DREER'S SPECIALLY PREPARED 



Roses for the Garden 



While our old customers are familiar with the grade of Roses which we send out, we wish to direct the attention of those who 

 have never planted our stock to the manner in which these plants are prepared. The bulk of our Roses are field grown plants, 

 having been cultivated in fields during the growing season of 1921. In fall they were carefully dug, planted in pots and stored 

 in cold greenhouses or cold frames, where artificial heat is only used to exclude severe frost. Under this treatment the plants de- 

 velop in the most natural way, and are much superior to stock which has been forced in a high temperature into an unnatural and 

 weakened growth. Our Roses are all strong two-year-old American-grown. With few exceptions our Roses are budded or 

 grafted, and while some planters prefer stock grown on their own roots on account of the liability of budded plants to throw up 

 suckers, this will rarely occur if the deep planting as directed below is followed, and if a wild shoot should appear it is readily 

 distinguished by the most casual observer, and should be removed close to the root. Much can be said in favor of budded plants 

 being more vigorous, producing finer blooms, come into bearing sooner, and are equally as permanent and hardy as those on their 

 own roots, and many of the choicest sorts do not succeed unless budded or grafted. 



laOW TO GROW ROSBS 



SITUATION. — Good Roses may be grown in any open, 

 sunny position, if possible sheltered from north winds, and clear 

 of all roots of trees and shrubs. 



PREPARATION OF THE BEDS.— Roses will grow and 

 give good returns in any fertile, well-drained ground; hut it is 

 worth while to use some care in the preparation of the beds, as 

 the general health of the plants, quantity and quality of bloom 

 usually more than repays the extra care expended on this detail. 

 The best soil for Roses is the top soil from an old pasture and 

 well-rotted cow manure. Dig out the bed to a depth of two 

 feet or more, and, if drainage is imperfect, it must be provided 

 for. Fill in with a mixture of soil and manure as above. It is 

 best to make the beds sometime in advance of planting to allow 

 time for settling. After the soil is settled it should be about an 

 inch below the level of the adjacent surface; make the beds not 

 over 3^ to 5 feet wide, which enables you to pick the blooms 

 without stepping oh the bed. 



PLANTING AND SUMMER CARE.— The ideal time 

 to plant Roses as prepared by us is in the spring, just after dan- 

 ger from severe frost is passed. 



Tea and Hybrid-Tea varieties can be set 18 inches apart, 

 Hybrid Perpetuals two feet apart, and both eight inches from 

 the edge of the beds. When the plants are supplied in pots, 

 they should be set so that the ball of earth is about two and one- 

 half inches below the level of the ground. Firm the soil well 

 around the plants, and give a thorough watering if the soil is dry. 

 Throughout the summer the surface of the soil should be culti- 

 vated weekly. If this is done, watering will be rarely necessary. 

 (120) 



PRUNING. — The Roses sent out by us in spring require no 

 further pruning; they are ready to plant as received. For in- 

 structions how to prune during succeeding seasons, see the di- 

 rections given under the headings of the different classes in the 

 pages following. 



WINTER PROTECTION.— In this latitude we have found 

 that tiie most satisfactory protection is to draw up a mound of 

 soil from 8 to 10 inches high around the base of the plant, then 

 covering the entire beds after the ground begins to freeze with 

 any loose material, such as strawy manure, evergreen boughs or 

 corn stalks, and in more severe climates heavier covering is all 

 that is required. 



ENEMIES. — When grown under favorable conditions, Roses 

 are not apt to be attacked by insect pests or other troubles as 

 they are if half starved and otherwise neg'ected. Our own ex- 

 perience shows that a weekly application of Bordeaux Arsenate 

 of Lead Mixture, at the rate of eight ounces to five gallons of 

 water, applied with any sprayer that will reach the under side 

 of the foliage, beginning at the time that the plants have de- 

 veloped into active growth, and continued throughout the 

 season, will keep them free of almost all insect pests, as well as 

 fungous diseases, but if in spite of this spraying, mildew should 

 affect the foliage, use Sulphide of Potassium at the rate of 

 one-half ounce to one gallon of water. This is sometimes effec- 

 tive where the Bordeaux Mixture fails. It may be neces- 

 sary to supplement this treatment with several applications 

 of any tobacco solution, or tobacco dust, for green fly or aphis, 

 which may appear during the growing season. 



