3 22 



Gardening for Amateurs 



particularly if they can be allowed room to 

 throw out a lot of loose waving shoots 

 growing wild and untrained. 







Own-root Roses can throw out new shoots 

 like suckers from beneath the soil, just as 

 wild Roses do. Budded Roses can only 

 produce new shoots from basal buds and 

 generally from points above the soil. The 

 suckers or growths thrown up by the own- 

 root Roses have a valuable habit of putting 

 forth roots, thus making strong growths 

 which are soon self-supporting. 







As showing that mildew is largely owing 

 to a lack of free circulation of the air, and 

 to semi -stagnation of the atmosphere, it has 

 been noticed that in those parts of France 

 which have no hedges there is no mildew, 

 whilst the reverse is the case in the districts 

 possessing hedges. In connection with this 

 statement I may say that it has long been 

 recognised that excessive protection or 

 coddling makes Roses more liable to the 

 attacks of this disease, but one would hardly 

 have expected the existence or absence of 

 hedges to have made such a marked differ- 

 ence as that stated. 







I have known red, yellow, pink, and white 

 Roses all budded upon the same stock, but 

 this is a practice hardly to be commended. 

 The effect is unnatural, and to me bizarre 

 and unpleasing. Some may like it. It 

 always causes astonishment in those who 

 see the result for the first time, but I trust 

 it will never become a fashion. 







When tying back or pegging down strong 

 Rose growths be very careful not to let 

 them fly back at the time, and to make them 

 so secure that there is no possibility of their 

 doin^ so later on. There is always a danger 

 of such growths " starting aside like a broken 

 bow," and a blow in the face or in the eye 

 from a thorny Rose branch is not without 

 danger. Be particularly careful when tying 

 back such growths to arches or pergolas over 

 paths, and to trellises alongside paths, for 

 the reason given above. Unless they are 

 tied securely there is always a chance of 

 their becoming detached in windy weather. 



It is no longer a rule without exception 

 to cut Exhibition Roses on the show day 

 itself at the moment when 



" Morning in the bowl of night 

 Has flung the stone that puts the stars to 

 flight." 



In fact it has become a common practice to 

 cut them the evening before, and to float 

 them in water in a cool cellar. The quantity 

 of water thus taken up helps them to keep 

 fresh for a long period. 



A CONCISE CALENDAR FOR ROSE 

 GROWERS 



January 



If not already done earth over the crowns of 

 Tea and any other tender Roses. 



Trench vacant land, and leave it rough for the 

 frost to pulverise. 



Make a stack of turf and cow manure in alternate 

 layers to provide compost for another year. 



Roses for unheated greenhouses may now be 

 pruned. 



From mid-January to mid-February is the time 

 to syringe or spray with strong winter washes 

 sulphate of copper, formaldehyde, &c. 



February 



Planting may be carried out during open weather 

 and manuring done on heavy soils. Tonk's manure 

 can now be applied. 



Dwarf stocks should be planted for summer 

 budding. 



First growths from the bud on standards should 

 be cut back to an eye or two above the bud. Newly 

 budded dwarfs should be cut back nearly to the 

 buds. 



Cuttings that have been lifted by frost should 

 be trodden in. 



If not frosty the soil in the beds between the 

 Rose plants may be forked over to a depth of three 

 or four inches. 



Rose plants may be transplanted. 



Under glass keep a look out for greenfly, mildew 

 or spider. 



Ventilate glasshouses through top ventilators 

 daily if possible. 



In the south prune climbing Roses. 



March 



The weather is variable and uncertain in this 

 month, but there are generally some mild, sunny, 

 and spring-like days in which all necessary planting 

 can be done. In the south the short manure may 

 be forked in and the long raked off. As the month 

 progresses pruning must be carried out in the 

 south and the Midlands, in fact it should be com- 

 pleted in the south. In the north prune climbers, 

 and during the last ten days, if the weather be 

 favourable, prune H.P.'s. After pruning spread s> 



