Renewal of Rose Plants. 57 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 THE RENEWAL OF ROSE PLANTS. 



It will have been noticed that I have assumed that 

 all planting was to be renewed each year. I sincerely 

 wish I could advise flowering them the second season, 

 especially such as are not overgrown and exhausted; 

 it would save so much time and expense. 



Sometimes, owing to a delay in planting, a bench 

 does not arrive at its best until March or April, and 

 as we look it over, note the size and number of the 

 buds, as well as the fine thrifty foliage, we persuade 

 ourselves easily, that this bench will certainly do well 

 another season. So I have thought several times, al- 

 though previous experience had taught me better. 



Two years since I allowed inclination to get the bet- 

 ter of judgment, and a house of Mermets answering 

 the description just given, were flowered the second 

 season, or rather, an attempt was made in that direc- 

 tion. They were carefully summered, not being al- 

 lowed to become dry enough to injure the fibrous roots 

 as we thought. In the fall they were pruned, tied, as 

 much of the soil as possible removed without injuring 

 the roots, fresh soil and composted mulching applied, 

 and they started slowly into growth. 



The result was less than half a crop, and in March 

 the^' were thrown out, making a net loss for that bit of 

 experience of $500. This was on an ordinary raised 

 bench. 



