56 



Unsil (iAlMHAINC 



The Rose Garden 



Some Seasonable Notes 



Tiir, ])rt-maturc tiidwlli thai >laitf.l ii> llic 

 tally \\i'»-ks of ihis year, scjidiii^' fmth \\\:>sv 

 lusrious jirofu ajul crimson shoots so clu'crin^' 

 to till' Kosi' jirower. has ri'ct'ivt'd a sad set hack 

 from the frosts ami fold rains of Fohruary ajid 

 oarly days of March. In some districts, and 

 in not even the most cxi)<)scd. the conse<iuences 

 have been little short of disastrous. Kresli 

 •rrowing laterals have l)ceji totally withered ii|t. 

 and their utility at least for an early seasoji 

 sensibly de])reeiated. This had effect lias l)een 

 more iu)ticcable in the case of the elimhinu 

 varieties of the Teas and Hyl)rid Teas, and will 

 eom])el a revision of the ])runing that may have 

 been ]>ost])oned. With Roses such as Lady 

 Aslitown, La France, Papa Go.ntier. &e., adaj^ed 

 as climbers; this early growth generally does 

 not affect all the eyes oji the branch. On these 

 branches trained against walls or trellis Avork 

 it will be found that not even all the uppermost 

 biids have thrust forth shoots, and the under 

 buds few, if any ; a.nd here judicious pruning 

 will, in a great measure, make up for the loss 

 caused by the harsh weather. Frost-bitten 

 shoots should on no account be allowed to 

 continue on Rose trees. Tlie check received 

 will liave a permanent effect, and the growth 

 will not have the stout, sappy constitution 

 necessary to produce the quality of })loom 

 required. The dwarf Roses will not suffer so 

 much in proportion, as the pruning will have 

 been more vigorous, and the damaged poitions 

 should have been cut away in the ordinar.\' 

 course. 



At a time such as this, one caji see the good 

 effects foUowmg judicious care in planting. 

 Xo weather is more trying on Roses than one of 

 persistent cold rains. Unless the drainage of 

 the Rose plot has bee.n regulated the ground 

 becomes sodden, and militates against the wel- 

 fare of the plant. This collection of excessive 

 moisture at the roots has a more deleterious 

 effect on even the hardiest of Roses than a 

 season of hard frosts unaccompanied whh 

 rains . 



All pruning should be finished off this month, 

 and the Teas shoiild be also attended to and put 

 in order towards the end of the mojith. Except 

 in imusually mild seasons, early pruning is of 

 not much advantage. There is little real growth 

 until the ground gets free from the cold of tlxe 



wiiiici nioiiilis. and t he rnstnniarv night frosts 

 lictomc inclTcct ual. 



.\n\ farm\-ard niainirc iimmI in nndching 

 cslal/lishcd lio.sfs >linul.l l.c f..rkcd in now. and 

 llic jtnx- licd> made I id \ fm' the Minunci'. 

 .M.iiiuic left iMH(i\ cicd lice (incs ralhcf nn- 

 siL'htl\. hut is all the more bcnclicial if cnMnd 

 up and incor|>orat('(l with the soil. 



Tlic strong winds of the ])ast months will 

 lia\(' loosened the hold of many of the Rose 

 stocks, and cavities frc(|ncntly may be fornu'd. 

 which should have l)een ])revented by constant 

 atleiition. Hut the first oi)])ort unity of dry 

 wcat licr >li'iiil(| l)c taken t'» give a close ins])ecti(tn 

 of ! he iil:iiit> ;iimI lia \c t he soil about them made 

 liiiii. Ttii^ is all the niore necessary wlieii 

 iccc'it plant iii!_r has i»eeii <l<iiie in <.'i<>und not of 

 pioper dryness, and can l)e icpcatcd all to the 

 heneht of the Pvose. The best results will 

 follow from growth in linn soil as long as the 

 to]) layer of soil is kc])t loose and linely Inoken 

 to •i)revcnt summer evaporation. 



Efficient spiayin.L^ should he canied on from 

 this time. The rose uiiih will soon make its 

 ap]iearancc, and. if undetected, will i»lay liaxoc 

 with the young shoots. In many <.f the old 

 established ])lants may he found wintei'ing 

 larvic of various kinds waiting for their day. 

 The saw-fly nuiggot will be here, and the winter 

 nu)th cater])illar will add to the trouble of the 

 Rose grower. Any of the well advertised 

 insecticides may be used, biit for convenience 

 and good results, one could not do better than 

 to spray with hot water, to whiclx may be a(Uled 

 a tables]X)onful of paraffin to the gallon. The 

 water, of course, must not be boiling, and yet 

 iTot hdve-warm ; the exact temperature will vary 

 with the heat of the day. but never so hot that 

 one cannot liold the hand in it without dis- 

 comfort. This both elUcicntly clears off pests 

 and cleanses the shoots. 



Briers that have been budded last seasoji will 

 need attention. With the Standards all up, 

 cropping suckers should be pulled up, and any 

 laterals nipped, and the budded laterals cut in 

 close to the bud. The growth of the young 

 bud — the future Rose plant — miist be secured to 

 a stake to avoid disaster from squalls. 



Tt is not yet too late to do some planti.ng, but 

 all the more attention will be jiecessary, as 

 during dry weather a daily syringing of the 

 bushes should be done to encourage the rise of 

 sap. Witli Stajidard Roses late planting is 

 more risky; being more exposed, they suffer 

 from the conseqiient dryness, })ut judicious care 

 will overcome all f)l)stacles. 



J. A. F. G. 



