E. B. COX & Co, Seedsmen, Etc., corner Rundle Street and East Terrace. 
April Number of 
1907 
The Australian Gardener. 
Rose Cultivation. 
Open ground Roses should be obtained 
from the middle of April to the middle of 
September, Roses out of pots may be 
‘planted at any time. i 
For garden decoration Roses are in- 
dispensible, alike for the mixed border or 
assingle specimens, For exhibition pur- 
poses or where large collections are grown 
beds or borders should be specially pre- 
pared apart from other ftowers, as only in 
this way can they grow toperfection. It 
is unimportant which aspect the plant 
faces: for, giving an open and airy situ- 
ation, not overhung with trees, with a 
moderately retentive soil, Roses will 
thrive better than most plants. - 
reservation of the blcoms a wind break 
‘is necessary. Climbing Roses grown on 
trellis form a good protection. In close 
and sandy situations, mildew and other 
pests will be troublesome, ; 
For the . 
The soil should if possible be trenched 
a month or two previously, working in a 
good quantity of cow manure, with a 
sprinkling of bone dust, Keep the bottom 
soil in its place, but break it up well to a 
depth of eighteen inches, In ftower beds 
or borders where this is not practicable, 
holes should be taken out wider and deeper 
than is necessary to hold the roots, and 
the soil enriched, or replaced with new. 
On arrival of plants unpack carefully 
in the shade, and sprinkle well with water. 
Tf the soil is too wet or it is inconvenient 
to plant at once, make a trench and lay 
them in. Dwarfs may be completely 
covered with soil: half*standards should 
have their roots covered with soil, and the 
tops with a wet bag. Before exposing the 
roots get the holes ready. The distance 
apart may be anything over eighteen ins, 
for dwarfs, and for half-standards 2 feet 
6 inches or over, according to the size the 
plants are allowed to attain. ‘The depth 
of plants in the ground when planted 
should be two or three inches deeper than 
whea grown in the uursery. Dwarf 
worked Roses, viz., those worked on the 
inain stem near the root should have the 
point of union covered three inches, as 
by so doing roots are often emitted from 
the Rose itself, and the plant is steadied 
against strong wind. When planting, if 
the weather is at all dry have a bucket of 
water handy ; dip the roots of each one 
in it before planting. Spread the roots 
evenly, giving them a downward tendency 
Fill in part of the soil and tread firmly, 
then the remainder,’ leaving a shallow 
basin round each plant about two feet 
across. Place a stake to each one and 
give a good mulching of stable manure. 
Water weil after planting. Shorten back 
the top at once, as by transplanting the 
natural balance between roots and 
branches is upset. By reducing the top 
the heavy drain on the vitality of the 
plant is lessened. Do not mix stable 
manure in the hole when planting, but 
use it asa mulch on top. 
For garden decoration and the produc- 
tion of cut flowers, for which purpose teas 
and hybird teas are more especially 
adapted, it is unnecessary to prune 
severely. Merely thinning out weak and 
exhausted wood, and keeping the head 
evenly balanced is all that is required, 
providing they have plenty of room to 
grow. lor large blooms it is necessary to 
prune fairly hard, removing all exhausted 
wood, and shortening back previous 
season’s growth according to habit and 
vigor of plants. One system of pruning 
for all varieties of Roses should not be 
adhered to, but each pruned according to 
its mode of flowering and habit of growth. 
Sorts like Marechal Niel and others that 
“bear flowers on lateral shoots made from 
strong running growths should be left 
long. Moderate-growing varities and 
those flowering from the end of strong 
shoots of current season’s growth, may be 
pruned more severely. Banksia Roses 
and varieties that flower direct from wood 
made during the previous summer shoula 
bs pruned immediately after flowering, if 
necessary to restrict their growth, Hybrid 
Perpetuals should have all wood over two 
years old 1emoved, and growth made the 
previous season pruned fairly hard. 
Roses will grow and blume profusely 
with no other manure than a good mulch- 
ing two or three times a year. But to 
grow blooms to perfection liberal appli- 
‘cation of manure is necessary when 
coming into flower. ‘This is better given 
in liquid, as the plants assimilate it more 
readily. Nothing equals cow manure for 
for this purpose, applied weak and often. 
