322 



CASSELL'S POPULAfl GAEDEXIXG. 



in the space of five inch.es, heginning at three under 

 the surface. There is yet another reason for the 

 shallow planting of Eoses, and that is found in the 

 fact that the roots hardly ever rise afterwards. 

 Do-^sTi, do'tt'D, yet lower and lower do^Ti, runs their 

 motto and their work through life. Hence the 

 surface soil hecomes more of a mere coverer, and less 

 and less of a feeder, and consequently the roses 

 should he planted fleetly, and the hest food for them 

 should proceed from the upper layer of roots to the 

 bottom of their feeding quarters. 



Disposition and Corerinrj of tlic lioota. — Xatu- 

 rally the roots of Roses are more like under- 

 gTOund sparsely-hranched stems, than the fibrous 

 bundles of recticulated tissue, each terminating in an 

 open mouth, that we instinctively associate with the 

 name and character of roots. Perhaps nothing dis- 

 appoints the novice in Rose-growing more than his 

 first practical acquaintance with their roots. It even 

 tempers the enthusiasm so admirably expressed by 

 my friend Canon Holtc — Canon and Bishop among^ 

 oiu' Roses, in his charming book about Roses, " How it 

 cheers the Rosarian's heart amid those dreary days 

 (November), to welcome that package from the nur- 

 series, long and heavy, so cleanly swathed in the new 

 Russian mat, so closely secured w^th the clean white 

 cord. His eyes glisten, like the schoolboy's when the 

 hamper comes from home; and hardly, though he 

 has read the story of * waste not want not,' can he 

 keep his knife froni the string." But his pang of 

 disappointment is great as he turns from the tops of 

 fishing-rod length and suppleness to the roots, which 

 are too often like a whipcord, broken off short in the 

 middle. In almost every instance their size, form, 

 and number, are grievously disappointing. 



But as every minute's exposure to the air is 

 dangerous, the sooner the roots are dressed and dis- 

 posed of under ground the better. The dressing 

 consists in cutting off all wounded and bruised 

 portions with a sharp knife, and at as an acute an 

 angle as is possible. This done, and assuming that 

 the holes are ready made, fill in to within three or 

 five inches of the surface, levelling the bottom and 

 treading it quite firmly. If not made before, or the 

 bed or border thoroughly prepared, the holes may be 

 dug out to a depth of eighteen inches or two feet, 

 and of a similar or greater breadth, and then filled in 

 witli a mixture of turf \' loam and manure, or such as 

 that already recommended. Fill in, tread in, and 

 for standards chive a firm stake into the centre of 

 the hole before planting. All this, however, should 

 be done before uncovering or dressing the roots,"" as the 

 air if it is frosty proves most injurious. Then place 

 the plant against the stake, and give it a single loose 

 lie. Then proceed to give a horizontal direction to 

 the root or roots, and if there are several let them be 



equally distributed over the area of the hole ; cover 

 these with some of the finest and best soil ; and if this 

 is not good enough a few spadefuls of a lighter soil 

 into which a liberal addition of leaf mould has been 

 added, is one of the best coverings for the roots of 

 Roses. FiU in \\ith the soil until the root-run is 

 rather above the level of the ground, and the actual 

 planting is finished. 



By placing the stake first one person may plant 

 Roses well ; but, as a rule, tim-e is saved by two being 



Fig. 28.— Ii-ou Stakes. 



engaged in the process. And this is one of those 

 operations which cannot be done too rapidly. 



Solidity. — This must be attended to before and 

 in the planting as well as afterwards. The base of 

 the hole, if the soil is in good condition, can hardly 

 be made too solid before planting. Then sprinkle it 

 over with good soil or compost, place the roots on 

 this, cover over and tread down carefully, when quite 

 filled in tread again. Rose-roots and briars are 

 accustomed to have a solid root-run, and a certain 

 firmness of the soil imder and over the roots seems 

 necessary to enable them to bite or run freely into it. 



Stability. — This is as essential to success as 

 sohdity. These are, in fact, correlated throughout. 

 Deep and hard planting were both adopted to give 

 to roses and other plants sohdity, as it was found 

 that they could not possibly root while their tops 

 were endowed with the power of levers to snap the 

 fresh fibres by every passing breeze. Prompt staking 

 the moment they are planted, or even before, is, 

 however, by far the best method for rendeiing the 

 tops and roots alike immovable. In. the first tring 



