in SITUATION AND SOIL 45 



improving at the same time the consistence and 

 fertility of real solid clay. 



Roses in a clay soil make long strong roots, but 

 not many of them. It will be advisable therefore in 

 such places to put in plants from a lighter soil, 

 whether Eoses or stocks, which would have a larger 

 number of roots of a more fibrous nature though not 

 so large ; and it would be very desirable to have a 

 little lighter soil — lighter in weight, but darker in 

 colour — leaf mould or the top soil of an old garden 

 —to put in immediate contact with the roots. 

 Still, if the clay land be really good and well drained, 

 it will often repay all labour spent on it, especially 

 in a hot and early summer ; for the Dog-Eose does 

 like heavy soil, and with a well-cultivated surface 

 above to prevent cracking on the one hand or too 

 great consolidation on the other, and with plenty of 

 moisture in the cool tenacious though well-drained 

 substance below, most of the H.P. Eoses may be 

 expected to come to full perfection on this stock. 



Loam. — If there was a choice, I should select 

 rather the best loam with a tendency to clay, what 

 a farmer would call " strong " land. There is very 

 great difference in the value and fertility of what in 

 auctioneer's phrase would be "good mixed soil"; 

 and I can only repeat that the best guide on this 

 matter is local knowledge and the rent that has been 

 paid in past years. The soil ought to be equally 

 good for quite two feet in depth, with effective 

 natural or artificial drainage as a sine qua non. By 

 natural drainage, I mean a sub-soil of gravel, stones, 

 sand or chalk ; and for artificial nothing less than 

 actual pipes should be used, laid by a competent 



