314 



CAr,ENDAR OF OPERATIONS FOR APRIL. 



tinning to thrive tlirough almost 

 all Aveathers, wliile the more 

 tender are checked through the 

 winter. 



Water the different kinds of 

 choice flowers carefully if the 

 Aveather proves dry. A good deal' 

 of their success depends on their 

 being properly watered when the 

 hlooms are advancing. 



THE ROSE GARDEN. 



Grafting. — This mouth, even in 

 ordinary seasons, Eoses begin to 

 grow in earnest. At tbe early part 

 of it grafting should be done. The 

 stock should begin to swell at the 

 buds ; but whether the graft has 

 begun to swell or not is not of 

 much consequence. The best way 

 to join the graft to the stock is to 

 cut a slit in the stock on one side 

 of a bud left near the top, not near 

 enough to damage it, and take out 

 with a very sharp knife a piece of 

 the form of a V, and cut the graft 

 with a sharp edge of the form of a 

 thick - backed knife. The graft 

 sliould be of well-ripened wood; 

 two eyes should be below the top 

 of the stock, and one or two above. 

 When fitted get bass matting or 

 coarse worsted to tie it in its 

 place ; and this done, cover the 

 whole with grafting wax so as to 

 exclude the air. This wax should 

 be so made as to melt at a mode- 

 rate heat, and to harden in the or- 

 dinax-y temperature. 



Budded and Grafted Roses. — 

 Look well at the stocks of all last 

 year's budded and grafted Roses ; 

 take off all the growth of the stock 

 wherever there has been any, and 

 rub off all the buds of the stock 

 that start. The only exception to 

 this rule is the top bud of tbe 

 grafted stock, which, being there 

 to draw the sap up past the graft, 

 must be allowed to grow until 



the graft has united ; but as soon 

 as the bud has started four inches 

 it must be topped to check it a 

 little, and as soon as the graft 

 begins to grow, the growth of the 

 stock may be stopped. Those 

 stocks of which the buds have 

 I'ailed, and which are intended for 

 budding again, should have all 

 the side-slioots cut off, and all the 

 stem that is above the upper 

 growing branch. 



Pruning. — If any Rose trees 

 have been left over, according to 

 last month's directions, for late 

 blooming, cut them back to two 

 eyes (or more, if tbe wood is 

 wanted to fill more space). It will 

 be found that all the buds toward 

 the ends of the branches grow 

 long before those close at the 

 bottom. 



Succession plants for the forcing, 

 house must be taken in as re- 

 quired, and so must Roses for 

 showing in pots; but this must be 

 regulated according to the season 

 at which you want them. Those 

 who want to make the most of 

 Roses may bloom them evei-y 

 month in the year. 



There is a method of growing the 

 dwarf delicate Roses in clumps 

 which is worth trying. Plant 

 them about nine inches apart in a 

 well-prepared bed; get large white 

 flints and place between them, so 

 as to shelter them half way up, 

 and only leaving them room to 

 grow ; and even stuff good moss 

 here and there in the vacancies, 

 partly for warmth, and partly be- 

 cause it is showy. The Roses, if 

 well chosen, will bloom all the 

 summer, and even a hard winter 

 will only cut them down to the 

 moss; they will in tlie spring 

 grow as vigorously as ever. The 

 end of this month such a bed or 

 clump may be planted by turning 



