Cultivation. n 



Soil. 



Next to situation, soil is the most important consideration 

 for the Rose-grower. Indeed, some say soil is the first re- 

 quisite ; but in this we do not agree, for the simple reason 

 that you can make soil, but you cannot make a climate. You 

 must have a " splendid soil to produce such Roses," is a 

 remark often made by one Rose-cultivator to another. " No ; 

 I have a wretched, gravelly place," has been the rejoinder, 

 ' ' or nothing but sand ; but then I have a fine climate, and 

 my garden is well sheltered." The man who starts with a 

 soil suited to the Rose is, of course, in a better position to 

 grow good Roses than the man who has to make it up ; but, 

 still, it can be made. The soil which the Rose delights in is 

 a rich, unctuous loam a loam which, when it is pressed 

 between the thumb and finger, does not crumble, but kneads 

 like a piece of putty ; it must not be clay, although approach- 

 ing it closely. This kind of loam is to be found in many 

 counties of England, notably in Hertfordshire and Hereford- 

 shire; but there are many places in both the Southern and 

 Northern counties where it is also to be found. In some 

 places it is many feet in depth, and, where this is to be 

 found, Roses must grow. This being the normal soil for a 

 Rose, it follows that, where that soil does not exist, the 

 object of the Rosarian must be to get it as near to it as 

 possible. If the soil is light, of course the addition of as 

 heavy a loam as can be had will be desirable. Where the soil 

 is heavy, a different method has to be adopted, and either 

 light, vegetable mould, or some other preparation, used. In 

 order to show what can be done by a thoroughly enthusiastic 

 Rosarian, we would here state what was accomplished by the 

 late Mr. Geo. Baker, of Reigate, one of the very best 

 Rosarians we have had. He says : "In preparing the beds, 

 we measured a space of 4ft. for the first trench, all subse- 

 quent trenches being of the same width ; this affords plenty 

 of space for getting sods, manure, c., in evenly. The 



