PLANTING ROSES 93 



and well-enriched soil to the depth of at least 

 two feet. Roses prefer a somewhat stiff soil, and yet 

 not one so retentive as to prevent any superfluous 

 moisture from passing readily away from the neigh- 

 bourhood of their roots. In a soil which is too light 

 the plants are unable to avail themselves as they 

 should of the nourishment brought down to their 

 roots by rain or artificial watering. Such soils more- 

 over become unduly heated in hot and dry weather — 

 whereas, above everything, Roses delight in a con- 

 sistently cool root-run. Soils which quickly feel the 

 changes of temperature above ground from cold to 

 heat and heat to cold cannot be regarded as suitable 

 for Roses. 



In the case of a moderately good Rose soil the beds 

 should be thus prepared. The earth from one end of 

 the bed should be removed to the depth of a foot, 

 and three feet wide, and wheeled to some spot close 

 to the other end of it. Having taken out this trench, 

 the bed should then be bastard-trenched throughout 

 to the depth of two feet ; that is to say, it should be 

 dug over, but none of the lower soil brought to the 

 surface. When performing this operation a liberal 

 quantity of manure — farmyard manure for preference 

 — should be incorporated with the soil, filling in the 

 last trench with the earth which had been previously 

 wheeled there. This will make a Rose bed sufficiently 

 good for all ordinary purposes. Should, however, 

 the bed be required for Roses intended to produce 

 exhibition blooms, it will be well to loosen the soil 

 with a fork at the bottom of each trench, and on 



