56 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



it seems almost impossible that hyacinth roots should 

 reach down vertically for four feet or more, and quite 

 impossible that they should start and form such a 

 length of root without the aid of water. If, however, 

 the water was always slightly rising up through the 

 sand, and moreover the roots had a power of attraction 

 almost equivalent to suction, the impossibility would 

 vanish. And so it is. Water, or rather moisture, does 

 rise through the soil by capillary attraction, as it will 

 up through a sponge or piece of flannel. Just so mois- 

 ture is always more or less rising up through the earth, 

 though of course a quantity in time of rain or im- 

 mediately after sinks down through it. It rises most 

 of all when the sun shines hot and the surface is 

 dry, and then the Rose, which likes heat and a friable 

 air-permeated surface above and a " cool bottom " 

 below, rejoices in the rich moisture which the roots 

 appropriate as it rises up through the manure from 

 below. 



In thus recommending the placing of all manure at 

 planting time beneath the horizontally lying roots, and 

 incorporating none in the soil at their own level, it is 

 but fair to say that I believe few Rose-growers will 

 agree with me. I am, however, a strong believer, as 

 the next chapter will show, in artificial and liquid 

 manures as the best means of feeding Roses, especially 

 if they are supplied at the outset with soil of the right 

 texture and material. I am strongly of opinion that a 

 great many newly planted Roses fail to thrive, because 

 manure, generally too fresh, is placed close to the roots. 

 It is frequently not at hand in a sufficiently decom- 

 posed state for such a position ; and if it is, a great part 

 of the manurial value has probably been lost in the de- 

 composition. It would still be useful for forming humus 



