EOSES THAT BLOOM IN JUNE. 31 



two feet depth of such a soil, they will grow many 

 years, and bloom profusely. When any decline is 

 observed, it will indicate that they are in want of 

 nourishment, which can easily be supplied by digging 

 in about their roots three or four inches thick of ma- 

 nure or rich compost. For such an operation the 

 month of November to early in the spring is the best 

 period of the year. Wherever their situation may be, 

 all the pruning they require is merely to thin out the 

 wood where it is too crowded, and to keep it within 

 bounds. I have seen fine plants of many of the roses 

 now described totally ruined for one year by the free 

 use of the knife. 



Where manure cannot be conveniently obtained, 

 fresh soil from the woods or rich grounds will be of 

 great service ; an occasional w^atering with soap- 

 suds is also very beneficial to the rose. In city 

 gardens we have often seen a few inches of very 

 common poor soil thrown over clay, old bricks, 

 lime rubbish, &c., whereon roses were planted, and 

 grew well the first season, but the following they 

 made barely sufficient wood and foliage to keep 

 them green j the result was unsatisfactory, and the 

 I'ault laid to the rose ; whereas the whole fault was 

 in the preparation of the ground. "Anything that 

 is worth doing at all, is worth doing well," is g 

 maxim always to be kept in mind in all gardeninp- 

 operations. 



