THE FORCING OF ROSES. 11 



promotes a soft, watery growth that is particularly sus- 

 ceptible to disease, and, what is more to be dreaded, 

 that a slight neglect, such as an improper temperature, 

 or the application of too much water, will give the 

 plants a check that will result seriously to them. The 

 use of mineral fertilizers, on the other hand, tends to 

 develop earlier, larger and better flowers, and the plants 

 will be stronger, and with firmer stems and foliage, thai 

 will be less likely to be injured by neglect and disease. 

 For these reasons it is a growing practice with many 

 of our most successful rose growers to rely largely upon 

 mineral manures, beginning as early as November upon 

 old plants, although January will be safer for young 

 ones. These fertilizers can be broadcasted either in a 

 dry state or in water. For roses, a good mixture will 

 consist of one part of nitrate of soda, two parts of sul- 

 phate of potash, and ten parts of ground bone. These 

 should be thoroughly mixed and applied broadcast at 

 the rate of one pound to twenty-rive square feet of bench, 

 or at the rate of one pound up to four pounds, accord- 

 ing to the size of the plants, in fifty gallons of water. 

 When roses are growing rapidly the broadcast applica- 

 tion can be repeated once a month, but a less frequent 

 application will be better for small plants, or if there is 

 but little growth. The liquid applications can be made 

 much more frequently, but care should be taken not to 

 use too large a quantity of nitrate of soda, or sulphate 

 of potash, as, if applied in excessive quantities, they will 

 check the growth and even kill the plants. When the 

 ground bone has been scattered upon the surface and 

 mixed with the soil, an excellent liquid fertilizer is 

 made by placing one pound each of the nitrate of soda 

 and of sulphate of potash in two hundred gallons of 

 water, for young plants, which amount may be decreased 

 to one hundred gallons of water when the plants become 

 full grown, applying at intervals of from two to four 



