Fairfax Roses — The Aristocrats of Rosedom 
Gray Matter for Rose Growers 
While roses may be grown in any good soil, they flourish better in a rather heavy clay 
loam than they do in light or sandy soil. To those not acquainted with soils, it will be 
well to explain that almost any soil that is not sandy or gravel may be classed, in a general 
way, as clay, and if it is good enough to grow good farm crops or garden vegetables, it is 
good enough to grow roses, and does not need the addition of any great quantity of manure. 
Application of enough manure to just cover the soil from sight is usually sufficient, unless 
the soil is quite poor to start with. Good stable manure with not too much straw in 
the best ; it should not be too fresh, but at least partly rotted. If you cannot procure this, 
the dried cattle and sheep manure that is now sold in sacks is good. 
Many amateurs make the mistake of having their rose beds too rich. I knew of one who 
took out the original soil to a depth of two feet, filled in the bottom of the trench with ^8nt 
inches of manure, packed solidly, and finished with soil which was one-half manure. This 
is entirely too much manure, and roses planted in such a bed would not be likely to remain 
healthy for any time. Even had he left out the manure at the bottom, the soil would have 
been too rich, as one-fifth or one-fourth manure is enough. I do not advocate placing 
clear manure at the bottom of the bed, though some planters have had fair success in 
making beds that way. 
Of course, the manure used when the roses are planted will become exhausted and must 
be replaeed by a top dressing of manure ; or fine ground bone may be applied at the rate of 
three pounds to the square yard. As a rule, this top dressing should not be applied more 
often than once a year. If your soil is very poor or has been filled in with brickbats and 
refuse, as many city lots are, it would be best to remove it entirely to a depth of eighteen 
inches and fill with good soil that is fine and mellow and properly mixed with manure. 
Any soil you get must come from the surface ; that is, the first six inches of a §ood field 
or garden. It is not well to use chip dirt, woods’ earth or rotted leaves with rose soil; 
such material is good for many plants, but not for roses. 
Amateurs sometimes think that planting roses is a serious job and one to be approached 
with fear and trembling as to probable results. This is not at all true, as it ‘s a job 
which does not need an expert and may be done quickly. 
If the plants arc in good condition, 95 per cent should grow. 
When ready to plant it is b’est that the soil.be in a moist condition, just moist enough to 
crumble when pressed in the hands. If your plant has been shipped with the soil about the 
roots, take tbe wrappings off. but do not disturb tbe soil ; if it should be very dry or the 
plants wilted, it will be best to place the roots in water for several hours. 
You can readily judge about how deep the plant was before being taken up, and it should 
be planted the same depth, or an inch or two deeper. In case it be a budded or grafted 
plant, there will rarely be any soil shipped with it, and it should be planted four to six 
inches deeper than originally. 
If the soil is properly prepared and mellow, it is not necessary to dig the hole much 
larger than the ball of earth about the roots. When roots show that they have beeri doubled 
Up in packing, they should be straightened out \ otherwise it is not necessary. Fill in the 
soil a little at a time, and see that it is pressed firmly about the roots, but do not pour 
any water in the hole. Leave that until you get through, then water thoroughly. 
The proper location of your bed is of considerable importance. The soil should be one 
that is not naturally wet. If it does not dry out soon after heavy rains, it should be 
artificially drained, which may be done by running a few lines of tile through it at a depth 
of two feet. The tile, of course, must be carried to low ground or open ditch, where they 
may discharge the surplus water. The bed should have as much sun as possible, a location 
near trees being particularly bad, not only on account of the shade, but for the effect the 
roots of the trees have in drawing moisture and fertilizing elements from the soil. Tree- 
roots extend nearly as far laterally as the tree is high, and will injure any growth lo at 
least half that distance from the body of the tree. Shade from a house is not so bad if the 
plants have direct sun part of the day. 
The matter of diseases and insect enemies is usually of less importance than cultivation 
and a proper supply of water. 
Mother Nature is supposed to attend to the watering, as she usually does, but apparently 
the “Old Lady” is much overworked at times, and it is well to have a water supply and hose 
handy in case She fails you. It is well also to notice how She goes about the job when She 
1 
