268 Gardening Under Glass 



say at the rate of twelve pounds to an ordinary 

 rose bench three and one half or four feet wide 

 and fifty feet long — say a couple of applications 

 during the season, or more if needed. Bone will 

 supply principally phosphoric acid. This can 

 be used in the same way, in a trifle lighter pro- 

 portion. In all cases, water in when applied. 



For Roses' main sustenance there is nothing 

 better than the old stand-by, farmyard manure. 

 It is good for two purposes, either applied as a 

 mulch or to use in liquid form, and decidedly 

 safer in inexperienced hands. Pulverized sheep 

 manure can also be highly recommended — just 

 a light coat, or say enough to cover the soil, and 

 when watered in it will not be noticed much. 

 Sheep manure must be used with more care than 

 cow manure. 



Through December and the early part of 

 January it is safer to dispense with feeding. 

 During the short days it is poor policy to excite 

 growth; but from the end of January on, if the 

 Roses are in a healthy condition, regular, syste- 

 matic feeding can be done to good advantage — 

 even a mulch of cow manure could be placed on 

 the benches, providing root action is lively, and 

 a watering with liquid manure two or three times 

 should be sufficient to carry them through the 

 season. 



