CHAPTER VII 
STOCKS 
RosEs are not generally grown on their own roots 
but “‘ worked,” that is, budded or grafted, upon 
other more free-growing sorts. This is done, firstly, 
to save time: a plant in its full strength, capable 
of giving the finest flowers, can be obtained much 
quicker by budding the Rose on the wild stock, as it 
thereby gets at once the full benefit of the strong 
roots of the briar, and often yields the best blooms 
the first year after budding. In the propagation of 
new Roses, where it is required to raise as large a 
number of plants as possible for the following 
season, nurserymen are often able, by commencing 
in the winter under glass, to raise three generations 
in one yeay. 
And, secondly, Roses are not grown on their own 
roots, simply because the very large majority of 
them do not either grow or flower so well when 
thus treated, as when worked on suitable stocks. 
This is a fact, easily capable of demonstration : 
nevertheless, instructions for propagating Roses on 
their own roots will be found at p. 155. 
The principal stock used is the common Dog- 
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