78 ROSES 



half inches of soil and drainage may be pro- 

 vided by having the bottom pieces one-half 

 inch or even one inch apart. In solid beds 

 drainage material broken stone is filled in 

 for a space of fifteen inches and a soil depth 

 of six or seven inches allowed. 



THE SOIL AND MANURE 



The rose likes a rich soil. It is of prime 

 importance to have proper soil. Without it 

 the finest house will fail to produce good 

 roses, and with suitable soil one can get along 

 very well indeed in a make-shift sort of a 

 house. In many small places where it is not 

 practicable to give up one house entirely to 

 roses, it is nevertheless possible to attain a 

 tolerable result by paying strict attention to 

 the soil requirements. Much has been writ- 

 ten about soil for roses. That in certain dis- 

 tricts better roses are grown than elsewhere 

 nearby is abundantly true. All places are 

 not equally well suited to roses, and this local 

 adaptation is generally thought to rest upon 

 the soil rather more than upon the climate. 

 It is important that the amateur bear this in 

 mind. 



