at Drops 
PLANTING is the most important procedure in the life of a rose 
bush, and in the production of first-quality blooms. In reality, it is 
transplanting that you are doing. Your rose-bush has been grown 
for two years before you receive it, in the very best of soil and cul- 
tural conditions in the Nursery fields. It was watered and sprayed 
regularly and intelligently; it was ripened and dug at the proper 
time of the year. We have been most careful in our attention since 
that time, to guard against any loss of vitality. The roots have never 
been allowed to dry out, and the tops have been shaded against 
excessive wind and sun. In simple words, we treat our bare-root 
roses as patients recovering from a major operation. Won't you do 
the same? 
See that the roots are never allowed to dry. Immersing them in 
a bucket of water for a few minutes before planting will assure 
ample moisture. Follow out planting guide (on the opposite page) 
carefully. Never fill the hole with water before planting. Plant- 
ing first, then watering seals the earth around the roots without 
making mud, and recreates the soil firmness and texture in which 
the rose was originally grown. The first watering is the most im- 
portant. Make it thorough. 
WATERING: There is no “rule of thumb” for watering roses. Type 
of soil, time of year, size and age of bushes, temperature — all 
these are factors to be considered. Important to remember, — a 
rose-bush is working and producing 10 months of the year. It is a 
heavy feeder and must have ample moisture at all times. One good 
SATURATION is better than a half-dozen sprinklings. 
FERTILIZATION: Great experimentation goes on in scientific feed- 
ing of plants, as well as of people. Being somewhat old-fashioned, 
and having grown roses for many years with (shall we modestly 
say?) a fair degree of success, we are loath to change our formula. 
“Organic fertilizer’ (Cow-manure to the dirt-gardener) applied in 
the late winter or early spring should be all the food necessary to 
produce the first crop of flowers. A good sized shovel-full per plant 
should be worked into the soil lightly and gradually, during the 
spring months. In the case of heavy soil or old rose beds, we recom- 
mend Lime or Soil Sulphur or both, applied in conjunction with the 
manure, at the rate of 5 lbs. per 100 sq. ft. 
Immediately after the spring crop of blooms you will find that 
a liberal hand-full of one of the well-known balanced commercial 
fertilizers worked into the soil, will materially strengthen the second 
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