218 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 18, 1866. 



rately close atmosphere, humid rather than dry, and such con- 

 ditions are favourable to the decomposition of vegetable matter. 

 A moist atmosphere is of more importance for the growth of 

 Ferns than any amount of artificial feeding at the root. Orchids 

 do not care about liquid manure, though it may not for a time 

 injure them, but applied to the roots it does as much if not 

 more harm than good. Their chief support is derived from the 

 atmosphere, and an ammoniacal vapour in the house gives 

 evidence of its beneficial influence in the increased vigour im- 

 parted to the foliage. The terrestrial kinds, like Ferns, require 

 a soil principally consisting of decaying vegetable matter. We 

 find all plants that will not grow well without peat as a staple 

 of the compost, are not in anywise improved by the application 

 of liquid manure.] 



CULTURE OF ROSES IN TOTS. 



(Continued from paijc 138.) 



If there are no plants in pots, and in a ' fit condition for 

 forcing when autumn arrives, and if the purchasing of such be 

 objected to, the cultivator should visit some good Rose nur- 

 sery in September, as he will then be able to select suitable 

 plants for forcing better than earlier in the season, and can 

 also have a good choice from the nursery rows. He should 

 select plants having from four to six strong healthy shoots, 

 without being gross and sappy, and on a stock not more than 

 6 inches high, if on the Dog Rose or Briar (a stock on which I 

 do not like to have my Roses in pots), and not more than an 

 inch or two in height if on the Manetti. Such plants are far 

 better for forcing than Roses on their own roots, for to succeed 

 with these they must be established in pots sometime previously. 

 Tea and China Roses, however, ore an exception, these are in 

 every way better on their own roots ; but the Perpetuals cannot 

 be forced with certainty on their own roots, if taken up and 

 potted in autumn, neither is it desirable to treat the China and 

 Tea varieties in that way, as their growth is generally not suffi- 

 ciently matured. 



The plants having been selected and marked, let them remain 

 where they are until the growth is pretty well matured, which 

 may be known by the plants shedding their lower leaves ; then 

 take them up very carefully, preserving every fibre, as care or 

 no care in the lifting makes all the difference between success 

 and the reverse. Our nursery friends, however, in the case of 

 Roses, however unmindful they may be in taking up other trees 

 and shrubs, invariably preserve all the roots they can. This is 

 a matter of great consequence to the forcer. The Manetti is the 

 stock for lifting with many twiggy roots, which, when you take 

 off their points, push innumerable fibres throughout their length. 

 The Briar, on the other hand, has comparatively few roots, and 

 is somewhat slow in emitting fresh fibres. After taking up, the 

 next important point is to be careful not to keep the roots long 

 exposed to the atmosphere, on account of the drying influence 

 of the wind and sun, as if the roots are long exposed they do 

 not readily emit fresh fibres. 



In the generality of seasons the plants will have the wood 

 sufficiently matured to be taken up with safety from the middle 

 to the end of October. The strong roots are shortened with a 

 knife to allow of their going into the pot comfortably, and the 

 twiggy roots merely have the ends trimmed off, unless broken, 

 when they are cut back beyond the broken part. Plants such 

 as described will require eight-inch pots, and these being well 

 drained with crocks, an inch of the roughest part of the com- 

 post, or a thin layer of moss, should be placed over the drain- 

 age. The compost which Perpetuals, or rather the stocks they 

 are worked on like, is rather strong hazel or yellow loam (the 

 top of a pasture not more than i inches thick), with one-third 

 well-rotted horse-manure, or cowdung, which is preferable, 

 adding a little river sand. Chop this fine, place the plant 

 in the centre of the pot, and if worked on the Manetti cover 

 the stem entirely, but if on the Briar, it need not be buried 

 more than 2 or 3 inches over the roots. These having been 

 well distributed among the soil, press the latter firmly, but not 

 what may be termed very hard ; then give a good watering as 

 well as a sprinkling overhead. 



After potting it would be well, and indeed, is imperative for 

 forcing by January, to plunge the pots to three-fourths their 

 depth in sawdust or tan over a hotbed of about 70°, formed of 

 leaves or anything that will generate a gentle heat, which will 

 gradually subside in a fortnight or three weeks. It would be 

 well to draw on the lights and keep the frame close for ten days, 



shading from bright sun, and sprinkling overhead morning and, 

 evening in days when it is necessary to shade. At the end of 

 ten days draw down the lights in the morning and evening, a. 

 little way at first, until by degrees they are entirely removed,, 

 pulling them on at night, but not after the middle of November. 

