V MANURES 73 



but it is not so : the drier the ground and the season 

 the weaker the manure and the purer the water that 

 should be given. My Tea Roses which won the 

 Challenge Cup at the Crystal Palace in the very dry 

 year of 1893 had no liquid manure at all that season, 

 and were only twice watered with pure water. If in a 

 dry time liquid manure is available, and it is desired 

 to put it on, it would be advisable to give a thorough 

 soaking with pure water first. 



But, as I have said, it fortunately happens that 

 liquid manure is generally to be had just when it is 

 advisable to apply it — after a good rain. 



Another mistake that may be be made is this : — " I 

 have only got a certain amount of rich liquid, and that 

 healthy vigorous plant does not want it, I am sure ; but 

 this poor weakly thing would certainly be the better 

 for a dose." 



This would be an error in principle as well as in fact. 

 The principle is a Gospel one, and may be found in St. 

 Luke xix. 24 — 26. It comes into Rose-growing in 

 more than one way ; notably, in pruning, that less in 

 proportion should be cut away from strong growers 

 than from weakly ones ; in selection (for ordinary 

 purposes, not for exhibition), that a man should culti- 

 vate most specimens of the varieties which do well with 

 him, and not endeavour to make up the balance by 

 growing more of those which only sometimes come 

 good ; and here, in feeding, in two ways, for not only 

 does it jmy better, as graziers and all keepers of live 

 stock know, to encourage the healthy than to coddle and 

 nurse the weak, but also the weak cannot use the rich 

 food which makes the strong still stronger. Giving 

 strong meat to babes wastes the food and also seriously 

 injures the feeble, who must take but cannot assimilate it. 



