Calendar of Operations, 213 



If any seed has been left on the plants out-of-doors, it should now be gathered, and 

 may be cleaned now or later on to be ready for sowing either at once or early in 

 Spring. 



January. If little to do in the Rose Garden in December, there is still less in 

 January. But sometimes the work of Autumn is delayed, and if so, it should be 

 finished up this month as there must be no arrears carried on to February. Roses 

 may be grafted in heat under glass. Plants in pots under glass will require cleaning, 

 tying up, and smoking to keep them free from insects. A few fresh plants should 

 be pruned and brought from without into the forcing house at brief intervals to 

 secure a succession of flowers. If from heavy rains, snow, or sudden thaw, the 

 water stand upon the ground out-of-doors, means should be taken to draw it off, as 

 an excess of moisture in Winter is very damaging to both plants and prospective 

 flowers. Lay up a store of soil and manure for future use. 



February. This should be a busy month out-of-doors. Manure and fork over 

 the ground, taking care not to raise it to a depth that will disturb the roots. If 

 much pruning to do, it may be begun the end of this month. Suckers, if any, may 

 be removed. Make all plants secure against the expected March winds. Finish 

 pruning Pot Roses, and keep up a succession of flowers by conveying fresh plants 

 occasionally into the forcing house. 



March. Pruning out-of-doors is the great work of this month, and if many 

 Roses are grown it will likely occupy the chief amount of the grower's time. It 

 will, however, be got over much more easily if thinning out has been done in 

 November. The pruning of Tea-scented Roses may be deferred till April. Layers 

 put down during the previous Summer may now be taken off and transferred to 

 permanent positions, transplanting carefully, and watering if dry weather. Cuttings 

 may be taken from forced Roses, placing them in pots, and rooting them in bottom 

 heat. Tie out Pot Roses for Summer flowering. Cuttings planted in the open 

 ground in Autumn should be looked to, and if the ground has been loosened by the 

 Winter's frost close it firmly around them, hoeing the ground a few days afterwards. 

 Re-arrange any stakes and ligatures displaced by the wind. If any arrears in 

 transplanting, manuring, or digging, let them be completed as early as possible in 

 this month. One cannot be too early on the look-out for insects of all kinds, 

 although during the three next months they will appear in greater abundance. 

 Seedlings may be transplanted now, leaving them out of the ground as short a time 

 as possible that the roots may not become dried by the March wind. 



April. Prune Tea-scented Roses. As the eyes of these and others break into 

 life rub out a portion where crowded or ill-placed. Search closely and frequently 

 for insects both in and out-of-doors. Roses budded last year should now have the 

 growing buds tied up to protect them from the wind, or they may be blown out and 

 destroyed. Remove suckers and wild shoots from these and all others. When the 



