Plant a Rose...

The rose is queen of the flowers without rival; she lifts her head with pride and disdain, for she is beautiful and knows that she is beautiful — and that is the secret of her greatness.

If this rose delights you, and you long to have her in your garden or in the little window box behind your window, and wish to feast your eyes upon her radiant face first thing in the early morning, then come with me and let us join hands in planting and tending her...

1 - Dig a hole two and a half feet deep and set the young plant in it so that its neck is level with the soil; then pour a pail of water into the hole.

2 - Fill the hole back in with earth, and when it is full, press its surface down well with your feet.

3 - When the green leaves sprout, loosen the soil away from the base of the plant and put two teaspoons of chemical fertilizer into the hollow at the beginning of spring, and the same again when the buds first appear.

4 - At the beginning of summer lay a fresh layer of soil over the base of the plant, to lessen the evaporation of the water, and be regular in watering it in the morning, not in the evening.

Roses love the direct rays of the sun, but toward late afternoon they prefer the shade... They love the open air, but they must be kept well away from storms and wild winds. Roses will live in every kind of good soil — in gardens and in small boxes — so set about planting them now, that you may have a lovely rose plant to gladden the heart and delight the eye...