276 IRRIGATION FARMING. 



bush a foot-bath must not be attempted. Young plants 

 require some protection at night until their tissue 

 stems have changed to woody fiber. On occasional 

 days they may need some shelter from a too ardent 

 sun. The soil about the rosebush needs occasional 

 loosening. Virgin soil needs but little fertilizing aid, 

 as a general thing, but a bucketful of barnyard man- 

 ure spread over the ground and often flooded with 

 water never harms a 'growing plant. It does rose- 

 bushes but little harm to cut off the tops of the more 

 thrifty growing stems, and this plan generally results 

 in a better crop of roses, but too much trimming and 

 pruning is bad. We would not advise irrigation of 

 the rose or any other bush, tree or shrub after the 

 middle of August, or the first of September at the very 

 latest. 



