CHAPTER II 



The Routine of Work 



Cultivation in spring — Suckers and how to know them — 

 Feeding — How to cut — Advantages of disbudding — 

 The summer mulch — Making snug for winter — Fer- 

 tilisers and manure — Propagation. 



The beds once properly made and planted, 

 constant and regular cultivation is the se- 

 cret of successful rose culture. Just before 

 growth begins in the spring (about April 15th 

 in New York), the surplus rough manure 

 should be removed from the beds, and all the 

 remaining fine particles forked in. Deep 

 cultivation is not desirable, as the roots are 

 likely to be injured or broken. Three inches 

 in depth is quite sufficient to cultivate a bed 

 that has not been trampled upon. Use a 

 four-tine digging fork, as it is less apt to cause 

 injury than a spade. The beds should then 

 be edged and raked. 



Throughout the entire season until the 

 middle of July frequent stirring of the sur- 



22 



