FROM GROWER TO CONSUMER 
43 
PLANT 
Rose Cultu re 
PRUNE — CULTIVATE — PROTECT 
PREPARATION OF ROSE BEDS. Roses are heavy 
feeders and require a rich loam in which to produce their best. 
In preparing the bed, dig up the ground to a depth of 18 to 24 
inches, and replace about one-third of the bulk of the soil with 
well-rotted cow manure, or about one-fourth its bulk of well- 
rotted horse manure. If the site is damp or soggy, remove all 
of the earth to a depth of 2 feet and line the bottom of the ex 
cavation with gravel or cinders to take care of the drainage. 
Prepare the bed several weeks in advance of the planting if 
convenient. 
PRUNING BEFORE PLANTING. Roses planted in the 
fall should not be cut back until spring. When planted in the 
spring but 2 or 3 stems with 4 or 5 buds on each should be 
left after the pruning has been completed. Cut away all broken 
or bruised branches. 
YEARLY PRUNING. The same 
general pruning requirements hold 
for every type of rosebush except the 
climbers, Harrison Yellow, Persian 
Yellow, and Hugonis, which require 
special treatment. The first step in 
the spring is to clean the base of the 
plant, removing all suckers, dead 
wood and weak growth. Then remove 
the old wood, which has bloomed for 
2 years or more. It is easily recog¬ 
nized by the dark color and its gen¬ 
eral appearance. The 3 varieties men¬ 
tioned should be trimmed after they 
are through blooming. 
The black lines show 
where to prune a Rose 
bush each spring. 
Correct planting depth. Planted too shallow. Planted too deep. 
PLANTING. Roses should be planted as soon as they are 
received. If this is not possible, bury the roots in a shallow 
trench and cover with boards or burlap. Dig a hole in the bed, 
large enough to receive all the roots without crowding, and set 
the plants so that the junction of the roots and tops will be 
just above the surface of the soil when it is leveled off. Fork 
the fine soil about the roots, tamping it firmly about them, and 
stamping down the earth with the foot when the entire hole is 
back-filled. If the ground is very dry, fill the hole with water 
when it is about two-thirds full of dirt, and allow this to settle 
before throwing back the rest of the dirt. Plant the Roses 15 
to 18 inches apart, according to their size. This distance is suf¬ 
ficient for most of the Hybrid Teas and Baby Ramblers, though 
a few of the more vigorous Hybrid Teas may be planted IV 2 to 
2 feet apart. Hybrid Perpetuals should be planted 2 V 2 feet 
apart each way, the Climbers about 6 feet apart if planted in 
rows. 
Care After Planting 
CLTLTIVATION. Cultivate the top 
inch or two of the soil on the rose bed 
each week, and water thoroughly if the 
weather is dry. Much of this labor of cul¬ 
tivation can be eliminated if the beds are 
covered with a 2-inch mulch of grass clip¬ 
pings, peat moss, or strawy well-rotted 
stable manure about June 1st. A trowel 
full of bone meal, another of sheep ma¬ 
nure worked about each plant twice each 
season will produce a healthy, profuse 
blooming plant. 
Note: We do not offer Roses 
grown on their own roots. Our bud¬ 
ded stock will make more growth in 
3 months than own root Roses will 
make in 1 year. Besides, they are sea¬ 
soned and developed in the nursery 
row, outdoors, materializing into har¬ 
dy bushes that produce finer and 
larger blooms. All have bloomed in 
the nursery row. 
HYBRID TEAS. The second step, 
shortening the branches, requires a 
little more care and thought. The 
Hybrid Teas should be pruned ac¬ 
cording to the type of bloom desired. 
For average pruning, remove about two-thirds of the previous 
year’s growth. If you want Roses for bouquets (long stemmed) 
remove about three-fourths of the previous year’s growth. For 
exceptionally fine individual blossoms, prune even lower, and 
leave but two good canes on the plant. 
HYBRID PERPETUALS. These are treated the same way 
as the above, if best results are to be obtained. 
BABY RAMBLERS* The base of the plant should be 
cleaned of weak growth and the spent flower heads should be 
removed before going to seed, if you desire to have a continu¬ 
ous bloom of Roses all summer. 
CLIMBING ROSES. Because these bloom on the previous 
year’s growth they should only be pruned directly after they 
have finished blooming. Cut away all the old canes at the base 
of the plant, and train the new runners on the trellis to take 
their place. 
WINTER PROTECTION. If the winters are severe, the 
Hybrid Teas should be protected in the winter by hilling up 
the earth about the stems in the autumn, and after the ground 
is frozen protected from alternate thawing and freezing by cov¬ 
ering the entire mound with leaves or evergreen boughs. 
Successful Rose Growing 
The most essential point in connection 
with successful Rose growing is to plant 
GOOD Roses—Roses which first of all 
are grown on choice and carefully select¬ 
ed Rose seedlings—Roses which are 
grown in the North and which are ac¬ 
climated to the most severe weather 
conditions. 
You can then depend on a far richer 
return in both growth and bloom and 
in general satisfaction. 
Fortunately our nurseries are located 
in a section of New York State which is 
conceded by leading horticulturists as 
being the best section in the whole 
U. S. for the propagation and growing of 
nursery material. Our soil and climatic 
conditions are such that strong, healthy 
and vigorous plants are produced—the 
kind that please the most particular 
customer. 
