CHAPTER YIII 



PROPAGATION 



Budding is so much the most important mode of 

 propagating Roses, that it naturally occupies the first 

 place. We will suppose that a goodly supply of stocks — 

 briar standards, cuttings, and seedlings, and manetti 

 cuttings — have been planted during the winter as de- 

 scribed in the last chapter, and commence their growth 

 in the spring. Do they need any special care till the 

 time for budding arrives ? If they do, they very seldom 

 get it, but the Rosarian who intends, and is able, to do 

 everything thoroughly, to promote all that is useful to 

 his Roses, and war against all that is hurtful, may find 

 some useful work here. During the grub and caterpillar 

 season in April and May he will give occasional turns 

 of examination and handpicking to the wild growth on 

 his stocks, besides the systematic and close search which 

 he will make on his Rose plants. It is true the wild 

 growth will battle through the insect attacks, and there 

 is no bloom to be injured ; but some check at least will 

 be experienced from these causes by the stocks, and if 

 the insects are allowed to fulfil their course they will 

 breed and increase, and we shall have to deal with their 

 progeny on the Roses. We can hardly exterminate 

 these pests, but we ought not to allow them to breed on 



