40 Roses for Amateurs. 



the ground. The second cause has been the introduction of 

 a hardier race of Teas, which are able to withstand the cold 

 weather to which they are subjected with us ; although it is 

 a great mistake to suppose that the winters are severer here 

 than in the neighbourhood of Paris, which has a greater 

 degree of cold than London. 



Special Cultivation. 



With regard to special cultivation, either on their own 

 roots or as dwarfs, it may be stated that the plan recom- 

 mended by Mr. Rivers years ago, and more fully developed by 

 Mr. George Paul in the " Rosarians' Year-Book " for 1880, 

 of growing them on raised beds, is the best. Of course, in 

 the more favoured parts of our island, and where the soil is 

 favourable, such methods are unnecessary ; but in other parts 

 the extra care and trouble involved in this method of culti- 

 vation will be amply repaid by the success gained. It is 

 best to choose for the purpose a southern aspect. When the 

 space is marked out, if the soil be very retentive, or the 

 subsoil bad for drainage, the earth must be removed to the 

 depth of i8in., one-half of this being filled in with brick 

 rubbish, and then a border made of either bricks or wood. 

 The bed should then be filled up with a good compost of 

 loam, leaf-mould, manure, and sand, added to the soil which 

 has been taken out; it will then be about ift. higher than 

 the path. If this is done in autumn, the earth will have 

 time to settle before planting time comes. 



Planting and After-Cultivation. 



It is always best to defer the planting of newly-formed 

 Tea Rose beds until the spring. When the plants are received 

 from the nursery, they should be heeled-in, and their heads 

 covered with a piece of matting, or fern, or any warm, pro- 

 tecting material ; this should only be done in severe weather, 

 so as not to encourage premature shoots, which would be of 



