2/0 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES 



may be after their arrival ; but if they reach him, 

 unhappily, during frost or heavy rains, let him ^ lay 

 them in,' as it is termed, covering their roots well 

 with soil and their heads with matting, and so wait 

 the good time coming. When planted they must not 

 be set too deeply in the soil — about 4 or 5 inches will 

 suffice — but must be secured (I am presuming that 

 the trees are chiefly low standards, according to 

 advice given) to stakes firmly fixed in the ground 

 beside them. Some gardeners plant deeply, to save, 

 I suppose, the trouble of staking ; and indolence has 

 its usual result — debility. Let the Briers also be 

 planted as soon as received. Weakly trees may now 

 be carefully taken up, and, planted in fresh soil, will 

 often make a complete recovery. 



The established Rose-trees should, if the ground 

 be dry and the weather fine, have a good dressing 

 of farmyard manure. And in 



December 



you should take advantage of the first hard frost to 

 wheel in a similar supply for the new-comers, the 

 freshly planted Rose-trees and stocks. In both cases 

 the manure must remain upon the ground to protect 

 and to strengthen too, and need not be dug in until 

 March. At the beginning of this month, it will be 



