BODDINGTON S '^A^CLtlta/ RaSES 



131 



SECTION IV-PLANT DEPARTMENT 



A Few Hints on Outdoor Rose Growing 



BY AN 

 EXPERT 



ARRIVAL OF PACKAGE. — Immediately the package containing 

 the Roses arrives, it should be taken to a cellar or sheltered place, 

 where the drying winds cannot penetrate, to be carefully unpacked. 

 The plants should be taken from the bundle and the roots and tops 

 thoroughly sprinkled with water, after which they may be covered 

 with a sack or mat until they are planted. Should the weather be 

 wet and the soil unfit to receive them, it is best to open a trench, lay 

 the plants in thickly, covering the roots well with soil, until the weather 

 be fine and soil sufficiently dry to tread upon. If planting is being 

 performed during a dry wind or sunny day, it will benefit the plants, 

 before taking them from the shelter in which they were unpacked, 

 to dip the roots of each plant in a thick puddle made of clay and 

 water; this will cover the fibrous roots with a coating sufficient to 

 protect them from the most severe winds. 



FROST. Should frost 

 set in after the receipt of 

 plants, so as to prevent 

 planting, the Roses on 

 arrival should not be 

 opened, but rolled up in a 

 mat or straw and put away 

 in a dry house where there 

 is no heat. The plants, 

 which are always care- 

 fully packed before leav- 

 ing, will, when so treated, 

 keep safely for one month. 



DELAY OF PACK- 

 AGE. — It occasionally 

 happens through negli- 

 gence on the part of ex- 

 press companies that pack- 

 ages containing plants are 

 unduly delayed, and in- 

 stances may occur when 

 some of the plants may 

 have become shriveled. 

 In such cases, lay the 

 shriveled plants quite fiat 

 in the bottom of a trench 

 in the ground, similar to 

 that prepared for celery, 

 cover them entirely (both 

 roots and tops) with soil 

 which has received a good 

 soaking with water, and 

 allow them to remain 

 there for three days. At 

 the expiration of that 

 period uncover and take 

 them out, when it will be 

 found that the wood and buds have regained their normal condition. 



SOIL. — That which is especially adapted to the Rose is a deep soil 

 of a greasy nature. Where this is not to be had, and the soil is light, 

 add either clay or loam in addition to manure. If heavy clay, some 

 burnt earth, sand or leaf mold should be added. 



SITUATION AND PREPARATION OF GROUND.— .\ place 

 sheltered from high winds (open, and not surrounded by trees, as 

 closeness is liable to cause mildew), and apart from other flowers, 

 should, if possible, be assigned to them; a south, southeastern or 

 southwestern position is best, the beds being situated so as to receive 

 the morning sun. Oblong beds, not over 4 feet, are preferable, as the 

 flowers may be cut or examined without going off the path or grass. 

 The Rose will not thrive in a stagnant soil, so that if drainage does 



Frau Karl Druschki, or Snow-white Rose 



not naturally exist it must be provided. If it is not convenient to 

 use tiles, a layer of broken stones, six to nine inches deep, or any other 

 coarse material will answer the purpose. This done, the soil should 

 be dug or trenched to a depth of at least 18 inches, mixing plenty of 

 manure, made very much like a sandwich, with alternate layers of 

 manure and earth. 



PLANTING may be safely continued until April. Great care 

 must be taken to avoid deep planting. In case of dwarf Roses, place 

 the union of the stock with the bud 2 inches beneath the soil. 

 Each root should be laid out carefully, taking care that two roots do 

 not cross each other or coil around; this is very important for , the 

 well-being of plants. The roots of standard Roses require similar 

 treatment, and must be placed about s inches below the surface. 

 Do not put the manure on the bare roots, but first place some 



fine soil over them, after 

 which manure may be 

 laid on. Tread firmly and 

 spread some coarse litter 

 on the surface around the 

 plant as a protection from 

 frost. Standards should 

 be staked, and any very 

 long shoots on the dwarf 

 plants shortened. 



MANURING. — Cow 

 manure is admittedly the 

 best. It is best to apply 

 surface dressing in the 

 autumn, for protection 

 against frost, which should 

 be forked or hoed in dur- 

 ing the early spring. 



PRUNING.— It is best 

 to prune early in March 

 (unless the plants are late 

 planted, when it should 

 be deferred until April). 

 In all cases it is necessary 

 to cut away all weak or 

 unripe wood, leaving only 

 the strong and well- 

 matured. This, in the 

 case of strong-growing 

 kinds, should be cut back 

 to five or six eyes; the 

 weaker and shorter-grow- 

 ing must be pruned closer, 

 leaving only two or three 

 eyes on each shoot. This 

 refers to hybrid perpetual, 

 hybrid tea. and tea Rose; 

 the climbing and pillar sorts should not be cut back. 



WATERING. — Should the spring and summer prove dry, watering 

 is absolutely necessary, and, if liquid cow manure can be had, so 

 much the better. 



INSECTS. — Insects are very troublesome to the Rose-grower. In 

 spring, almost as soon as the plants begin to grow, the caterpillar or 

 Rose grub attacks them; these can be destroyed only by hand-picking. 

 After this the greenfly makes its appearance, which should be kept in 

 subjection by spraying the plants with X. L. All Insecticide or Aphine. 

 as listed in this Catalogue. 



MILDEW. Dust flowers of sulphur over the affected parts as soon 

 as it makes its appearance. Another good remedy is sulphide of 

 potassium, J^oz. to the gallon, applied with syringe, or use Fungine. 



