40 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



and exposed to the four winds of heaven. After all, 

 then, it is better to be moderately high and exposed 

 than to be too sheltered and too low, particularly if 

 the shelter consist of growing trees or shrubs 

 which stand too close. But, if thus unsheltered, 

 extra and constant care must be given in the growing 

 season to tying and supporting : the majority of the 

 H.P.s should be grown as dwarfs, and stout bamboo 

 stakes should support the standards. 



In many cases, however, the would-be grower of 

 Eoses has no choice of a situation, but has to make 

 the best of the ground at his disposal ; and as I 

 have to grow my own Eoses in just such a situation 

 as I have been describing as the worst of all — viz. 

 at the bottom of a valley, near a river, hardly above 

 the level of the water-meadows, only thirty feet 

 above sea-level, on the stony gravel of an ancient 

 sea beach, and moreover surrounded by large trees — 

 I can fully sympathise with any one in such a 

 position. The disadvantages of low ground can 

 only be surmounted by choosing the very highest 

 you have — a little rise will tell — and by much care 

 in protecting the Teas through the winter (see 

 Chap. IV). As for the big trees, if they must not 

 be cut down, their shade and their robbing power 

 must be utterly avoided, or success will be im- 

 possible. We may generally calculate that the roots 

 will reach to a distance equal to the height of the 

 tree, though some are worse robbers than others, 

 and a specially wide berth should be given to Elms. 

 As to the cutting through the tree-roots before they 

 reach the beds, the labour will generally be found 

 inadequate to the result ; a really deep trench, kept 

 open, might answer in some cases, but in many it 



