THE FORCING OF ROSES. 19 



beds. As a rule, it will be better to replant with well- 

 grown, young plants. 



When grown in solid beds, the same result is se- 

 cured without taking them from the bed. The plants 

 are dried off in May, so that they will rest, but not 

 enough so that they will shrivel, and kept in this condi- 

 tion for six weeks or two months. The small wood 

 should then be cut out, and the remaining branches 

 headed back. A little of the surface soil can then be 

 removed, if it can be done without disturbing the roots, 

 and a rich mulch applied to the bed. Water should 

 then be applied, but rather sparingly at first, so as to 

 avoid saturating the soil before the growth has started. 

 If properly handled, a heavy cut should be secured dur- 

 ing the fall, and the results for the season will often- 

 times be as great as could be obtained from new plants, 

 while there will be quite a saving in the expense for the 

 plants and for renewing the soil. Some of the most 

 successful growers make a practice of carrying over 

 about one-half of the plants each year. 



If they are to be replaced, as soon as they are past 

 the period of profitable flowering, or when the beds are 

 needed for replanting, the plants should be removed 

 and burned and the soil taken from the table. The 

 benches should at once be repaired and made ready for 

 new plants. It is well to paint all the woodwork of the 

 benches and walls each year with a hot wash composed 

 of equal parts of lime and cement, to which a small 

 quantity of salt has been added. This can be applied 

 rapidly with a whitewash brush, and will help to pre- 

 serve the lumber and destroy insects, besides improving 

 the appearance of the interior of the house. If the 

 plants have been troubled with fungi and insects, it will 

 be well to burn a small quantity of sulphur, but it 

 should not be done while there are plants in the adjoin- 

 ing houses, as it will prove fatal to them as well as to 



