MANURES FOR ROSES 205 



soil, and it may be given to roses very conveniently in 

 the form of basic slag. This should be applied to the 

 lower soil when trenching, at the rate of six or eight 

 ounces to a square yard. 



In preparing a bed for roses, farmyard manure should 

 be freely mixed with the lower soil, the basic slag then 

 being scattered and dug in. The subject of preparing 

 rose beds is fully dealt with in another chapter. If the 

 reader cannot obtain farmyard or cow manure, what 

 is he to do ? He will find Wakeley's Hop Manure an 

 excellent substitute. At planting time each plant should 

 receive a good handful of bonemeal, this being scattered 

 on the soil just before applying the final covering. The 

 bonemeal must be hidden from view at once, or the 

 sparrows will have the lot. 



The question of manuring established roses is an 

 important one. It is necessary partly to supply the 

 potash and phosphorous that is lost by the removal of 

 growths at pruning time and when flowers are gathered 

 in summer. The rose is a " gross feeder," and to replenish 

 the food supply so that the plant may continue to yield 

 fine quality blossoms, annual manurings must be given, 

 and, in addition, waterings with liquid manure from May 

 to August. 



The reader should be warned against manuring the 

 roses too freely the first season after planting. Thousands 

 of plants are killed annually in this way. The beginner 

 wishes to have blooms as large as those shown at the 

 exhibitions, and reads that the use of some special 

 fertiliser will ensure them. He uses it recklessly, with 



