170 THE ROSE BOOK 



to indicate where the roses are to be planted. The 

 distance apart should be from eighteen inches to two 

 feet for bush or dwarf roses, and from two and a half 

 to three feet for standards. All long roots should be cut 

 back so that they are not more than twelve inches long 

 and bruised ends cut off. If for any reason the roses 

 cannot be planted at once, they should be put in a 

 shallow trench, covered with soil, and made firm. If 

 the plants are laid in with care each one may be taken 

 out without disturbing the other. At planting time, 

 take out a few plants, dip the roots in water, and cover 

 with a sack, then proceed to dig a hole about fifteen 

 inches square. The work of planting is most conveniently 

 carried out by two persons, one holding the rose in the 

 centre of the hole, while the other covers the roots with 

 soil. The plant should be at such a depth that the junction 

 of stock and scion, the point at which the rose was budded 

 (in the case of bush and climbing roses) is about an 

 inch below the surface. If the roots are bunched together, 

 they should be disentangled and spread out, but, as 

 already mentioned, there is no need to arrange every 

 root. The soil having been worked among the roots 

 well, and made firm with the foot, a handful of bone- 

 meal may be given to each plant ; it should be scattered 

 on the soil before the final covering is put on. One 

 should aim at having the soil quite firm about the roots 

 and loose on the surface. Standards are planted at 

 such a depth that the uppermost roots are three or 

 four inches beneath the surface. 



All long shoots on bush roses may be shortened to two 



