112 THE SUMMER ROSE GARDEN. 



In whip grafting of roses in pots it will be as 

 well to omit the usual tongue by which in open 

 air the graft is, as it were, hung on the stock ; this 

 tonguing weakens rose-grafts too much; as their 

 shoots are generally pithy, a slice of bark with a 

 very small portion of wood about 1 J inch in length, 

 taken from one side of the stock where the bark 

 is clear and free from knots, is all that is required ; 

 then take part of a shoot about seven inches in 

 length, and pare its lower end down quite thin 

 till it fits accurately on the place in length and 

 breadth, from whence the slice of bark and wood 

 from the stock was taken ; bind it firmly with 

 strong bass, which has been soaked in water, and 

 then place clay over it, so as to leave no crack for 

 the admission of air: presuming this graft to be in 

 a pot, it may be plunged in sawdust or old tan, 

 leaving two buds of the graft above the surface in 

 a gentle hot bed, and kept close till it has put 

 forth its shoots: when these are three inches in 

 length, air may be admitted gradually by propping 

 up the light : if perpetual roses, they may shortly 

 be removed to the greenhouse, where they will 

 bloom in great perfection in early spring. After 

 this first bloom their shoots should be shortened, 

 and if required they may be planted in the open bor- 

 ders, where they will flower again and again during 

 the summer : if summer roses they will flower but 

 once, but they will make strong shoots and esta- 

 blish themselves for another season ; if a forcing- 



