SOILS, PLANTINGS, PRUNINGS 29 



composing the soil. When a new bed is made, 

 it must be allowed to settle for at least a fort- 

 night (a month is preferable), before any attempt 

 is made to plant it ; and if rain, snow, or frost 

 should come while it is settling, so much the 

 better. When all is ready, and the holes made 

 nine to twelve inches deep and eighteen inches 

 across in a new rose bed, we have to examine 

 our plant, cut off any bruised or torn root, as 

 it will rot if left untrimmed, and holding the 

 Rose in the centre of the hole with one hand, 

 carefully spread out the roots in all directions 

 with the other, so that they lie flat without any 

 bending or twisting. The collar or point at 

 which the Rose has been budded on to the 

 stock, must be three inches below the surface 

 of the bed. Therefore this point has to be 

 carefully considered. A little loam not 

 manure is then sprinkled among the roots, 

 and pressed gently round and over them. The 

 rest of the hole is filled up, and the plant made 

 quite firm, first by the hand and then by the 

 foot, and if necessary a little manure, used as a 

 mulching, may be put round it on the surface, 



