IMPORTANT FLORISTS' PLANTS 163 



Indoor cuttings of commercial Roses. Cuttings of greenhouse Roses 

 are taken from the middle to the end of January. Most growers prefer 

 to use cuttings which have been so made that the cut at the base is 

 through an eye, two other eyes being left on the cutting. (See fig. 88.) 

 It is, however, admissible to make cuttings with only one eye when 

 stock is scarce, but the plants do not develop so rapidly. (See fig. 89.) 

 Many growers in cutting the crop for sale allow longer stubs than 

 necessary; these stubs are later removed for propagating wood. In 

 all cases, use wood with live thorns and healthy leaves. 



Many plants produce blind wood or non-flowering wood, which 

 seems to be just as good for use in propagation as the flowering wood. 

 Some growers claim that short blind wood is good because the plants 

 grown from such cuttings make strong breaks from the base of the 

 plants. 



The best temperature for rooting Roses is 55 degrees for the over- 

 head and 60 degrees for the sand. Care should be taken in watering 

 so that too cold water is not used because black spot is apt to result. 



Roses root in about 30 days, depending upon the variety and the 

 temperature. When the roots are about a half inch long the cuttings 

 are potted. The deeper 23/-inch Rose pot is preferred to the standard 

 pot. A little manure may be added to the first potting soil 



Summer cuttings Cuttings may be taken from plants grown indoors 

 during late Spring, Summer or early Autumn and placed in warm beds 

 until rooted, when they are potted and grown to proper size under 

 glass. They are hardened off and go through the Winter in dormant 

 or semi-dormant condition. The Teas and Hybrid Teas should not 

 be allowed to freeze or become perfectly dried out. "The claim made 

 for it (this method) is that all unnaturalness of forcing out of growing 

 season is eliminated, both in production of wood and growth of plant." * 

 Many varieties as, for example, Frau Karl Druschki, are easy to root 

 by this method, although difficult when cuttings are taken in Winter. 

 Rambler cuttings taken with a heel root readily. R. Hugonis also is 

 successfully propagated by this method. 



GRAFTING AND BUDDING ROSES 



Roses are often grafted because some of the varieties are difficult 

 to root from cuttings. By graftage, other varieties are improved in 

 growth, yield of bloom, and earliness. The best stocks are perpetually 

 active, and the plants, being furnished with a good root system, are 

 caused to bloom at a younger age. 



ROSE STOCKS 



In considering the stock for the Rose one more desired character- 

 istic should be added to those given on page 109; the stock for green- 

 house Roses should be perpetual growing. 



Manetti stock. The Manetti is a form of the China Rose. It is 

 obtained from England, France and Scotland, but many do not like 

 the French-grown Manetti because it is not as well graded as the Scotch 

 and English, although the French is cheaper. The English, grown as 

 it is under moister conditions, is also preferred because the bark does 

 not get hard. Manetti grown in this country with our hot Summers 



* Good, John M. Springfield Roses. American Rose Annual, 1917, 2d ed. f p. 51. 



