THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF ROSE GROWING 
H. E. ELWELL 
“Roses are gifts for a monarch, nay more, 
No monarch ever gave fairer; 
Roses are gems for a princess, nay more, 
No princess ever wore rarer.” 
f COMMON impression that Roses are “difficult to grow” 
is based on the fact that the few fundamentals of plant¬ 
ing and culture are commonly ignored. And nature 
must have her way. If Roses are placed so that the 
sunshine does not reach them until late in the day the flowers 
will be few in number and poor of form. Full sun is desirable, 
but morning sun is a necessity for good results. Certain large- 
growing trees, such as Elm and Maple, have roots extending 
some distance which absorb moisture and fertilization in such 
quantities that Roses never can do well near them, for the Roses 
need all the nourishment the soil can deliver. 
While the best soil is a heavy loam yet it is possible to make a 
good soil in preparing the bed if the only available location is in 
clay or on sand—a condition often found in newly graded lots 
and gardens. Roses require intensive fertilization and every 
effort should be made to enrich the plot, whether large or small, 
for the plants will respond from the start to this added feeding. 
Strawy manure and bonemeal are probably the best fertilizers. 
After the place for the bed is determined, if practical excavate 
to a depth of two and one half feet—but in very many cases good 
Roses can be had with much less depth. If the soil is heavy put 
stones in the bottom of the hole to provide drainage and then 
fill with alternate layers of soil and manure, each about four 
inches thick, until the bed is a couple of inches higher than it was 
before the digging began. 
The bonemeal can be thrown 
on the pile of excavated earth 
and will mix well through 
when this is put in, thus se¬ 
curing an even fertility. A 
safe rule for using bonemeal 
is one pound for each two 
square feet of bed surface, 
but mixed well through. 
Most soils (and all coastal 
soils) are more or less acid and 
a few pounds of hydrated lime 
scattered on the top of the 
finished bed will help to mod¬ 
ify such a condition. The 
bed may be left ten days or 
more after making, and be¬ 
fore planting, in which time 
it will settle to the level of 
the surrounding ground, or 
perhaps a little lower. And in 
any event it should never be 
left high enough to allow the 
water from rains or from the 
sprinkling system to run off. 
If the earth in the site se¬ 
lected is clay, a few loads of 
sand—-mixed in as the bed is 
filled—will lighten the soil, 
making it easier for air and 
moisture to penetrate and will also prevent cracking in dry 
weather. If the location is sandy, clay mixed with the sand 
will give the soil more body so it will retain moisture better 
and it also prevents the fertilizer from leaching away. 
Though such a method of preparation may seem (at first 
thought) expensive bear in mind that a Rose bed made in 
this way is a permanent bed, and a small amount of manure 
and bonemeal added each year will maintain fertility to a high 
pitch so that Roses may be cut from June until frost. To secure 
flowers for this period from perennials would require a great 
variety of plants and much more space. 
Roses for outdoor planting are found in the Hybrid-perpetual 
and Hybrid-tea classes. The former are often termed “June 
Roses” for they bloom profusely at that season but rarely later. 
The Hybrid-tea varieties bloom continuously through the sum¬ 
mer and fall months and so are more desirable for the general 
garden, and moreover the variety of colors and shadings is 
greater. The Hybrid-teas are, however, more tender than the 
Hybrid-perpetuals, requiring winter protection, but the greater 
number of flowers and long season compensate for this. These 
Roses thrive in localities where the thermometer reaches thirty- 
five below zero so they may be used in any cold climate, without 
hesitation. 
Combining Color When Planting 
T HE handling of varieties offers the chance for more errors 
than any other one thing connected with Rose culture—the 
desire to have too many. The best effects are obtained by using 
but few varieties and a num¬ 
ber of plants of each, keep¬ 
ing the colors grouped in a 
small bed, or one color to a 
bed if a garden of considerable 
size is contemplated. A little 
time devoted to thinking out 
just what colors are preferred 
and then grouping them so 
that there is no clash will give 
not only beauty, but also dis¬ 
tinction and personality. 
The colors and shades can be 
so arranged that a most artis¬ 
tic effect is secured even in a 
small planting, of perhaps 
only a dozen plants. If red, 
pink, white, and yellow are 
desired it would be well to 
plant the red in the least 
conspicuous place and next 
this the white. The others 
can then be set as desired 
and the effect will be much 
better than if planted with¬ 
out regard to color. 
For the gardener who 
wants measured, definite 
results the highest quality 
of plant is the only one to 
consider when purchasing, 
for the cheaper ones too often are found not to be true to 
name and rarely do they have the strength of those somewhat 
higher in price. The best plants obtainable are the cheapest in 
the end and purchases would preferably be made from a reputable 
specialist. There are firms that offer certain Southern grown and 
DORMANT CAROLINE TEST- 
OUT BUDDED ON MANETTI 
A indicates point where bud was in¬ 
serted, B surface of ground showing 
how deep to plant, C about where 
plant is to be cut back in spring 
ESTABLISHED HYBRID-PERPE¬ 
TUAL ROSE BEFORE PRUNING 
Trim back to points indicated by solid 
black as this season’s bloom will be 
borne on this season’s new wood 
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