Popular Science Monthly 



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Do You Grow Roses? Here 

 Is a Little Information 



THE real secret of success in 

 rose culture is watchful- 

 ness. The rose, more than any 

 other plant, has enemies which, 

 if given a chance, prey upon it 

 and spoil its loveliness. There- 

 fore, eternal \"igilance is the 

 price that must be paid for the 

 rose garden. A long stream 

 from a garden hose to wash off 

 the slugs, hand-picking to re- 

 move the chafer, frequent 

 drenching with kerosene emul- 

 sion or sprinkling with arsenate 

 of lead to rid the plants of the 

 sucking insects, aphides and 

 thrips — all are necessary at 

 frequent intervals if one would have roses. 

 Such care would be too tedious were it 

 not a labor of love. 

 For that reason it 

 has been said that 

 the first requisite in 

 preparation of a 

 rose gardien is a 

 special love for the 

 flowers. The sec- 

 ond requisite is 

 plenty of space. 

 The rose is aristo- 

 cratic. It does not 

 like to be crowded 

 in with mixed com- 

 pany. Where loses 

 are cultivated for 



the sake of the cut flowers they should be 

 planted in rows far enough apart to per- 

 mit of cultivation with a horse-drawn 

 plow. And they should be cultivated 



Trimming the roses 

 properly. A bank 

 of memorial roses 

 and those hardy 

 climbers, the sweet 

 multiflora roses 



Jar covering cutting to prevent evaporation 

 and a rose pruned to an advantageous height 



often — not merely two or three 

 times a season. Cultivation 

 should be continued up to 

 within a few weeks of the 

 dormant period. 



Roses are propagated from 

 seed, from hardwood cuttings, 

 softwood cuttings, layers, bud- 

 ding and grafting. The most 

 common method is to use hard- 

 wood cuttings. Good, strong, 

 well-ripened shoots of the past 

 summer's growth are selected. 

 These should be cut between 

 the time the leaves fall and 

 freezing weather. They should 

 be cut into lengths of 5 or 6 in., 

 with the upper cut just above 

 a bud, and should be tied in 

 bundles with raffia or with 

 string that will not rot easily if exposed 

 to dampness. After they have been 

 labelled plainly 

 they should be 

 buried in moist 

 sand, tops down, 

 and placed in the 

 cellar. If buried 

 outside, they should 

 be placed deep in 

 the ground, below 

 danger from frost. 



Where only one 

 or two cuttings are 

 to be rooted, an in- 

 verted glass fruit 

 jar may be placed 

 over them for pro- 

 tection. When roots have begun to grow, 

 the plants should be permanently set in 

 good, watered soil and shaded for a few 

 days from the noonday sun. 



