THE ROSE GROWER'S CALENDAR. 211 



MARCH. 



March, with its boisterous, rough weather, is the 

 busiest month in the year for the Rose grower. Late 

 phmting and the pruning- of Rose trees gfo on together, 

 whilst the tying in of climbers and the firming of soil 

 around trees loosened by the wind, the lifting of layers 

 made the previous summer, the staking of budded 

 stocks, the careful ventilation of the greenhouse, the 

 spraying of trees under glass, and the potting up of a 

 few spare trees all want to be done at once. 



Pruning becomes our fiist consideration, and we 

 start with the H.P.'s and our climbers, then the H.T. 

 Roses, leaving the Teas and the most delicate varieties 

 until the first or second week in April. 



Cuttings from forced Roses may be taken this 

 month and planted in pots ; these should be rooted in 

 bottom heat. Watch the thermometer closely this 

 month, and regulate carefully the ventilation of your 

 greenhouse. Insect pests will make their appearance 

 under glass and must be looked for. Transplant seed- 

 lings to their new quarters. Take great care that in 

 all planting the weather is suitable ; in any case pro- 

 tect roots from March winds and see that all frost is 

 out of the ground at planting. 



Do not remove any protection against frost from 

 your trees until the end of the month except in very 

 sheltered corners of the garden. If your soil is a light 

 one it is advisable to cover the surface of the beds of 

 newly planted trees with a little old and well-rotted 

 hot bed manure, this will conserve the moisture and 

 greatly help the trees, especially the late planted ones. 



When pruning trees, examine the labels to see 

 that all are correct, for oft times these get blown off 

 and lost. Because some trees have advanced and from 

 the tops of their branches are showing leaf, do not 

 let this soften your heart and cause you to break all 

 the good laws of pruning; remember you want flowers 

 — not leaves. 



