62 How TO CtEow Cut Floweks. 



CHAPTER XV. 

 DEPTH OF SOIL FOR PLASTIKG. 

 There is but little diversity of opinion to-day, among 

 men of experience, as to the advisability of using shal- 

 low benches, instead of solid beds for winter flowering. 

 In the early days of forcing, solid beds were in general 

 use, and it was not until the necessitj^ arose of devising 

 some means for the extermination of the rose bug, or 

 "little joker," as it is sometimes called, that the discov- 

 ery was made that roses planted on shallow benches were 

 more easily controlled, and could be made much more 

 profitable even when renewed every season, than the un- 

 certain, slow moving bushes whose roots take such deep 

 hold of the soil as to make them in a measure beyond 

 control, and hence uncertain for early forcing. We 

 must remember that we are in a measure, reversing 

 one of Nature's laws, and coaxing plants to bloom 

 at a season of the year when it is natural for them 

 to rest. This can only be done successfully when 

 we are able to control root action, and this is accom- 

 plished by means of the shallow bench. As to the depth 

 of soil to be used, authorities vary. Some say two and 

 one-half inches, some three, others six and more. The 

 objections to benches as fleet as those first mentioned 

 are two. First, the roses must be planted while small in 

 order to be able to cover the ball. This necessitates 

 planting earlier than it is often advisable to remove 

 the bearing crop, if sufficient time is to be given the 



