152 



The Rose Garden. 



applied. Experience and observation tell us that the best preventive as well as cure 

 is to keep the atmosphere in a wholesome state. Sudden and violent changes of 

 temperature should be avoided. I once saw a house of forced Roses badly struck 

 with mildew shortly after having been watered with very cold water 25 below the 

 temperature of the soil in which the roots were growing. Every effort should be used 

 to keep the plants vigorous and healthy, or, in other words, everything should be 

 avoided that tends to lower their vitality. If they suffer from being crowded, or from 



want of light or a free circulation of air, 

 they become drawn and weakly, and are 

 very liable to its attacks. On the first 

 appearance of mildew such as are suffer- 

 ing from it should be removed to prevent 

 infection. 



During their growth the plants should 

 be looked through frequently, and the 

 surface of the soil stirred, using due care 

 not to injure the fibrous roots, which often 

 lie near the top in great abundance. At 

 the same time suckers, if any appear, should 

 be removed from worked plants ; those from 

 the stem cut off close, and the underground 

 ones drawn out. 



So soon as the L leaves are of fair size 

 and the flower-buds are forming, a free 

 supply of water is required. Manure water 

 should be given occasionally, not cold, 

 but of the temperature of the house. If 

 worms are troublesome lime-water may be 

 administered. 



But the reward of our care is at hand. 

 The buds are strongly formed and show 

 colour, and syringing must cease. Now, which do we prefer a great display at one 

 time, or a regular succession of flowers? If the former, lower the temperature of the 

 house gradually, and run a thin canvas* over the glass to create a slight shade. This 

 will give the buds longer time to expand, and the flowers will be increased in size, 

 improved in colour, and last longer. A continual succession of flowers may be 

 obtained from February to April by removing the plants, at different stages of for- 

 wardness, to a house with a lower temperature, where they get the sun and air. It is 



Fig. 44 -RosE MILDEW. Late stage Sphserotheca pannosa 

 Enlarged zoo diameters. 



Tiffany and Scrim are admirable materials for this purpose. 



