Winr-GRAFTING. 175 



In whip-grafting of roses in pots it will be as 

 well to omit the usual tongue by which in open 

 air the graft is, as it were, hung on the stock ; 

 tliis tongueing weakens rose-grafts too much ; as 

 their shoots are generally pithy. To prepare a 

 young stock for grafting, you must cut off its top 

 with a gentle slope ; on the upper side of the 

 stock — i.e. on the side of the highest part of the 

 slope, take off with a sharp knife a slice of bark, 

 with a very small portion of wood about 1 J inch 

 in length ; then take part of a shoot about six 

 inches in length, and pare its lower end down 

 quite thin till it fits accurately on the place, in 

 length and more particularly in breadth, so that 

 the bark on graft and stock are joined closely ; 

 bind the graft to the stock firmly with strong 

 bast mat, which has been soaked in water, and 

 then place clay over it, so as to leave no crack 

 for the admission of air : presuming the stock to 

 be in a pot, it may be plunged in sawdust or old 

 tan, leaving two buds of the graft above the sur- 

 face, in a gentle hotbed, and kept close till it has 

 put forth its shoots ; when these are three inches 

 in length, the clay may be taken off, and air 

 admitted gradually by propping up the light ; if 

 Perpetual Roses, they may shortly be moved to 

 the greenhouse, where they will bloom in great 

 perfection in early spring. After this first bloom 

 their shoots should be shortened, and if required 

 they may be planted in the open borders, where 



