HINTS ON GROWING ROSES 
ARRIVAL OF PACKAGE. — So soon os the package containing the Roses arrives it should be taken to 
some sheltered pluee to he carefully unpacked. The plants should be taken from their bed of straw, 
and the roots and tops thoroughly Bpriukled with water. Should the weather be wet, and the soil 
unfit to receive them, it is best to open a treuch, lay the roots of the plants in thickly, and cover 
them well with earth until the weather is fine and the soil sufficiently dry to tread upon. Standard 
or Dwarf Teas may be left in this position until March, before planting them in their permanent 
quarters. If the operation of planting is bciug performed during a drying wind or sunny day, it will be 
advnutageous to the plants before removing them from the shed in which they were unpacked to dip 
their roots into a pail of thick puddle, composed of loam (or any adhesive soil) aud water, two or three 
times. By this operation the small fibrous roots will be covered with a coating sufficient to protect them 
from the most searching winds. Assuming that the ground has been previously put in order to receive them, 
follow then the instructions for planting. 
DELAY OF PACKAGE. — If the package of roses should be delayed on the rail for more than a week, it 
is possible some of the plants may have become shrivelled, in which case they should be buried at once in a 
trench about six iuehes deep, aud covered entirely with earth ; water them liberally, aud allow them to remain 
under the earth three or four (days ; they will then be re-charged with sap, and quite ready to plant in their 
permanent quarters. Our roses are so thoroughly well packed that under ordinary circumstances they " ill take 
no harm if delayed ten days or even longer. Those intended for foreign countries require special packing. 
SITUATION. — A place apart from other flowers should bo assigned to them, if possible sheltered from 
high winds, but open aud not surrounded by trees, as closeness is very apt to generate mildew. Whore they 
cannot have a place to themselves, any part of the garden best fulfilling theso conditions will answer. 
SOI L. — That which they especially delight in is a rich unctuous loam, that feels greasy when pressed betwoen the 
fingers ; where this is not to be had, the soil should bo improved— if light, by the addition of loam ^uot clay , 
wi ll worked in ; where heavy, good drainage and the addition of coal ashes in small quantities will help it, but 
in such soils drainage is most important. 
PLANTING.— This should be done in the latter part of October or November, but may safely be continued 
until March. If a bed of Uosea is required, it is necessary that the soil be dug 18 inches deep, mixing iu plenty 
of manure with it If planted with standards, they should be planted about two-and-a-half feet apart, 
and will require to be securely staked to prevent the winds from moving them. If planted with dwarf 
roses, I would recommend wlmt is called “ pegging down." In the spring short shoots should be cut back to 
about three eyes, the louger ones bent down iu the shape of a bow, anil kept in that position by means 
of a crotch stick which should be inserted tightly iu tho ground, the shoot being placed under the crotch. 
Plants treated in this manner form lovely objects, producing masses of bloom all through the summer, 
and should be planted from oue-aud-a-hnlf to two feet apart. Of course this applies to the strong-growing 
varieties. Great care should be taken uotto plant too deeply. The roots of standards should be about five 
inches below the surface. The mots of dwarf roses should be planted so that the union of the bud. with the stock 
is one inch below the surface. Do not put the mauure on the bare roots, but first shake some fine mould over 
them, then mix plenty of manure with the remainiug soil, fil.l it in, tread firmly, an 1 lay some long 
litter on the surface rouud the plant as a protection from frost. 
MANURING.— Roses are gross feeders, aud require a quantity of manure. Cqw manure is admitted 
to be the best, but when this is not procurable, either pig or stable mauure is a good substitute. It is beBl 
to apply a surface dressing iu the autumn for protection against frost, which should be forked or hoed in, in 
the early spring. Liquid manures should not be applied to newly-planted roses. 
PRUNING. — This should be done during March, sometimes the early aud sometimes the latter part of the 
month. All strong growers should be cut back to about seven eyes (unless planted as dwarfs), when the 
above-named treatment should he exercised. The weaker aud shorter-growing varieties must he pruned 
closely, ouly leaving about two or tluee eyes. In all cases it is necessary to cut away dead, weak, aud unripe 
wood, leaving ouly the strong and well-matured, which should always be shortened. To produce well formed 
plants, great care should he taken to leave the top eye pointing outwards, giving the plant room to expaud. 
WATERING. — Should the spring and summer prove very dry, watering is most necessary, and all fresh- 
planted Roses will require to bo well saturated ouce a week with water which has been exposed to the action 
of the air. If larger flowers are required water with diluted liquid manure. 
INSECTS are troublesome to the rose grower, and great care and precaution are uecessary to prevent 
their ravages, in spring, as soon as the plant begins to grow, we find the young leaves curl and stick 
together; these should be unfolded, where will be found a small maggot which feeds on the young leaves, 
and would if not destroyed eventually eat the bud aud spoil the flower. After this, the green fly will appear, the 
ouly remedy for which is a solution of Quassia chips and soft soap ; four ounces of the former should be boiled 
fifteen minutes in a gallon of soft water, then strained, and whilst cooling four ounces of the latter dissolved 
in it. To this may be added two gallons more of soft water, and it will theu be strong euough to apply with 
n syringe or brush. Avoid using it during bright sunshine. 
STOCKS FOR ROSES.— For Standards and Half-Standards we use the common Dog Briar ; for Dwarf H.l'.’s 
the Briar Cutting, Seedling Briar, and the Manetti Stocks ; for Dwarf Teas auil Noisettes the Briar Cutting aud 
Seedling Briar Stocks; when the selection is left to us, we send Roses budded on the Stock on which we 
have found from long experience and careful observation they best succeed. 
