64 VILLA GARDENING part I 



lease of life. The autumn is the best time to rearrange Rose 

 plantations in the way I have suggested. The plants must be 

 carefully lifted, and if they are on their own roots some of the 

 strongest may be divided and made into several. Others that 

 have proved of delicate constitution will be discarded to make 

 room for a few from the list of new Roses which are annually 

 offered. In this way the collection will be kept up to date. 



The exhibitor will, of coiu"se, attend all the great shows, and 

 mark whatever takes his fancy among the new Roses offered. 

 Whoever becomes enamoured of the Rose should learn to propa- 

 gate it, for it is necessary to keep adding fresh blood every year, 

 either by purchase or by home ])ropagation, and the wisest plan 

 is to combine the two — that is, buy the new Roses, and always 

 keep a few stocks ready for working at home. Much has been 

 written and spoken as to which is the best stock for the Rose ; 

 of course for standard Roses the Brier — by reason of its straight 

 stem and the case with which it can be obtained (it being a 

 wildling) — will always be a favourite; but for dwarf Roses on 

 indifferent soils the Manetti is the better stock, by reason of its 

 robust habit ; in fact many people could hardly grow Roses at 

 all without the Manetti stock^ — it will thrive on inferior land 

 that would kill the Brier. If the plants are inserted deep enough 

 in the ground so as to bury the junction where the bud was in- 

 serted, in the course of time roots will form on the stem of the 

 Rose itself, so that virtually the Roses will be on their own roots. 

 Whatever may be said to the contrary, I believe the introduction 

 of the Manetti stock has given an immense impetus to the cultiva- 

 tion of the Rose. Other Roses, such as the Boursault and various 

 kinds possessing vigorous constitutions, may be used as foster 

 parents for delicate growers, and there is yet room for experi- 

 menters to work in this direction in the selection of suitable stocks 

 for special classes of Roses. 



Rose Stocks. — Both the Manetti and the Briers are easily 

 increased to any extent by cuttings, and in the preparation of 

 these, which should be from 8 inches to 10 inches long, some 

 pains should be taken in the removal of the eyes or buds from the 

 base and upwards, except the uppermost eyes, which are left to 

 form the heads of the plants. The cuttings should l)e prepared 

 early in the autumn, not later than the beginning of November, 

 and, if possible, planted at the same time, or at least laid in the 

 soil, so that the work of hardening and healing the wounds may 

 be going on. They ought to be planted in rows 1 foot apart, 

 burying them up to the eyes, which are left to form the growth. 

 The best way is to make a nick by the side of the line with tlie 



