THE BOOK OF ROSES. 23 



ways be space admitted by the removal of the 

 slips that do not strike. If slightly sprinkled 

 from time to time, they will soon take root and 

 begin to bud. They should be attended to 

 carefully during summer, and in the autumn 

 planted out ; separating the tender sorts which 

 require protection during the winter. It was for 

 some time imagined, that many exotic varieties 

 of roses were of a far more tender nature than 

 they have proved. There is not a rose-tree but 

 will resist ordinary frosts, when planted in the 

 open earth, matted, and littered. 



PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING. Various modes 

 of grafting have been tried with success ; but 

 the two in general use are cleft-grafting, and 

 scutcheon-grafting. 



CLEFT-GRAFTING. When the stock to be 

 grafted does not exceed the thickness of the 

 thumb, a single cleft succeeds better than two ; 

 and the incision is made on the side most pro- 

 pitious for the graft. In the spring of the year, 

 when the buds are beginning to swell, but 

 neither earlier nor later, the stock selected 

 should be cut straight off with a sharp knife ; 

 taking care that the surface is horizontal. The 

 scion to be introduced should be chosen, from 

 the wood of the year, healthy and vigorous. It 

 should be cut straight at the upper extremity, 

 a^id slipped or pointed, of a diamond, or long 

 lozenge shape, at the lower. Some gardeners 



