VII 

 PLANTING 



Let us suppose that the beds are ready, the 

 shipment has been ordered, and on one eventful 

 morning it has arrived. You naturally take great 

 pains to unpack carefully and to see that the varie- 

 ties received check off properly with the order given. 

 Sometimes one or more mistakes may be made in 

 a large shipment, but as a usual thing great care has 

 been exercised both in the selection and packing 

 of the order, and it should arrive in good shape 

 and the varieties should be as ordered. Very often 

 the nurseryman will add a plant or two for good 

 measure. The plants should be unpacked inside 

 some building, unless perfect weather conditions 

 prevail, viz., a damp, moist day — neither cold 

 nor hot. After having been checked off, the plants 

 should be carefully covered so that the roots will 

 neither be frozen nor dried out by too much wind 

 or heat. Usually the roses come packed in moss 

 which should be left on them. If there is no moss, 

 cover the roots with damp earth, and when taken 

 outside keep them protected with any kind of wrap- 

 ping, such as burlap or gunny sacks; or, better still, 

 keep them in buckets or tubs of water, except in 



freezing weather, when you should not plant. This 

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