January n, 1908. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
23 
The sleeping Roses dream of spring, 
And working plan their summer 
flowers; 
So midst the winter of our life; 
Let us prepare for brighter hours. 
Baynton-Taylor. 
The mild winter has so far favoured 
the Roses, but we must still be on our 
guard, for at any moment a sharp frost 
may play havoq with our more delicate 
plants; therefore our first duty is to see 
that they are secured from the attacks of 
the enemy. 
Protection is sufficiently secured for 
the more hardy kinds by their being 
planted with the shelter afforded by walls 
or hedges; indeed, some like Gloire de 
Dijon are sufficiently sturdy to be able to 
withstand even a northern aspect; but for 
the tender and delicate plants, such as 
Teas, bracken placed lightly, but thickly, 
amongst the dwarf Teas is far superior to 
the untidiness of straw, with • the added 
advantage of not being likely to be blown 
away. If beaten down by a heavy snow, 
a further supply must be added. 
I find it a good plan to tie the stems 
of standards, and even of dwarfs together, 
and tie bracken hanging down from the 
top like a kind of thatch. Make it se¬ 
cure against the wind, but do not fasten 
it to the stem underneath the head so that 
it may not hold the damp against the 
stems. M, 
bnould you employ Fir or Laurel 
boughs or other heavy material, you must 
employ some support to counteract the 
weight and heavy winds. 
As a rule, ten or twelve degrees of 
frost, if not unduly prolonged and if un¬ 
accompanied by a drying east wind, will 
do no harm; and it is a good plan to 
remove protection during mild weather, 
so that the plants may have as much as 
possible natural conditions of life. 
Snow around the roots is a good protec¬ 
tion, but (if at all heavy) it should be re¬ 
moved from the branches lest its weight 
should break them off. 
Labels should now be seen to. The 
pleasure of a Rose garden is very greatly- 
enhanced by knowing the names of your 
plants. The only labels which I have 
found to be worthy of mention are the 
“Acme” labels, wired on. In addition, 
I keep a plan of my Rose garden showing 
the position therein of each plant and its 
name. Thus if labels are accidentally re¬ 
moved, I know where to seek each plant. 
But a good rosarian would know every 
plant (as I do) by its personal appearance. 
STAKING. —Many of your existing stakes 
will have rotted so much that a slight 
gale of wind will break them off close to 
the ground, and by swaying the plant, 
cause damage to the roots. Now is the 
time to examine, test, and renew your 
stakes. 
East Winds are exceedingly harmful, 
especially to newly-planted Roses, as it 
dries the sap out of them and causes them 
to die. A north wind will seldom more 
than check a plant overmuch, but east 
winds are very destructive; therefore, if 
needed, build walls, or plant trees and 
hedges, not only to break the force of the 
wind, but also to save your plants from 
excessively cold and drying winds. 
Insects and Pests of all kinds I will 
speak of in another paper, contenting my¬ 
self now by reminding the rosarian that 
much good work may ncnv- be done in this 
direction. 
Planting, as long as the weather con¬ 
tinues good, may still be done, but I do 
not recommend it. Better wait until 
March. 
Grafting in Heat is best done in Janu¬ 
ary, and may (though not advised) be 
continued in February. Most amateurs 
being unable to do this work, I only men¬ 
tion it to remind the others that now is 
the time for winter grafting. 
Manuring I will treat of in a separate 
paper. During light frosts apply in 
quantity strong liquid manure, which will 
quickly sink into the ground and confer 
much benefit. 
After high Winds look to young 
plants, labels, and stakes, also to the pro¬ 
tecting material, that damages may be 
promptly repaired. This especially ap¬ 
plies to the Teas. 
Standard Stocks may still be obtained 
in suitable weather. 
Digging Amongst Roses may now be 
done to cut off the roots of any trees and 
shrubs which are trying to encroach upon 
your Roses. I find it also a good plan to 
loosen all the ground as far as it can be 
done without damaging Rose tree roots. 
