56 Gardening in Egypt. 



in the Cabbage rose, Nero, and the majority of the 

 European roses ; bloom only in April and May. 



Roses delight in a rich heavy soil, and, consequently, 

 if the ground i% of a poor sandy nature, the beds should 

 be deeply dug, and a good dressing of Nile mud and 

 manure applied. Permanent beds should have an 

 annual dressing of well-rotted manure, that has decom- 

 posed in a damp state, not the dry dusty compost 

 that has lost most of its fertilising properties, one so 

 often sees used by the native gardeners. This dressing 

 should be given about the middle of February, and a 

 light mulching at the rise of the Nile in August, will 

 be found to be of great help to the autumn blooms. 

 For this purpose it will be best to place the 

 fresh manure in a hole, where it can be kept moist, 

 until it becomes decomposed and develops its full 

 properties. 



In forming rose beds care should be taken that 

 they are within reach of a good supply of water, as 

 they will require watering frequently during the months 

 of March, April, and May, after which less water should 

 be given when the spring flush of blossoms are over, to 

 prevent weak, yellow growth ; but the supply may 

 again be increased at the rise of the Nile. Climbing 

 roses will invariably be found to succeed better when 

 trained on trellis-work, or on arches, than when 

 planted close against a wall, where they usually 

 become sickly and burnt from the strong latent heat 

 the wall gives out. 



Pruning. The end of January, or the beginning of 

 February, is usually the best time for pruning roses. 

 But with regard to La France variety, opinions differ 

 as to whether it is better to prune the whole garden 

 at once, or to divide it into sections, and to prune a 

 portion, each following week or ten days. 



If done in sections, pruning should be begun in 

 the most sheltered part of the garden, as early as 

 the second week in January ; but it ought never to 

 be attempted unless the stock of plants is a large 



