Excerpt from Fairfax Roses, 1924

Many amateurs make the mistake of having their rose beds too rich. I knew of one' who took out the original soil to a depth of two feet, filled in the bottom of the trench with eight inches of manure, packed solidly, and finished with soil which was one-half manure. This is entirely too much manure, and roses planted in such a bed would not be likely to remain healthy for any time. Even had he left out the manure at the bottom, the soil would have been too rich, as one-fifth or one-fourth manure is enough. I do not advocate placing clear manure at the bottom of the bed, though some planters have had fair success in making beds that way.

Of course, the manure used when the roses are planted will become exhausted and must be replaced by a top dressing of manure, or fine ground bone may be applied at the rate of three pounds to the square yard. As a rule, this top dressing should not be applied more often than once a year. If your soil is very poor or has been filled in with brickbats and refuse, as many city. Lots are, it would be best to remove it entirely to a depth of eighteen inches and fill with good soil that is fine and mellow and properly mixed with manure.

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