ROSE GROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1461, 8 June 1912, Page 11

ROSE GROWING.

NOTES FROM A LECTURE. As this is the time of the year when rose growers have to bestir themselves if they wish to produce result? v;orfch while, tho following notes, taken from a lecture recently delivered beforo members of tho Rose and Carnation Club by Mr. Remington, will probably be of value to them: Trench very deeply, about 2ft. Gin. Americans dynamite holes before planting, with the result that trees grow to double the size. In tho bottom of the hole put rough stones and broken pottery, then fill with layers of soil and well-rotted stable manure mixed with limo or basic slag ami roujrli bono dust. In Wellington the best foil to uso is tho top spit of a paddock, broken up, as it does not clojr. The rose bush should bo planted deep enough for the levol of tho soil to bo an inoh higher than tho biul, opinions on this point being divided. Don't fold up the roots, spread them out to their full extent, work tho mixed and prepared seal firmly round them, and tramp it down. Plant in May, but do not prune or topdress the bushes before tho middle of July. Early pruning induces early growth, which, is inadvisable in places exposed to strong cold winds. A rose bed should be alxrat Ift. wide, providing room for three rows of trees. For show blooms pruno down to about three eves each on four stems, cutting out all weak and decayed w00d... Prune close to a.bud which points outward, cutting off the stem about a quarter of an inch above the bud. For gavdou growth do not prune so far back. Tho longest shoot may bo left about five inches in length, and prune higher- each .successive year. Climbers do not require much pruning. Cut off weak and decayed shoots and Teduce them bv one-fourth. > "The long boughs of hybrid perpetuals may with advantage be bent over and firmly pegged down to tho ground. With

Fran Karl Drnscke, for instance, pruno off tho tips, oud mako the trees as open as possible. They do not require so muoh cutting .hack as tea roses. Bent shoots should only he left one year, and sliould then bo cut back. Tap roots should -always be cut off. It e roso fails to bloom, dig it up and plant it in a now place. For top-dressing or mulching, scrape the earth from off the roofs and pack with well-rotted manure, which may be again covered with tho soil scraped away. Don't let chemical manures touch the rents;'put it on tho surface. Any v;ell-rotted stablo manure is better than chemical manures, which extract all the goodness from the soil, while stable manure enriches it. Liquid manure should not bo added until tho buds have well started, and then should only be given after the ground has been well watered. &few good Toses are Fran Karl Drusck*. the finest white, H. .T. Clarke, Mm. M'Kee, Mrs. 'Webber. Earl of Warwick, Harry Kirk, The Lion Rose. Juliet, a new and beautiful rose, costs ss. each.