THE ROSE. 57 



carnations will keep but one day at the store, and should I take some 

 of the same lot to my home^ where the air circulation is good, they will 

 keep three or four days longer. A draft will wilt a rose badly, and 

 scarcely injure a carnation, so it is best to avoid drafts. 



In conclusion, I would say that common sense, coupled with an ob- 

 servihg eye, should goA^ern the care of cut flowers. 



THE ROSE. 



II. STAUCH, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA. 



Throughout the vegetable kingdom there is' no genus which com- 

 mands and receives so much attention from horticulturists as that now 

 under consideration. The rose has been immortalized from most ancient 

 times by authors and poets of all countries. It is the emblem of youth, 

 of love, and beauty, and justly designated the queen of flowers. 



It is needless to attempt referring to all the purposes for which the 

 rose is well adapted. They are generally familiar in our gardens and 

 as cut flowers have no equal. There is more glass devoted to roses than 

 to any other plant, and I believe there is no plant which brings better 

 returns to the successful grower than the rose. 



PEOPAGATION. 



The propagation of roses may be accomplished in many ways, namely, 

 by seed, cuttings, layers, suckers, sprouts, by division, budding, and 

 grafting, the methods mostly practiced being by grafting and cuttings. 



Cuttings can be made during almost the entire year, yet the best time 

 to propagate varieties which are grown for cut flowers, is from November 

 until the middle of April. Cuttings should only be taken from the most 

 healthy plants and the wood should be well ripened. There is quite 

 a diversity of opinion among growers as to blooming qualities of the 

 so-called blind wood versus blooming wood. 



It is undoubtedly the best to use the blooming wood, as it is the 

 strongest and best matured^ yet blind wood of equal quality is in my 

 opinion just as good. Owing to the scarcity of that kind of wood, coupled 

 with the large demand, it is easy to lose sight of this very important 

 factor and use inferior wood, the result being weakly and poor blooming 

 plants. The cuttings should be two to three eyes. The best plants will 

 come froiii so-called heel cuttings. After the cuttings are firmly put in 

 the sand, they must be thoroughly watered, the sand must always be 

 kept well watered, but avoid spraying overhead as much as possible. 



I find it best to keep the temperature of the sand C8 degrees, and 

 that of the house 56 degrees, the temperature should not vary more than 

 two degrees either way. 



In four or five weeks the cuttings will have made roots from 

 one-half to three-fourths of an inch long and should then be potted 

 firmly in small pots, watered well and placed on the bench close to the 



