REMARKS ON CULTURE OF ROSES IN POTS. 185 



and perhaps one of Mr. Ward's cases might be turned to a less ap- 

 propriate or pleasing use than to the sheltering of a " little forest of 

 roses." To this I may add the testimony of Mr. Rivers, (who is no 

 mean authority on matters connected with roses,) and he has very 

 lately stated his conviction that the healthiness, the fragrance, and 

 the beauty of his partially-forced roses, resulted more particularly 

 from his invariable practice of keeping his pit, in which they were 

 grown, quite closed. 



It has been sometimes recommended, I think by Mr. Salisbury, to 

 invert the plants between two trestles in the autumn and until they 

 are quite at rest, with a view to the storing up in the branches of the 

 elaborated sap, which would otherwise descend to the roots; the 

 benefit arising from this practice may, I think, be referred to the 

 more complete state of rest, to which the plants, in such a situation, 

 are forced to yield, and in consequence of which their excitability is 

 increased. There can be no doubt that wherever plants are sub- 

 mitted to a higher temperature than is usual to them at an early 

 season of the year it is one of the most essential points towards ensur- 

 ing precocity to take care that they are excited annually in the same 

 order and rotation. 



It will be desirable to say a few words respecting the propriety of 

 working roses when intended for pot culture, and also to notice the 

 kind of atock which is best suited to this purpose ; but here opinions 

 vary, and perhaps the subject can only be satisfactorily decided on by 

 actual experiment. That the delicate kind of roses are best when 

 worked upon a more vigorous stem seems to be generally admitted ; 

 but what kind of rose should be used as a stock is not so clearly 

 evident. Many years ago Mr. Rivers recommended Rosa canina 

 {the dog-rose), one of our English species, for the purpose, and this 

 opinion he still holds ; whilst, on the other hand, Mr. Beaton says, 

 " never use the dog-rose stock for forcing." The dog-rose is easily 

 procurable, of vigorous growth, and easily excitable, and therefore 

 seems to be, in some degree at least, approximating to the kind of 

 stock required ; and the same might be said of others of our English 

 species. Others recommend Rosa damascena {the damask rose), on 

 account, as it is said, of it not being liable to throw up suckers. 

 These are perhaps all surpassed for this purpose by Rosa Banksia 

 {the Banksian rose), which, in addition to its easily excitable nature 

 Vol. XI. No. 12G. R 



