THE AUTUMNAL ROSE GARDEN. 185 



sand in equal parts, and well pressed down. The 

 shoot may be budded at the time of layering or 

 afterwards, accordingly as the buds are ready. 

 The shoots should be headed down at the time of 

 budding to within two eyes of where the bud is 

 inserted.* The buds of all the Bourbon, Tea- 

 scented, China, and Hybrid Autumnal Roses, will 

 push immediately. These may be removed from 

 the stools in August, potted into larger pots, and 

 forced with great success the following spring. 



DIRECTIONS FOR FORCING ROSES. 



Very few years ago forced roses were one of 

 the luxuries of gardening, and the matter was 

 looked upon as a difficult operation, in which ac- 

 complished gardeners only were successful ; but 

 with modern varieties the difficulty has vanished, 

 and every one may have roses, at least in Feb- 

 ruary, with the most simple means. 



A pit 10 or 12 feet long and 8 feet wide, 

 just high enough to stand upright in, with a door 

 at one end, and a sunken path in the centre, a 

 raised bed on each side of the path, and an 18-inch 

 Arnott's stove at the further end, opposite to the 

 door, with a pipe leading into a small brick chim- 



* This heading down at the time of budding, although com- 

 monly practised, cannot generally be recommended. If applied 

 to the Dog Rose when budded early in June, small heads will at 

 once be formed, but the constitution of the plant will be much 

 weakened. 



