211 



PLANTING. 



November and December are so well known to 

 be favourable months for planting roses that it is 

 thought by many amateurs no others are or can 

 be so eligible : on dry sandy soils, this is quite 

 correct ; but on wet retentive soils, if the holes 

 are opened in winter, so that the mould becomes 

 pulverised by frost, February is much better. In 

 light soils, a mixture of well-rotted cow-dung and 

 rich stiff loam from an old pasture, giving to each 

 plant, if a standard a wheel-barrowful, if a dwarf 

 about half that quantity, will be found the best 

 compost ; if the soil be stiff, the same quantity of 

 manure and pit or road sand, or burnt earth, equal 

 parts, will be most eligible. The roots of the 

 plants wiU require but little pruning; merely 

 shorten any that are long and straggling ; and if 

 the plants are very luxuriant, those planted in 

 autumn may have their branches shortened to 

 about half their length to prevent the wind rocking 

 them ; in February they may be finally pruned as 

 directed for each family ; in spring-planting they 

 may be pruned before they are planted. In every 

 case some manure, or other surface dressing, to the 

 extent of two inches in depth, should be placed on 

 the surface round the stem of each plant; this 

 keeps the roots in a moist state and enriches the 

 soil. 



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