Gifs Lehn: 
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 re- 
ceive it, in the very best of soil and cultural 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 atten- 
tion 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 ex- 
cessive wind and sun. In simple words, we treat our bare-root roses as pa- 
tients 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. Fol- 
low out planting guide (on the opposite page) carefully. Never fill the hole 
with water before planting. Planting 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 important. 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 pro- 
ducing 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 feeding 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 loathe 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 gradu- 
ally, during the spring months. In the case of heavy soil or old rose beds, we 
recommend Lime or Soil Sulphur or both, applied in conjunction with the 
manure, at the rate of 5 Ibs. 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 crop in June and July. We 
2 
