132 How TO Grow Clt Tlowers. 



importance they should be planted early, in order that 

 they may have a large amount of bud producing wood 

 by the last week in October. 



As previously stated, the soil best adapted to the 

 growth of Mermet is a stiff loam with little if any admix- 

 ture of sand. They are strong feeders, and will repay, 

 anything administered to them intelligently. When a 

 new growth is forming, and just before the buds set, the 

 tendency to go blind can be controlled to a certain ex- 

 tent, by applying a little less water to the roots for a few 

 days, but syringe the foliage as usual. Neither should 

 stimulants of any kind be given in this stage — either 

 apply when the breaks are commencing, or else after 

 the buds are set. Quality is always produced at the 

 expense of quantity, and if large, perfect biids are 

 desired, the night temperature should not be above 

 fifty-five, and if it occasionally falls to fifty or fifty- 

 two, no harm will result, providing the plants are hardy 

 and if sufficient air is given to keep the day tempera- 

 ture well in hand. 



This rose is more liable to mildew tlTan some of the 

 other teas, and requires constant watchfulness. I have 

 seen the entire crop for the two best paying months 

 in the year, utterly ruined by one day's carelessness. 

 Some one has said, "Success in this business depend?; 

 upon constant watchfulness every moment, every hour, 

 twenty-four hours each day and three hundred and six- 

 ty-five days in the year," and if true of any variety, it 

 is doubly so of this. 