 By that time it is presumed the bed will be cold, or if warm, 

 the pots must be gradually withdrawn from it, placed on a cool 

 bottom, and plunged in coal ashes to the rim, within a frame 

 or pit, so that the heavy rains of autumn can be kept off by 

 drawing on the lights, keeping them, however, tilted at the back- 

 Failing a frame or pit wherein to protect the plants from wet, 

 and thus give them a season of rest, it is necessary to plunge 

 the pots in ashes in some sheltered and sunny situation, where 

 they can be protected from heavy rains and intense frost. The 

 Perpetuals do well in this way, but the Tea and China varieties 

 must have a frame. Affording the plants bottom heat secures 

 to the cultivator by the middle of November plants that have 

 made a quantity of fresh rootlets, and are otherwise little, if 

 at all, inferior to those which have been established a year in 

 pots ; all they require is a season of rest, aiid they may safely 

 be forced in six weeks' time, or by the middle of January. 



For this early forcing make choice of the strongest of the 

 plants potted in autumn, and those having the best-matured 

 shoots. These should be pruned in mild weather in the middle 

 of December, or, if the weather is severe, do not prune until they 

 are introduced into the house. To do the plants justice they 

 should not be forced the first year until February, especially if 

 they are required to be permanent ; but some may be forced 

 by the middle of January, and will flower in March. Those 

 introduced in February will flower in April and May. Before 

 taking them into the house the pots should be freed of moss 

 and washed, and the drainage examined to see that it is effi- 

 cient. If worms are at work in the pots dislodge them, either 

 by turning out the plant or by stopping up the hole in the pot 

 and deluging the soil with lime water. No plant will thrive 

 in a pot with worms in the soil — they choke the drainage and 

 convert the soil into a soddened mass : hence their expulsion 

 is necessary, and the rectification of the drainage if defective 

 essential. 



In pruning cut out any very weak shoots — they seldom do 

 more than require support without affording a return in bloom ; 

 and cut away those shoots which overlie or cross each other,, 

 always bearing in mind that a sufficient number of strong 

 healthy shoots must be left to form a compact head, and there 

 should not be less than four ; for a small plant occupying the 

 same space as a better specimen is a waste of means. Cut in 

 the shoots to two, three, or at most four eyes, according to their 

 strength, the weakest being cut in most and the strongest least- 

 Afford the plants a situation near the glass in a well-venti- 

 lated structure ; the temperature at the time of introducing 

 the plants may range from 45° to 50° from fire heat, and they 

 will be all the better of a mild bottom heat of 05° or 70°, as it 

 will tend to make the buds break evenly and vigorously. Sy- 

 ringe the plants morning and evening with water of the same 

 temperature as the house, and shut it up early in the afternoon. 

 When the shoots are an inch long increase the temperature 

 to 55°, shutting up early in the afternoon, still maintaining a 

 moist atmosphere, and admitting air freely on all favourable 

 occasions, as if kept close and moist they become weak and 

 drawn. By the time the flower-buds show the temperature 

 may be 60°, admitting air plentifully, at the same time avoid- 

 ing cold currents ; and when the buds show colour lower the 

 temperature 5°, affording light, air, and room, to give the stems 

 and leaves a stiffness which they would not acquire in a warmer, 

 closer, and more humid atmosphere. The syringing should 

 then be discontinued, and as they come into bloom remove 

 the plants to a house with a temperature of 50°, where, if 

 shaded from bright sun, they will continue in flower a long, 

 time. 



In watering be careful not to overdo it, and do not keep the 

 soil more than moist until they have fairly broken, when more 

 liberal supplies may be afforded, and when the buds show 

 every alternate watering may be of liquid manure. From that 

 time until the petals fall the waterings should be copious, 

 but under no circumstances such as to reduce the soil to 

 a saturated condition. When the blooming is past continue 

 to keep the soil healthfully moist, but to not water so copiously 

 as when the head demands a greater supply of nutriment. 



Green fly is the great pest of forced Roses. To counteract 

 it the syringe should be freely used, and the house filled with 

 tobacco smoke on the first appearance of the pest, taking care 

 to have the foliage of the plants dry. The insect must not be 



