MANURES 



IT is of no use to attempt to disguise the fact that the 

 Rose, that most beautiful and fragrant of flowers, is a 

 somewhat gross feeder, and it is useless to try to grow 

 it in perfection unless its tastes in food are studied. In 

 the preparation of the soil for the Rose-bed a liberal 

 supply of manure must be incorporated, and surface 

 dressings are needed at intervals throughout the year. 

 There is a slight variation of opinion among authorities 

 as to the relative merits of solid and liquid manures for 

 application after the Roses are established, but there is 

 none as regards the preparation of the soil. The first 

 thing to be done is to find what is the natural texture 

 of the soil itself, whether it is too light or too stiff for 

 its purpose, and on this to base the selection of the 

 manure to be incorporated with it. In a very stiff, cold, 

 heavy soil it will be found best to use horse manure, but 

 this must not be used fresh from the stable. It is only 

 too fatally easy to injure the delicate rootlets of Roses by 

 allowing them to come into contact with such material ; 

 the manure must have decomposed, under cover, until 

 it has almost lost its unpleasant smell and is thoroughly 

 " sweetened." It is essential that this process of decom- 

 position should take place under cover, or the rain will 

 wash out of the manure all its valuable qualities, and the 

 remainder will be little better than rotten straw. While 

 the manure is rotting it should be turned frequently, so 

 that it may not heat too rapidly. This, then, is the 

 best manure for a heavy soil, being what is called, a 

 " hot" manure, while for light dry soils a " cool " manure, 



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