20 Roses for Amateurs. 



has its advantages, as the buds lie dormant all the winter, 

 and make better plants than when they start into growth as 

 soon as inserted. 



Just a few words as to the method employed in the bud- 

 ding of Standards, despite the fact that they are more or less 

 unpopular at the present time. With these the buds are 

 inserted as close to the stock as possible in the lateral 

 branches of the "head." Formerly it was almost the in- 

 variable custom to cut back prior to the operation such stock 

 shoots as were to be budded ; now the better practice is 

 to leave them in their entirety, as it has been found 

 that more vigour is thus imparted. When the burl begins 

 to swell the "tie" should be loosened, so as to give it 

 room. 



As soon as it is seen that the buds have " taken " 

 that is, a union has been effected between bud and stock, 

 it is the practice of some cultivators to cut back the top 

 to induce the newly-inserted bud to start into growth. It 

 is, however, better to leave the heading-back until about 

 the third week in the following March. The bud remaining 

 plump but dormant until the following spring after inser- 

 tion, will, when the stock is cut back to 2in. above the bud, 

 make a stronger and better growth than if the heading- 

 back were done early, as first suggested. As a rule, the 

 binding material needs loosening and rebinding about three 

 weeks after the operation of budding ; this allows for the 

 natural swelling of the stock as growth proceeds. All 

 suckers or underground shoots from the stock must be care- 

 fully removed. 



Bud-Grafting. 



There is still another system of propagating Roses that is 

 in vogue on the Continent and elsewhere, of which we have 

 had absolutely no experience. However, after reading the 

 very lucid description of the method given by " F. M." in 



