OUTDOOR ROSE GROWING 



roses so covered will give bloom about as early as 

 plants left unprotected by moss, and during the 

 hottest weather the covered plants will thrive to a 

 greater degree while the moss renders watering less 

 necessary, and thereby somewhat prevents the likeli- 

 hood of mildew. 



The beds we have tested with and without moss 

 show that the covered plants bloom only one day 

 later, but hold the bloom much longer. 



In some of our beds we are putting a four-inch 

 layer of peat moss at each side of the bed and at 

 the ends, which should still further act in keeping 

 the temperature low. We do not think this neces- 

 sary, but in districts where dry, hot weather of long 

 duration occurs, and in seashore planting, where 

 soil must be imported, and where the existing, ex- 

 tremely sandy soil surrounding the rose bed becomes 

 very hot, such side protection should be of great 

 benefit. The moss should go from the surface to 

 the bottom of the bed and make a four-inch wall 

 between the bed and the hotter ground around it. 

 Where cement or boards have been used to keep 

 out tree roots, this side protection is, of course, 

 unnecessary. 



Peat moss is worth about fourteen dollars a ton 

 by the carload and one ton will cover over one 

 hundred yards of rose beds, averaging three and one- 



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