62 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



the fibres will often be found more bandy tban 

 trowel or spade. Just fairly cover all tbe roots 

 with a couple of inches of soil, tread it very lightly 

 and carefully, and pass on to the next plant, for the 

 rest of the soil can be added at the conclusion of the 

 day's work. 



In planting dwarfs the point of union should be, 

 if the stock be manetti, two inches below the surface 

 and one inch if the plants are budded on briar 

 cuttings. The Rose may then eventually throw out 

 roots of its own, which will not only help to feed it, 

 but being nearer the surface will also hold the plant 

 more securely against being rocked and loosened by 

 the wind. Now therefore may be seen the immense 

 disadvantage of a dwarf plant which is not budded 

 sufficiently low on the stem : either the roots must 

 be placed too deep or the point of union must be left 

 uncovered. Order therefore with short " legs," and 

 " see that you get them." It should be mentioned 

 that Mr. Prince of Oxford, who is the principal ad- 

 vocate and the largest user of the seedling briar, does 

 not advocate the covering of the point of union with 

 this stock. I have seen some of his dwarf " cut- 

 backs " on the seedling briar which certainly were 

 flourishing exceedingly with the point of union two 

 inches above the surface ; but with the briar cutting 

 I have found Eoses do not thrive so well if thus 

 planted, and with the manetti it is absolutely impera- 

 tive that the point of union be well covered, or the 

 plants will assuredly die. 



Standards must be securely staked at the time of 

 planting, and it is better when the hole is made to 

 put in the stake before any of the roots are covered, 

 or otherwise some of the best of them may be inad- 



