169 



PROPAGATION OF SUMMER ROSES 

 BY CUTTINGS. 



To procure early cuttings, so as to have plants 

 ready for planting out in June, strong plants must 

 be placed in tlie forcing-house in December ; 

 these will make vigorous shoots, which, when 

 thoroughly ripe in March, should be made into 

 cuttings about six inches in length ; the leaves 

 must be left on that part of the cutting above the 

 surface. Supposing the cutting to contain six 

 buds, from three of these the leaves may be re- 

 moved, or, if they are very large, even four, 

 leaving two buds with the leaves attached. The 

 cuttings may be planted singly in small pots filled 

 one-third with small pieces of broken pots (on 

 these must the end of the cutting rest), and the 

 remainder with light mould, or peat and sand 

 in equal quantities ; the cuttings must then be 

 placed in a gentle hotbed and kept perfectly close; 

 no air should be admitted, by raising the lights 

 in the slightest degree, except for the operation 

 of watering ; they must be sprinkled with tepid 

 water every morning and again in the afternoon, 

 but the latter only in bright sunny weather ; these 

 operations should be performed as quickly as 

 possible, to prevent their being exposed to the 

 exhausting effects of the open air. They will 

 have made roots in a fortnight or three weeks. 



