132 The Rose Garden. 



plant or two of any variety the flowers or foliage of which may appear to him likely to 

 make it interesting. 



Mildew is the most discouraging visitant among seedling Roses. It is bad enough 

 anywhere, but it seems to attack them here with redoubled virulence, and it is 

 astonishing how suddenly it appears, spreading death and desolation in its track. 

 It must be watched for, and when first discovered dust the plants with sulphur, on a 

 calm evening, if possible, having first sprinkled or syringed them that the sulphur may 

 stick on. This sometimes requires repeating at short intervals, for it is not always a 

 preventive but a temporary cure. 



As winter approaches it is necessary to provide some protection against frost. 

 The plants being young are extremely delicate and liable to suffer from frost. If 

 raised in the borders out-of-doors they must be protected for the first year in severe 

 weather with a mat, or some frost-excluding material. I have in this edition of the 

 " Rose Garden " advocated sowing in Winter, because calculated to induce an earlier 

 germination, whereby are obtained plants stronger and better fitted to endure the cold 

 of their first winter. 



It will be necessary to guard the seeds effectually against mice, as the length of 

 time they often lie in the ground increases their chance of being eaten by these 

 intruders. It is a good plan to cover the bed with fine wire-work, or if we choose to 

 act on the offensive rather than the defensive, the mice may be trapped and destroyed. 

 It will be well to have an eye to this point, whether sowing in Spring or Winter. 



It is no uncommon occurrence with seedlings growing out-of-doors during Winter 

 for the roots to be thrown to the surface, the plants sometimes lying almost out of 

 the ground. If left in this condition they wither and die. They should be re-planted ; 

 and if the beds are hoed on a fine day in Winter it will prove advantageous. Cast a 

 little fine mould upon the surface immediately after hoeing to protect the roots. 



With regard to the pruning of seedlings we have only one point to consider in 

 the first instance to obtain fine flowers. We sacrifice the shape of the tree to this 

 point if necessary, cutting back to any eyes that are plump and prominent and 

 situated on wood likely to produce fine flowers. We remove unripened shoots if 

 there be any, and thin out well, especially if the variety be an Autumnal and there- 

 fore a certain bloomer. 



