ROSES AND THEIR CULTURE 221 



Many times advice is given to dig all the soil 

 out of the proposed rose beds to a depth of two 

 feet or more and replace it with soil specially 

 mixed and worked over for the purpose. Under 

 some circumstances this should be done; and 

 where it is done, be sure that no part of the work 

 is slighted. Have the space to be planted ex- 

 cavated to the proper depth — two feet to thirty 

 inches at the least, for roses are deep rooted 

 plants and the purpose is to provide perfect 

 drainage below their roots — and as the exca- 

 vating is done, pile the sods, the top soil, and the 

 subsoil in separate piles. 



Once down to the level decided upon, the 

 floor of the excavation should be loosened up 

 well with a pick and a layer of stones, cinders, 

 broken bricks, or gravel — any permanent drain- 

 age material — spread upon it from three to five 

 or six inches in depth. Upon this throw in the 

 subsoil, mixed with one quarter its bulk of well- 

 decomposed stable manure — from cow stables, 

 preferably — then put in the sod, which should 

 be broken up thoroughly and also mixed with 

 one quarter its bulk of manure; and last of all 

 fill in with the top soil into which no manure 

 need be mixed. This final layer may come 

 three inches above the adjoining earth, for when 

 the space finally settles, under the action of the 



