116 



PARSONS ON THE ROSE. 



into a moderate heat. A double cover of bell glasses 

 was then placed over them, to exclude the air entirely, 

 which course of treatment was pursued until they had 

 taken root. The shortest time in which 

 this could be accomplished was eight 

 weeks, and the roots were formed in the 

 following manner. First, a callus was 

 formed at the base of the leaf, from which 

 small fibres put forth ; a small bud then 

 appeared on the upper side (figure 9) ; a 

 stalk then arose from this bud, which 

 finally expanded into leaves and formed 

 a perfect plant. 



An English writer remarks, that ** the 

 leaves or leaflets of a rose will often take 

 root more freely than even cuttings, and 

 in a much shorter time, but these uni- 

 formly refuse to make buds or grow." 



This experiment is certainly very curi- 

 ous, and evinces how great, in the vege- 

 table kingdom, are the powers of nature for the main- 

 tenance of existence, and is one of those singular results 

 which should lead us to make farther experiments with 

 various parts of plants, and teach us that in Horticulture 

 there is yet a wide field for scientific research. 



A favorite mode of propagation with some nurserymen 

 is from soft wood of plants forced in the winter. Many 

 fail entirely in this for want of knowledge of the right 

 condition in which the wood should be before cutting, a 

 condition which cannot be described on paper. Some va- 

 rieties, like Persian Yellow, will not strike at all, or with 

 great difficulty in this way. 



The plants from which these cuttings are to be taken 

 should be prepared and treated as in the preceding chap- 

 ter. In February and March the cuttings are made and 

 inserted in sand, either in pots or benches, in a house of 



Fiir. 9.— LEAF 



CUTTING. 



