92 PARSONS OX THE ROSE. 



Moss, and June roses. The Tea, China, and Noisette, 

 will bear taking up at any time, but their roots will rarely 

 be in a condition to endure the cold as far north as New 

 York without some protection. When received from the 

 nurseryman in the autumn, they should be carefully and 

 separately heeled-in in a dry piece of land, and covered 

 with sand. A covering of litter should be avoided, be- 

 cause it affords a harbor for mice, who would soon destroy 

 the plants. 



Plants from the open ground are always to be preferred 

 by the purchaser. Those sold in pots in the spring have 

 frequently been forced, and will require a long period of 

 rest before growing again, while those from the open 

 ground, having had their rest, will grow luxuriantly at 

 once. 



It should also be remembered by the purchaser that the 

 delicate roots of the Rose will not bear exposure to the 

 air. All reputable nurserymen understand this, and pack 

 in moss. Dealers, however, who purchase of these nurs- 

 erymen, and who have many lots to deliver after they are 

 unpacked, are often not sufficiently careful to guard the 

 roots against exposure. The plants then failing to grow 

 well, the fault is attributed to some deficiency in the plant, 

 rather than to its true cause. To ensure safety while be- 

 ing delivered, dealers should dip them, as soon as un- 

 packed, in a puddle of mud of the consistency of thick 

 paint. This precaution is useful in every case after un- 

 packing and before planting, for there must always be 

 some delay and exposure even when the purchaser obtains 

 plants directly from the grower. 



