IN CALIFORNIA 135 



still stronger and must be used sparingly, though 

 one of the best rose stimulants known. 



Commercial fertilizers, when properly used, an- 

 swer every requirement of the rose so far as food 

 is concerned, but do not aid the physical texture of 

 the soil. Pure bone meal, either raw or acidulated, 

 is highly beneficial and may be used heavily without 

 harm to the plants. It is best used with nitrate of 

 soda. Two or three applications of potash through- 

 out the season are better than a single one, and 

 muriate is a good form in which to apply it. 



One expert rose grower sows the following mix- 

 ture at the rate of a pound and a half to every ten 

 feet square (not ten square feet, but ten by ten) : 

 Mix superphosphate of lime, twelve parts; nitrate 

 of potash, ten parts; sulphate of magnesia, two 

 parts ; sulphate of iron, one part ; sulphate of potash, 

 eight parts. The author has never tried this chem- 

 ical recipe. 



Whatever else is fed to the roses, stable manure 

 should be spaded in deeply once a year before 

 growth commences in winter. Then pulverize the 

 surface soil, rake smooth and apply a very heavy 

 mulch of strawy horse manure when active growth 

 commences, and water through this, being sure that 

 each watering is sufficient to wet down below the 

 roots, and apply only as often as required. The 

 heavy mulch will prevent weeds growing, keep the 

 soil cool during the heat of summer, and materially 

 prolong the flowering period. 



THE BEST SORTS 



Owing to the wide diversity of personal taste, and 

 the variations of climate, soils, temperature, etc., 

 throughout the state, it would hardly do to recom- 

 mend any restricted list of roses as the very best 