Do not let the ground be either sodden 
to rot the plants and produce mildew, or 
too closely compacted to prevent the air 
from reaching the roots. 
Arches, Pergolas and Bowers may 
now be built around your climbing Roses; 
also see to your pillars, lattice work, and 
other supports that they are secure and 
in good order, or you may find to your 
keen chagrin that a short visit from a high 
wind has caused much damage. 
Drainage is absolutely essential if your 
Roses are to flourish. Where none 
exists, now is the time to provide it, and 
where the ground has a drainage system, 
now is the time to see that it is not 
choked or obstructed either in the pipes 
or at the outfall. Do not trample on the 
ground during wet or thaw, or you will 
certainly damage its drainage powers. 
New Beds foiy planting in March 
should now be prepared and planned, so 
as to be in readiness as far as possible 
against the busier time. 
Paths in vour Rose garden should 
now be attended to and new ones made 
where needed. 
Mulching I do not consider to be re¬ 
quired as a winter protection, for if the 
soil on the surface is kept (as it should 
be) friable and well cultivated, it is the 
best of all mulching. 
Weeds. — Much may now be done to 
eradicate weeds of many kinds, it being 
most essential at all seasons of the year 
to keep the ground free from any en¬ 
croachment by these enemies of our 
Roses. 
Tools.— Now is the time in which to 
repair damages and to buy new tools. 
Hoes of various kinds (Dutch and 
Sproughton) are essential. Good work 
requires the best tools kept in the best 
condition. 
Winter Pruning of long and useless 
shoots which straggle and blow about in 
the least wind should be shortened to pre¬ 
vent damage to your plants. 
The Amateur should aim high. If you 
have only one Rose, tend it as carefully 
as you would a favourite child, and in 
due course it will repay you well. 
I wish all my brother amateurs a glad 
and prosperous New Year, crowned in due 
course with a glorious wealth of Roses. 
Baynton-Taylor. 
Bath. 
-- 
The City Man — “ I suppose you hate to 
see winter coming on ?” 
The Suburbanite — “ No ; not at all. 
It's a great satisfaction to know that the 
ground in my garden is getting too hard 
for the neighbour's hens to scratch." 
Wargrave and District Gardeners, 
At the last two meetings of the associa¬ 
tion, papers were given on ” Zonal Gera¬ 
niums for Winter Flowering" by Mr. F. 
Gray, of Shiplake Court Gardens, and 
“Propagation by Layering" by Mr. A. F. 
Bailey, of Leopold House Gardens, 
Reading. Each provoked good discus¬ 
sions, and many useful and practical hints 
were given. Votes of thanks were unani¬ 
mously passed at the close of each meet¬ 
ing. 
The Swede for Kitchen Use. 
The white Turnip is most esteemed for 
kitchen use in England, it is soft and soon 
becomes spongy- and tasteless. The yel¬ 
low Turnip is widely grown in the garden 
in Scotland. The Swede is paramount in 
the Aberdeen market and keeps good till 
Mav. 
- +++ - 
feta Notice. 
SMITH AND SIMONS. 
-We learn that Mr. Peter Drew and Mr. 
James H. Parker have acquired the good¬ 
will and stock of the old-established busi¬ 
ness of Smith and Simons, seedsmen and 
nurserymen, of Glasgow, and that the 
business will be carried on at the same 
address, 36 and 38. West George Street, 
Glasgow, under the old title. Messrs. 
Drew and Parker have also secured the 
staff of the late firm of Smith and 
Simons, and from their life-long experi¬ 
ence in the leading wholesale and retail 
houses, and their thorough knowledge of 
the trade they feel confident at being able 
to increase the business. They will give 
the closest personal supervision to busi¬ 
ness at all times. Both gentlemen are 
well known among seedsmen and nursery¬ 
men throughout Scotland, and we wish 
them every success. 
