52 MASSACHUSETTS HOllTICLXTUliAL SOCIETY. 



the plants are growing very strongly the application of other 

 stimulants, such as liquid manure, nitrate of soda, etc., is of great 

 benefit to them, provided, of course, that due care is used in their 

 application. To apph' such strong stimulants injudiciously, 

 simply means ruin not only to the flowers but to the plants also. I 

 do not hesitate to say that more plants have been killed by over- 

 feeding than by all other causes put together. One thing should 

 always be borne in mind in reference to plant life, and that is that 

 it is almost identical with animal life so far as their requirements 

 go. To maintain a plant in health and vigor requires careful 

 and judicious feeding, just as an animal does, and the harder it 

 works the more cai-e it requires. Those who ti-eat their plants or 

 animals otherwise than reasonably will pay dearly for their pains, 

 and reap the harvest for which they have sown. 



Possiblj' some may doubt the soundness of such a doctrine and 

 say, as many have said to me, " How can you reconcile this state- 

 ment with our practice of growing roses in the open ground, where 

 we use immense quantities of manure, and the more we use the 

 better our roses grow and bloom ?" Very true, they do, but the 

 conditions are so totally different that there can he no comparison 

 whatever. In the open ground, the action of the air, the wonderful 

 poAver of absorption by the soil of unlimited depth, rains, dews 

 b}' night, and sun by day, all tend to produce such a vast 

 difference from the conditions of a greenhouse where every drop 

 of Avater or particle of manure has to be brought into direct 

 contact with the roots of the plants, that it would seem almost an 

 absurdity to make an}- comparison whatever. 



For the successful cultivation of the rose under glass there are 

 a few simple rules to follow : first, to procure a suitable soil, 

 which should be, if possible, fresh sod from an old pasture ; that 

 having pleutj' of grass root fibre in it is generally the best. If 

 very heavy the addition of a liberal proportion of sharp sand will 

 improve it, but if of a very light, sandy character the addition of 

 some soil of a claj'ej' nature will be beneficial for most roses. 

 When carting together in the spring mix one part of good, clean 

 cow manure to six, eight, or ten of soil, according to the quality of 

 the soil. Turn it over two or three times and it is read}' to put 

 into the rose house. 



The next thing is good, strong, clean and healthy plants, for 

 without such no one need expect the best results ; and the next is 



