CHAPTER XII 



POTTING AND FORCING. 



" Seek Roses in December, ice in June." — ^Byron. 



VERY variety of Rose, in the hands of a 

 skilful man, will grow and bloom well in 

 pots, although the Bengal and its sub- 

 classes, and the more dwarf Hardy Roses 

 are the most easily managed. The great 

 point in potting is to imitate planting in 

 the open gro^ind as nearly as possible. 

 The soil used should possess all the nutritious elements re- 

 quired in the open ground, and if possible in somewhat 

 greater abundance. More manure should be used, because 

 the frequent watering required by plants in pots must in- 

 evitably wash away a portion of the fertilizing matter. There 

 is nothing better than one portion of stable manure and three 

 of turf or leaf-mould, all well decomposed and mixed with a 

 little pure peat earth. A portion of night-soil, well incorporated 

 with charcoal, is also very excellent. Charcoal is the most pow- 

 erful absorbent known — it retains the nutritious elements in the 

 night-soil, prevents their being washed away by watering, and 

 gives them out as the plant needs them. English gardeners 

 should bear in mind, that roses require in this climate a stronger 

 soil than in England. Half-gallon pots are the best size at first, 

 from which, by repeated pottings, corresponding with the growth 

 of the plant, they can be shifted to one or two gallon pots. The 



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