128 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



adheres to the pipes better. Do not give side ventilation to pot Roses, 

 but top air on all suitable occasions. If the sun is bright forestall the 

 rapid rise of temperature by timely ventilation. Shut the ventilators 

 about three o'clock. Pot Roses revel in the sun heat thus enclosed. 

 Syringe the plants every bright morning with cold water. Endeavour 

 to harden the foliage so that it will withstand the mildew which often 

 causes so much trouble. Sudden risings or lowerings of temperature as 

 well as cold draughts bring mildew quicker than anything else. As 

 soon as a spot of white downy substance is noticed rub it with finger 

 and thumb dipped in sulphur. If bad attacks of mildew should appear 

 syringe the foliage with sulphide of potassium with an Abol syringe, or 

 use " Abol." The quantity to use is a quarter ounce of the sulphide to 

 one gallon of soft water. Prune Roses in cold pits. 



MARCH. Planting may yet be done, but, if dry, water frequently. 

 The plants should also be hard pruned before planting. Cut Tea Roses 

 back to three or four inches or less. They are sure to grow well if 

 roots and growths are healthy. Pruning should be finished by the second 

 week. In the north the third and fourth week will do. Prune all now 

 except the Teas, Polyanthas, Noisettes, and Chinas. After pruning dig 

 the land thinly. The best plan is to lightly prick it up with a fork. 

 On no account dig deeply, for the feeding roots run close to the surface. 

 If ground has been well prepared avoid mulching beds with manure, as 

 this mulch shuts out both sunshine and air. Mulchings are only bene- 

 ficial during hot days when plants are growing fast, and a good loose 

 blanket of earth is better than all the mulchings with manure. Dwarf 

 stocks for budding should now be planted. Where the pegging-down 

 system is adopted with vigorous growing Roses, some of the ripest and 

 longest growths should not be pruned. Do not, however, bend them 

 down until April. 



Indoor plants showing buds may have weak liquid manure twice a 

 week. A layer of fresh cow-manure is also of much benefit if applied 

 to the borders now, or to the surface of the pots. Do not allow the 

 temperature of the forcing-house to fall below 55 degrees at night. 

 Where Roses are grown without artificial heat by day, provision should 

 be made to afford a mild amount during the night. A little heat 

 about ten o'clock at night to such houses will suffice. This will 

 prevent the temperature declining below 45 degrees. It also wards off 

 injury through a stagnant atmosphere. No doubt Tea Roses are best 

 grown quickly, so that if no heat or very little be available it is wise to 

 cultivate the hybrid perpetuals and the freest of the hybrid Teas, for 

 they can endure a lower temperature than Teas. By the end of the 

 month the soil around the Teas outdoors may be removed, and also the 

 litter from heads of standards and bushes. Keep lights on the Roses 

 in cold pits every night, but remove by day unless very cold winds 

 prevail. 



APRIL. Tea and hybrid Teas, Chinas, and Polyanthas, if planted 

 late, will give a succession of blossom when the established plants are 

 over. Procure dormant plants, viz., those that have been healed in 

 under north hedges or walls. Dip their roots in mud-soup before 



