For April, 1922 



113 



Roses and the Rose Garden 



ARTHUR SMITH 



(Continued from March Issue) 



CONSIDERABLE difference of opinion exists as to 

 which are better for outdoor planting: roses on 

 their own roots, that is raised from cuttings, or 

 those which have been grafted or budded, or as it is 

 termed, "worked." \\'orked roses give more or less trou- 

 ble by throwing up suckers from the stock upon which 

 the rose has been worked, and some people do not dis- 

 tinguish the difference between the rose and the suckers, 

 with the result that the latter frequently prevent the 

 growth of. or kill outright, the rose. The classes of roses 

 we are considering have only live leaflets, while the 

 growth from the stock has seven or more leaflets and has 

 also generally more numerous thorns. If this is borne in 

 mind there need be no difficulty in knowing which is 

 which. 



The principal reasons for deep planting are that when 

 the junction of the rose with the stock is well covered, 

 the latter is not so liable to send up suckers and the stem 

 of the rose itself will often send out roots which is a 

 decided advantage to it. Sometimes roses are worked 

 high, that is several inches above the roots of the stock. 

 When this is the case and the plant is set deep enough 

 to cover the junction, the depth of the roots is greater 

 than it should be and the death of the plant frequently 

 results, especiallv with the more tender varieties upon 

 clayey soils. On the other hand when the junction is 

 above the ground a heavy wind may break the rose away 

 from the stock and the same thing may occur from being 

 knocked by a hoe or rake. Also the union may not be 

 perfect all round and a crack between the rose and the 

 stock will admit air and moisture which will cause decay 

 and the ultimate death of the plant. \Mien a rose is 

 upon its own roots it is less liable to ^^'inter kill, for if 

 it should be killed to the ground, it will invariably send 

 up new growth from below. 



Apart from any of the afiove reasons roses on their 

 own roots are always more permanent than grafted ones. 

 While there is not the slightest doubt that all the more 

 vigorous roses do thoroughly well when grown on their 

 own roots, there are some weak varieties which give 

 better results the first year or tn'o when grafted. As 

 there is. however, such an abundance of good roses which 

 are satisfactory upon their own roots, why trouble about 

 the others, especially as there is always more dying out 

 among grafted or budded roses in connection with the 

 Teas and their hybrids, than own root ones? Grafting 

 roses is no doubt the quickest method of obtaining a 

 presentable growth by the trade for sale, and in those 

 cases where strong growth and large blooms are wanted 

 for one year only this way is probably better. Rut the 

 lover of roses in the garden wants something more than 

 this, and while the now more usually used multitlora stock 

 is not as bad as the manetti, there is no doubt that for 

 garden purposes where permanency is required, own root 

 roses are in every way the best. It is one thing for a 

 commercial rose grower to want a rose plant which will 

 produce strong blooms for a year, after which he discards 

 the plant entirelv in which ]iiace the plant's length of life 

 is of no consequence, and quite another in connection with 

 the owner of a rose garden who wants his roses to live 

 and produce flowers for many years. 



Another important point, especially in relation to teas 

 and hybrid teas, is that when garden roses are on their 

 own roots it is not necessary to plant them so deeply as 

 is generallv the case when the junction of the roses with 



the stock is placed several inches below the surface of 

 the ground. This very deep planting puts the roots into 

 soil which in the more northern states remains at a lower 

 temperature during the growing season, at least for a 

 more or less extensive period, than is good for the roses, 

 and there is no doubt that a number of the least hardy 

 roses make poor growth and ultimately die from this 

 cause. The making of all the beautiful roses with tea 

 blood in them to grow on a wild stock no doubt has had 

 as much bad eft'ecl: as has been the case With the grafting 

 of all the valuable hybrid Rhododendrons upon the 

 wretched pouticum stock. 



The general climatic conditions upon which these re- 

 marks are based are those prevalent in the more northern 

 states. In the south, however, especially in Florida, the 

 average garden roses, and notably the teas, do better when 

 grafted, or at least grafting does not appear to produce 

 harm. The soil there is always warm and in sandy dis- 

 tricts the deeper rooting habits of the manetti stock is 

 some advantage in dry hot districts. 



Having planted the roses in well prepared soil, success 

 is still further assured by continually giving proper atten- 

 tion to cultivation, watering, pruning, and feeding. 

 When the soil has been deeply worked and is kept culti- 

 vated watering is rarely necessary. If it should be re- 

 quired, mere surface sprinkling by holding a hose in the 

 hand is practically waste of time. So long as the soil 

 around the roots is moist no artificial watering is re- 

 quired, but when this soil is dry watering must be suffi- 

 cient to make it moist at least to the depth of the roots, 

 as it is only through their roots that any plants can drink. 

 At about the end of July the beds should have a dressing 

 of pulverized cattle or sheep manure worked into the 

 surface. 



Roses produce their flowers upon young wood : it is 

 therefore desirable to encourage new growth as much as 

 possible throughout the season. As far as pruning is 

 concerned, this encouragement can be given by keeping 

 all the dead flowers cut off and in doing so the stalk 

 should be cut low enough ; it is sufficient to leave one 

 bud, although very strong growers may have two buds 

 left. As the season draws to a close, and there is no 

 longer time enough for young growth to produce flowers, 

 this pruning may be discontinued, or merely confined to 

 removal of seed vessels. 



The time for pruning established roses in the Spring' 

 depends upon the season and the climate. It is better 

 done a little late than too early, and it is best to wait until 

 danger from killing frost has passed. Hybrid perpetuals 

 may be pruned earlier than the others and in the latitude 

 of Xew York these may be operated upon about the end 

 of March. The amount of pruning is regulated by the 

 requirements. If the object is to obtain roses of the 

 largest possible size, irrespective of the quantity pro- 

 duced, they should be cut back to two or three buds, but 

 if a mass effect and a large number of flowers are required 

 the last year's wood may be left as long as eighteen inches 

 or two feet, removing weak and old wood that has no 

 strong wood growing from it. This latter system, how- 

 ever, will produce flowers on weak stalks and afford 

 few flowers worth cutting, although when viewed as a 

 mass the effect will be good. 



Teas and their hybrids should have all their good strong 

 shoots left without shortening more than one-third of 

 their length, and any side branches cut to two eyes, re- 

 moving entirely any weak growth from the center. These 



