12 THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
The Forcing of Roses. 
(Continued from last issue). 
After the roses have started into growth 
it will be well to give them an application 
of liquid manure once in two weeks. It 
will generally be advisable to pinch off 
the first flowers that form, that the plants 
may throw all their vigor into the develop- 
ment of stems and leaves. 
From the first benches planted cuttings 
can be taken, and as soon as the crop is 
off the bed should receive an application 
of ground bone at the rate of one pound 
to 25 square feet. This should be slightly 
worked into the soil, and the bed covered 
with manure, A half inch of sheep manure 
will be preferable, but if this cannot be 
obtained three-fourths of an inch of cow 
menure will answer. Unless mineral ma- 
nures are relied upon, the application 
should be repeated once in two months, 
During dull weather the mulching should 
be thin, but as it brightens the amount 
used may be slightly increased. 
SOB 
It is believed by many growers that the 
diseases known as ‘black spot,’ and mil- 
cew and the other troubles, such as blind 
shoots and imperfect. flowers, may be 
attributed, at least in part, to the stimu- 
lating effects of stable manure. While 
they are not caused directly by its use, 
there can be no doubt. that the large 
quantity of sheep and cow manure used 
by many florists promotes a soft, watery 
growth that is particularly susceptible to 
disease, and what is more t) be dreaded, 
that a slight neglect, such as an improper 
temperature or the application of too 
much water will give the plants a check 
that- will result seriously to them. The 
use of mineral fertilisers, on the other 
hand, tends to develop earlier, larger and 
better flowers, and the plants will be 
stronger, and with firmer stems and 
foliage, that will be less likely to be 
injured by neglect and disease. 
For these reasons it is a growing prac- 
tice with many of our most successful 
rose growers to rely lar.ely upon mineral 
manures. These fertilisers can be broad- 
January 1. 1908 
satel 
casted either in a dry state or in water. 
For roses a good mixture will consist of 
oue part nitrate of soda, two parts of 
sulphate of potash, and ten parts of 
ground bone. ‘These should be thoroughly 
mixed and applied broadcast at the rate 
of one pound to twenty-five square feet 
of bench, or at the rate of one pound up. 
to four poands, according to the size of 
the plants, in 50 gallons of water. When 
roses are growing the broadcast applica- 
tion can be repeated once a month, but 
a less frequent application will be better 
for small plants, or if there is but little 
growth. he liquid applications can be 
made much more frequently, but care 
should be taken not to use too large a 
quantity of nitrate of soda, or sulphate of 
potash, as if applied in excessive quan- 
tities they will check the growth and 
even kill the plants When the ground 
bone has been scattered upon the 
surface and mixed with the soil an excel- 
Jent liquid fertilizer is made by placing 
ove pound each of the nitrate of sods 
aud of sulphate of potash in two hundred 
gallons of water fsr young plants, which 
amount may be decreased to one hundred 
gallons of water when the plants become 
full grown, applying at intervals of from 
two to four weeks. The best time to. 
apply liquid manure is in the morning, 
when the beds are a little dry, as it will 
then be more evenly distributed through 
the soil, When nitrate of soda and sul- 
phate of potash are used as a top-dressing 
one pound of each to two hundred square 
feet of bed will be ample. 
Unleached wood ashes afford a desirable 
source for potash and phosphoric acid, 
and may be used at the rate of a bushel 
to two or three hundred square feet of 
bed. The potash will promote the develop- 
ment of firm, short-jointed wood, and, 
combined with the phosphoric acid, will 
favor the psoduction of flowers. Many 
florists still cling to the use of liquid 
fertilisers made from animal. manures, 
and one of the best mixtures is composed 
of a peck of hen mannre and a half bushel 
of sheep manure in one hundred gallons 
of water. The food contained in the few 
inches of soil in which roses are grown is. 
soon exhausted, and it must be replaced 
in some way, The top-dressing of sheep. 
or cow manure answers fairly well for this 
purpose, as well as for a mulch to keep 
the weeds down after the roots of the 
roses have filled the soil so that stirring 
the surface will injure them, but it is 
unsightly, and keeps the surface wet and 
sour and prevents the ready access of the 
air to the roots, so that, although it is of 
much benefit during the summer months, 
it is a positive drawback during winter. 
All fallen and diseased leaves should be 
removed and burned, and the surface of 
the bed should have an occasionai stir 
ring, to admit the air and to prevent the 
baking of the soil, but care should be 
taken not to disturb the roots. In addi- 
tion to the other work mentioned, it is 
