Ill 



SITUATION AND SOIL 



39 



local knowledge and the rent that has been paid in past 

 years. The soil ought to be equally good for quite two 

 feet in depth, with effective natural or artificial drainage 

 as a sine qua -non. By natural drainage I mean a sub- 

 soil of gravel, stones, sand, or chalk ; and for artificial, 

 nothing less than actual pipes should be used, laid by 

 a competent man, with a fair fall, and outfalls not 

 neglected, but watched, cleared, and properly attended 

 to. In the best loam the best Roses of all sorts may 

 and should be grown: 



Gravel. — Soil known as gravelly is often too quickly 

 condemned. It is considered healthy to live on, agree- 

 able to work, and useful for many things, but too hot, 

 poor, and dry for the cultivation of the best Roses ; still, 

 as I have had to grow most of my own in such a medium, 

 condemned after careful examination by one of the best 

 judges as hopeless, I can aver that there is no reason to 

 despair of a gravel soil. 



There will be some soil at least, light, dry, and 

 powdery perhaps, but fairly fertile, on the top above the 

 gravel, and this, probably the full depth of the spade 

 in the garden but not so deep in the field, should 

 be taken out and laid on one side. Though not 

 the soil the Rose delights in, it is excellent for root 

 formation, for the striking of cuttings, for placing 

 next to the roots of roses, and for mixing with heavy 

 loam or clay in the making up of the beds. 



The actual gravel must then be taken clean away to 

 the depth of two feet at least from the surface (some 

 enthusiasts say three feet, but I do not think it necessary 

 or even desirable), and sufficient good strong loam or 

 actual clay procured to take its place. This is expensive, 

 but is absolutely necessary for the growth of good 

 H.P.s, and will last a long time. The greater part of 



