The Rose and How^ to Grov/^ It 



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HE amateur is sure to encounter 



difficulties in growing roses. If, 



however, tfieir culture is once com- 



lenced, it will be found hard to give it 



ip, as their attractions become more 



nd more fascinating as the years go by. 



Start in the right way by selecting an 



open situation, with shelter, not too near 



trees. Otherwise the roots of the trees 

 will rob the roses of their required food. 

 The ground should be well drained. I 

 ig about two feet deep, and put in a 

 layer of cinders, stone or any other ma- 

 terial, for drainage, and on top of this 

 manure, well packed down, and then the 

 soil. Keep the fine soil, mixed with 

 some well decayed manure, for the top. 

 Raise the bed above the surrounding 

 soil. 



Roses that are budded will grow 

 ' stronger and give better bloom than 

 I roses on their own roots. Nevertheless 



I prefer roses on their own roots, 

 i There is no danger of suckers grow- 



Ing from l>elow where budded. 

 When planting budded roses, the bud 

 ihould be three or four inches below the 

 lurface. This will tend to prevent the 

 iuckers springing from the roots, or 

 rom the bud. 

 THE SOIL KEQUEttED 

 The soil for the rose bed, espxecially 

 or hybrid perpetuals, should contain 

 .some clay, as it retains the moisture 

 longer than where all sand is used. Tea 

 roses require warmer and lighter soil, 

 such as sand and leaf mould. The loose 

 soil from sod is good. 



Plants from the nursery if not grown 

 in pots, should be set in warm water 

 for a day, in case the roots are too dry. 

 ■Many roses are lost thro ugh the roots 



•First prize essay in the comDetition for prizes 

 fffered by MeexTe. Hermann Simmers, of Toronto, 

 '"'• B. B. Whyte, of Ottawa. 



James M. Hull, Hamilton, Ont. 



having tecome dried out before plant- 

 ing. 



Puddle the roots in thin mud, and set 

 them firmly when planting. Rake the 

 top soil loose. It should be kept loose 

 all summer, especially after rain. If a 

 crust forms on the soil, it prevents the 

 air getting at the roots, which the health 

 of the plant makes necessary. 



Do not cultivate too deep. When the 

 bed is well made the roots are near the 

 surface. All the cultivation it will need 

 for a few years is a top dressing. Bone 

 meal or very fine sifted wood ashes, or 

 coal cinders are good, when fine. They 

 keep the top soil open and loose. I use 

 bone meal and also manure from the 

 hen house. It is spread a few inches 

 from the plants. If placed too near it 

 is apt to burn the plants. The manure 

 contains an amount of ammonia which 

 helps to kill the insects that the rose is 

 subject to. 



INSECT PESTS 



A fine spray from the hose early in 

 the season is good to keep the plants 

 free from insect pests. Tobacco solution 

 controls the aphis or green fly. Apply it 

 with a whisk, and in such a manner that 

 it will reach the underside of the foliage, 

 as well as the top. There are many 

 other solutions that are good. I have 

 found the foregoing sufficient. 



The perpetual roses should be pruned 

 well back, but with tea roses only the 

 weak wood requires to.be taken out after 

 growth in the spring. My favorite roses 

 are hybrid teas, a cross between tea and 

 perpetual roses. They have all the good 

 qualities of both parents, and continue 

 in bloom all summer. I have cut bloom 

 as late as November. 



The winter protection I give tea roses 

 is to drive small stakes around the plants. 

 These are filled in loosely with leaves. 

 Around this is placed a coarse litter from 

 the garden, which helps to keep the 

 leaves from blowing away. 



There are so many good roses it is im- 

 possible to name them all. I will there- 



fore mention only a few of the best and 

 easiest to grow : 



Perpetual : Karl Druschki, white ; Mrs. 

 John Laing, pink; Paul Neyron, deep 

 rose ; Baroness de Rothchild, pale pink ; 

 J. B. Clark, deep scarlet; Madam Plant- 

 ier, white. 



Tea : La France, bright pink ; Killar- 

 ney, white, pink ; Madam Caroline Gest- 

 out, pink ; Betty, ruddy gold ; Kaiserin 

 Augusta Victoria, pink. 



j^^Mffet 



