31G 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Rosa — contvnaed. I 



grown on for a time under .similar coiiditions until they 

 are sufficiently established to be inured to cooler quarters, 

 gradually hardened, and eventually placed in the open 

 air. At the middle, and towards the latter part, of , 

 summer, Ko.se cuttings, with leaves attached, may be 

 readily rooted under what is termed cool treatment in 

 the open air. A. shady position is essential, such as is 

 freqiiently obtainable against the back wall of a forcing or 

 other plant house which faces south. Bell or hand-glasses 

 arc often used ; but a better plan is to prepare some 

 sandy soil, and to use the framework of an ordinary rough 

 box, about lOin. deep, and without either bottom or top. 

 Place this on the border, should there be one, put in ! 

 about Sin. of prepared soil, press it firm, and lay some 

 sand over the surface. All this should be made ready 

 before the cuttings are detached, as they are much 

 injured if allowed to lie about, if only for a short 

 time, before being inserted. Dibble them in rather close, 

 and give a good watering afterwards ; make the top as • 

 nearly as possible air-tight, by fitting large panes of glass 

 closely to cover it. On the north side of a lean-to house, 

 if this situation is available, but little shading will be i 

 necessary, and it is best to leave the glass on without 

 ever removing it until the cuttings show signs of making 

 roots ; air may then be gradually admitted. The young 

 plants may be lifted so soon as they are sufficiently I 

 established, potted up, and placed in a close frame for 

 a few days ; afterwards harden, and get them well j 

 ripened before winter. 



Layers. Propagation by layering is a sure method of 

 increasing dwarf or weeping Roses that may be brought ! 

 to the ground, but it is not extensively practised. By 

 layering in June, and early in July, if suitable, firm 

 wood of the current year can be obtained, the rooted 

 plants may be detached the following autumn. When 

 the work is deferred till later in the season, they are 

 not usually ready for removal until the following year. 

 Layering with a tongue is the most successful method. 

 See Layering. 



Suckers. Suckers are sometimes produced by Roses, 

 and may be utilised for increasing stock, if desired. 

 They should be taken off in autumn, and planted out 

 separately ; if there are no roots, some will generally 

 form if the suckers are inserted rather deeply in sandy 

 soil, and nursed a little through winter. 



8'ports. Several varieties have originated from sports 

 that have been observed on Roses, as well as on many 

 other plants, and which arise from some cause which 

 seems to affect the colour more than any other quality. 

 Sports cannot be artificially produced ; all that can be 

 done is to perpetuate any which appear, and are worthy 

 of it, by one of the ordinary methods of propagation. 



Division. Propagating Roses by division is not much 

 practised, but it may be adopted with such as the Fairy 

 Rose {R. indicn 7nmima), the Scotch Rose (R. spino- 

 sissima), and a few others, which spread and grow, as 

 it were, into bushes. 



Buddincf. This is the principal mode of propagating 

 Roses, and the operation is one which may be success- 

 fully carried out at tlie proper season, after a little 

 practice, by almost anyone. Nurserymen who make Roses 

 a speciality have thousands budded annually. Various 

 stocks are used, that most extensively employed being, 

 perhaps, the common Dog Rose of the hedgerows. 

 Stocks obtained from the seed of this plant are also 

 much favoured, in some establishments, for dwarf Roses, 

 particularly Teas. The Manetti is also largely era- 

 ployed. For effecting a union, it is necessary that the 

 stock bo in a growing state, sufficiently so to allow of its 

 bark separating freely from the wood beneath. The buds 

 should be dormant, well matured, and preferably ob- 

 tained from firm shoots that have borne flowers ; sappy 



Ibosa — continued. 

 wood shoots are unsuitable. The latter part of June, 

 and all through July, is the principal season for Rose- 

 budding outside, as the stocks are then in a growing 

 state, and plenty of buds are generally obtainable. Under 

 gla-s, and with the stocks establi=hed in pots, it may 

 be carried out extensively earlier in the season ; accord- 

 ing as buds can be obtained, the stocks may be introduced 

 into a slight warmth, and soon brought into proper con- 

 dition. On the process of prep i ring and inserting buds, 

 full information may be found under Budding*, where 

 also further remarks are made on the various stocks that 

 are used for Roses. 



Grafting. This is an effectual mode of Rose propa- 

 gation ; the whip or splice method and crown-grafting arc 

 best suited, but the parts rarely unite so well as they 

 do when budded. Cleft and saddle-grafting are also 

 practicable. Stocks may be of the same sorts as those 

 used for budding. The work is performed principally in 

 January and February under glass, and in the open 

 air during March. When the stocks are in pots, they 

 may be started in a little heat, and so got in advance 

 of the scions, which may be procured in about a fort- 

 night afterwards from well-ripened, dormant trees out- 

 side. After the grafts are inserted, the stocks should be 

 returned to the same heat as that in which they have 

 been growing, until a union between the parts has taken 

 place, when they may be gradually hardened off and 

 grown in cooler and more suitable quarters. For de- 

 scription of the methods of grafting above named, see 

 Grafting". 



Cultivation. To grow Roses successfully, a rich 

 soil mu.st be provided, such as a deep loam of a 

 stiff rather than light nature, although the plants on 

 their own roots will thrive better in rather light soils 

 than will others worked on the common tall Briar or on 

 seedling Briar stocks. The wild Rose grows naturally 

 in heavy, clay land; under cultivation, it is. con- 

 sequently, best suited with strong soil of a rich nature. 

 Shallow, sandy or gravelly soils are unsuited for Roses, 

 and so, on the other hand, are any which are im- 

 properly drained. In gardens where Rose-beds have 

 to be formed in unfavourable situations, it is best to dig 

 out the natural soil in the first place, and replace it with 

 a properly-prepared compost ; or it may be that changing 

 a portion will suffice. A depth of about l^ft. should be 

 provided for such strong-growing kinds as most of the 

 Hybrid Perpetuals, and a similar depth is advised for 

 all Roses if it can be provided. The soil can scarcely 

 be made too rich ; plenty of manure may be added 

 when the ground is being prepared for planting, 

 and an annual top dressing in addition is generally 

 found beneficial, and indeed necessary, in the pro- 

 duction of good flowers. It may be applied with 

 advantage soon after growth commences, in spring : 

 the flowering shoots are then pushing up, and need 

 plenty of feeding from the root. Respecting situations, 

 there are few in which some representative of this 

 beautiful genus may not be grown successfully. It is 

 not convenient, nor, perhaps, desirable, to attempt the 

 formation of a Rose-garden in all gardens, even when 

 they are extensive ; but beds of Roses may generally be 

 introduced into flower - gardens and pleasure - grounds, 

 and any quantity of i)lants, so far as circumstances and 

 space admit, may be put into other positions without 

 any fear being entertained of having too many. For 

 cutting purposes, in private establishments, it is found 

 a good plan to devote a portion of the kitchen garden 

 to Rose-growing, where the ground can be well trenched 

 previous to planting, and enriched with manure at any 

 time when it is considered necessary. For a Rose- 

 garden, an open situation is desirable, with a south or 

 south-eastern aspect, and sheltered from other points, par- 

 ticularly north and east. Climbing Roses are very 



