ROSES, PROPAGATION OF. 441 ROSES, PROPAGATION OF. 



of grafting is resorted to, it is necessary to 

 preserve the equilibrium of the tree by 

 pinching off the leading buds of over- 

 vigorous branches. Where stem grafting 

 is -adopted, the buds should be placed 

 opposite to each other, one on one side 

 and one on the other, so that one and the 

 same ligature may serve for both. Where 

 this cannot be accomplished, the buds 

 should be placed as nearly opposite to each 

 other as possible.. The operation should 

 be performed quickly, and before the sun 

 has time to dry up the juices of the bud ; 

 and when circumstances render delay im- 

 perative, the bud should be placed in the 

 shade. 



Operation of Budding. The operation 

 of budding consists in transferring from 

 one tree to another a small piece of the 

 bark with an embryo bud, and inserting it 

 beneath the bark of another. The only 

 instrument necessary is the budding-knife. 

 The process consists in making a cross-cut 

 just deep enough to cut through the bark, 

 and a longitudinal downward cut, making 

 the letter "[" Then, with the thin handle 

 of the knife, raise the inner edges of the 

 bark under the cross-cut : it is now ready 

 to receive the bud. This is procured by 

 first removing the greater part of the leaf 

 from a bud, leaving only the foot-stalk. 

 Now make a longitudinal cut, about an 

 inch in length, beginning below the bud 

 and terminating above it, thus removing 

 the bud with the bark, half an inch above 

 and half an inch below the eye, with a thin 

 slice of the wood : this is the cushion or 

 shield. Having removed the wood as clean 

 as possible, the lower point of the bud is 

 now inserted in the open slip formed by 

 the ~T> and push in the bud, first on one 

 side and then on the other, pushing it 

 gently under until two-thirds of it are 

 under the bark, so that the eye of the bud 

 is exactly under the opening caused by the 

 raised edges of the bark. The upper part 



of the bud is now cut across, so as to fit it 

 exactly into the angle at which the bark of 

 the stock was cut ; it is now bound up with 

 worsted or cotton thread, previously pre- 

 pared. Tying commences at the bottom, 

 passing upward until the whole is covered 

 except the eye of the bud, sometimes a 

 little damp moss or a leaf being tied over 

 it for the sake of the moisture it gives out. 

 From three to five weeks after the opera- 

 tion, according to the dryness of the sea- 

 son, it is necessary to examine the buds 

 and loosen the ligature which binds it to 

 the trees, otherwise the growth may be 

 checked. 



Roses, Propagation of, by Cut- 

 tings. 



Most roses may be propagated by cut- 

 tings ; but all are not calculated for being 

 thus propagated, bottom heat being indis- 

 pensable for the more tender varieties. 

 Summer and autumn are- the best seasons 

 for cuttings. The shoot made in spring is 

 taken with a small portion of last year's 

 wood attached, and cut into lengths of 5 or 

 6 inches, selecting such as have two lateral 

 shoots with five or six leaves to each. An 

 inch of the old wood should be inserted in the 

 soil, leaving at least two leaves above. From 

 four to six of these cuttings may be placed 

 round the inside of a small 3-inch pot, in 

 soil consisting of equal parts of leaf mould, 

 turfy loam chopped fine, and silver sand, 

 watering them well with a fine rose, to 

 settle the earth round the stems. When 

 the water is drained off and the leaves dry, 

 remove to a cold frame or place under 

 handglasses, shade them from the sun, 

 and sprinkle them daily for a fortnight. If 

 threatened with damping off, give air and 

 sun. In a fortnight the stems will have 

 formed a callus. At this time they are 

 greatly benefited by bottom heat ; they 

 root more rapidly, and may soon be shifted 

 singly into 3 -inch pots, and removed back 



