory returns when and they come out in the spring looking as fresh 



grown in such a climate as Florida, for this reason. 

 Injustice to Mr. Oelschig, I would state that the 

 roses in question were not received from his 

 estabhshment, and possibly the shipment we re- 

 ceived last year may not have been a fair sample 

 of Southern-grown roses. I sincerely hope that 

 such is the case, as we are large importers of roses 

 each season, and would much prefer to buy home 



and green as when put to bed in the fall. 



Minneapolis, Minn. 



SOME NEW 



INTRODUCTIONS 

 YEAR. 



OF THIS 



BY N. ROBERTSON. 



Geranium Madame Solleri is a new introduction 

 grown plants at the same price, for the reason that ; that may be well said to surpass any other of the 

 they arc grown on their own roots, which is cer- white-leaved kind in cultivation. This praise it 

 tainly an advantage. I do not think that the surely deserves, and anyone wanting a plant for 

 trial Mr. Oelschig suggests would be satisfactory ribbon work, or borders for large beds, will find 

 or final, or that it is at all necessary; for, if few plants equal to it for such a purpose. Its 

 Southern-grown roses are equal to imported stock, , habit of growth resembles none of the other sorts. 



