134 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



they then make the wood that bears the next season's 

 flowers, and if pruning is too long deferred the next 

 flower crop will be indeed light. 



Those who persist in pruning without protection 

 to the hands or without the heaviest of gloves will 

 receive many painful punctures and lacerations of 

 the skin. Get a few corrosive sublimate tablets from 

 a drug store, dissolve one in a pint of water and 

 bathe the hands therein for several minutes and all 

 pain will cease at once. This is an excellent anti- 

 septic but deadly if taken internally, so be careful 

 of both bath and tablets. 



FERTILIZERS FOR ROSES 



Immediately following pruning, if you have wood 

 ashes, apply a liberal amount and turn them lightly 

 under the soil or give a good deep raking to thor- 

 oughly incorporate them with the surface soil. Good 

 hardwood ashes carry one-fifth lime, besides a con- 

 siderable amount of potash. Coal ashes have no 

 nutritive value. If ashes are not available give a 

 light sprinkling of air-slaked lime and rake in. This 

 application should precede manuring by a month if 

 possible, but is beneficial if foremost by but one day. 

 In small gardens some put ten pounds of lime in a 

 tub, fill it with water, allow lime to settle until water 

 is clear and then apply the latter to the plants. It 

 will not prove too strong for any rose. The settled 

 lime may be scattered elsewhere in the garden. 



There is no question but that thoroughly decayed 

 horse manure is the best garden fertilizer for roses 

 or other plants. Next comes cow manure. In light 

 sandy soils it is of greater physical value than in 

 heavy soils. Fresh sheep manure should be used 

 with caution, as it is strong, and poultry manure is 



