roots satisfactorily. Dormant roses planted in 
the spring ought to be in the ground before the 
first of April. 
AS SOON AS THE ROSES START into 
growth, get busy with the hoe and rake. Never 
permit a weed in a rose-bed. Keep the sur¬ 
face soil loose and friable at all times, but it 
must be solid under ground. Roses do not like 
loose soil at their roots. As the new shoots 
lengthen, a liquid made by steeping fresh manure 
in water may be given once a week or every two 
weeks, and always soak the ground with clear 
water before feeding, or do it after a ram. Com¬ 
mercial fertilizer, or patented rose-foods, such 
as “Vigoro” may be used, and they are usually 
very successful—“If you follow the directions of 
the manufacturers implicitly” and do not use 
your own judgment until you have acquired 
considerable experience. Stop feeding about six 
weeks before the first frost is expected, to give 
the plants time to ripen their wood for winter. 
Blooming will continue through the early frosts 
until a genuine freeze. 
ROSES HAVE ENEMIES. The worst is 
cold, wet soil and the next is competition with 
other plants in the same bed. These are en¬ 
tirely within the grower’s control. Avoid them. 
Two diseases are common—and will ruin the 
bushes unless checked: 
“MILDEW” ATTACKS FOLIAGE, buds and 
young growth, covering them with a grayish 
d.o'wn and causes the leaves to curl and shrivel. 
Sulphur, in the form of a dry dust, is the best 
weapon with which to combat it. 
“BLACKSFOT” ATTACKS THE LEAVES, 
forming little black or purplish dots which en¬ 
large rapidly. The leaf develops yellow blotches 
or turns yellow all over and falls at a touch. 
This disease spreads rapidly and will quickly 
defoliate a whole garden. It is caused by dis¬ 
eased leaves lying under the bush from the 
previous year, or some similar source. The 
remedy is to prevent it, or after it has come, to 
keep it from spreading. Remove all diseased 
leaves and burn them. Dust the plants thor- 
