THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



AND 



HORTICULTURIST. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE. ARBORICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 



Edited by THOMAS MEEHAN. 



Volume XVIII. 



JUNE, 1876. 



Number 210. 



^LOWER ^ARDEN AND pLEASURE ^ROUND. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



A lady says, "The first thing I always read 

 m the Gardener's Monthly is the 'seasonable 

 hints.' The rest of the Magazine seems just the 

 thing for those who are already advanced, and 

 who must keep pace with the progress of horti- 

 culture. The hints suit us beginners, and en- 

 courage us to follow after those who know more. 

 Now please tell us in your next how we babies 

 in floriculture, as it were, can propagate roses. 

 Some easy and cheap rule ; for most of us have 

 no hot-beds or hot-tanks as- the florists have." 

 One of the most successful rose raisers that we 

 ever knew, was the late Charles J. Wistar, of 

 Germanlown. He took half ripe Avood of roses, 

 and rose wood is half ripe just about the time 

 the flowers are fading, — and he would put them 

 in pots of sand, — the sand full to the brim, and 

 even rounded. These pots were set on his gar- 

 den walk — a gravel walk — in the open boiling 

 sun — and well watered ei.<ery day, — we are not 

 sure but they had water several times a day — for 

 the good old man spent the most of his old days 

 in his garden, — and, if we are not mistaken, they 

 had saucers of water under them besides. At 

 any rate every cutting always grew ; — and we can 

 imagine nothing more simple, or suited to the 

 wants of " floral babies." 



And, speaking of roses, we may add that to- 

 wards the end of June propagation by budding 

 commences. This is very commonly employed 

 with the rose; but ornamenta,l trees and shrubs 



may be increased in the same way. Closely 

 allied species must be chosen to work together. 



The Prairie Roses have been found excellent 

 stocks. Other roses take well on them, and they 

 do not sucker much. It is old, very hardy, and it 

 promises to be a very popular stock for rare 

 roses. 



The Rose bugs are apt to be very annoying at 

 some seasons. The best remedy is to shake 

 them off" into a pail of water. The Rose slug ia 

 often very injurious to the leaves — completely 

 skeletonizing them. All kinds of rapid remedies 

 have been proposed — whale oil, soap, petroleum, 

 &c., but the best thing of all is to set a boy to 

 crush them by finger and thumb. It is aston- 

 ishing how rapidly they are destroyed by this 

 process. This is true of most of the larger in- 

 sects. Hand picking or crushing is by far the 

 best remedy. 



Peg down Roses where a heavy mass of flow- 

 ers is desired. The side shoots push more freely 

 for this treatment. 



Cut ofT the flowers of roses as they fade, — the 

 second crop will be much better for the atten- 

 tion. Seeds of all flowering plants should be also 

 taken off"; all this assists the duration of the 

 blooming season. 



Propagation by layering may be performed 

 any time when strong vigorous growing shoots 

 can be had. Any plant can be projjagated by 

 layers. Many can be readily propagated no 

 other way. Cut a notch on the upper side of the 

 shoot, not below, as all the books recommend, 

 and bend down into, and cover with rich soil. 



