294 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[October, 



makes a splendid rose budded on a good vigor- 

 ous stock. Roses are ofcen much changed by 

 budding on different stocks. American florists 

 generally advocate the growing of roses on their 

 own roots and use this as a recommendation in 

 favor of their stock. In the neighborhood of 

 Boston, where the best roses in America are 

 grown (thanks to the enterprise of the florists, 

 supported by the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society), most of the fine roses exhibited at 

 the exhibitions of that society are grown on 

 budded plants. Roses having strong, vigorous 

 constitutions, are not much improved by bud- 

 ding on the Manetti, but most all those of weak 

 growth — and some of the finest hardy roses grown 

 are weak growers — require before perfect flowers 

 can be got, to be budded on some strong stock. 

 Such roses therefore as Niphetos, the weak grow- 

 ing Hybrid Perpetuals, and a good many of the 

 Hybrid Teas, are much improved by budding on 



strong stocks, either Manetti or some other 

 strong grower." 



Propagating Hydrangea paniculata. — Mr. E. 

 S. Carman says: "Referring to E. Williams's 

 article — ' Propagating Hydrangea paniculata' 

 — if cuttings be made from the half-ripened 

 wood, they will strike in sand as readily as wil- 

 low cuttings, or in soil either." 



Rosa minutifolia. — Under this name, in the 

 August Bulletin of Torrey Botanical Club, Dr. 

 Engelmann describes a new native rose, found by 

 Dr. Parry and his exploring party in lower Cali- 

 fornia in April last, forming dense thickets in 

 the arid landscape ; a much-branched shrub, 

 two to four feet high, with showy pink or white 

 flowers, and " a most striking and lovely species, 

 distinguished from all other roses by its minute, 

 deeply incised leaflets." Dr. Engelmann pub- 

 lishes it under the name of Rosa minutifolia. 



Greenhouse and House Gardening. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



It was feared that the widely spreading taste 

 for cut flowers would militate against the love of 

 cultivating plants. But it does not appear to 

 have done so. Greenhouses and conservatories 

 are just as numerous as they ever were, and in- 

 deed rather more numerous. Those who get the 

 love of flowers from mere adornment soon learn 

 to care for the plants which produce them. 



In growing winter flowers, much care is given 

 to the nature of the soil, the aspect, and many 

 points other than the most essential, which are 

 '' the care of the roots of plants and preservation of 

 the foliage from insects. When plants are over- 

 watered the roots decay, and the plants become 

 sickly or die. Too much care cannot be given 

 to over- watering. If the pot is large and the roots 

 comparatively small, the soil is almost sure to 

 sour, when the roots will decay. It is much safer 

 to keep plants in as small pots as the roots will go 

 into than to risk larger ones; and every care should 

 be taken to facilitate the passage of water through 

 the bottom of the pot. In potting it is best to 

 fill the pot to the brim, even rounding the soil 



over the brim. It is almost impossible for such 

 a potted plant to get too much water; but it 

 necessitates watering oftener than when potted 

 in the usual way, or the plant may suff"er from 

 being too dry. 



In taking up things from the ground for pot- 

 ting, care should be taken to have the pots well 

 drained, with pieces of potsherds over the hole. 

 The more rapidly water passes through the soil 

 the better plants will grow. Pots could be made 

 without holes, and the water would all go 

 through the porous sides in time; but that is to© 

 slow a way, so we make a hole to admit of its 

 more rapid escape, and we place the broken pots 

 over the hole to make a vacuum, which assists 

 the objects of the hole. In very small pots, or 

 with plants which have strong enough roots to 

 rapidly absorb all the moisture they get, and 

 speedily ask for more, " crocking " is not neces- 

 sary. 



As for insects, the repeated use of the syringe 

 is one of the best preventives of their attacks^ 

 and if water can be used for syringing heated to 

 130°, there will be few complaints of insect at- 

 tacks. 



