CHAP. XLII. BOSA N CE/E. J2O\SA. 801 



this practice has given rise to another revolution in rose culture, as remark- 

 able as that already noticed (p. 800.) with regard to the treatment of China 

 roses as herbaceous plants in beds or borders. When roses were propagated 

 by layers or division, the plants formed small bushes, in the finer kinds 

 seldom rising above 2ft. or 3 ft. from the surface; but no sooner had the 

 practice of budding exotic roses on the strong-growing wild kinds been 

 adopted, than the idea occurred (probably between 1790 and 1800) of 

 budding them standard high, and thus producing those tree roses with 

 globular heads, covered with flowers, supported on stems from 4* ft. to 6 ft. in 

 height, or higher, now so common in French and British gardens ; and which 

 are to be met with, more or less, in most fine gardens both in Europe and 

 America. 



The rose is now propagated by all the different modes capable of being 

 applied to ligneous plants : that most generally in use with the ordinary sorts, 

 in private gardens, is by suckers, or by taking up the entire plant, dividing, 

 and replanting it. In nurseries, dwarf plants are generally raised by layers ; 

 and standards almost always by budding on stocks of the common wild rose. 

 Dwarfs are also frequently propagated by budding on low stocks ; and many 

 of the kinds are increased by cuttings. New varieties, also roses for stocks 

 in some cases, and the common sweet briar always, are raised from seed. 

 We shall submit a few words on each of these modes of propagation, and 

 refer the reader to our Gardener's Magazine for more minute details. 



By Layers. These may either be made, during winter, of the preceding 

 summer's shoots ; or, in July, of the growing shoots of the current season. 

 In the latter case, a whole year is gained, as layers made in July will be rooted, 

 and ready to remove, the following November. The young shoots of some 

 varieties of roses, such as the Vittoria, are very brittle, and are apt to break 

 oft' at the point where the tongue of the layer is formed. To obviate this, it 

 has been found, that, by inserting the knife in the middle of the shoot, instead 

 of immediately under the bud, and merely producing a longitudinal slit of 3 in. 

 or 4 in. in length, through two or three buds, and quite through the shoot ; 

 and by keeping this slit open with a little earth, a chip of wood, or, in short, 

 whatever may be most conveniently at hand, more root fibres will be produced 

 than by the common mode of layering; and no risk will be incurred of 

 breaking the shoot. This mode of layering is the invention of Mr. James 

 Monro of the Brechin Nursery (see Gard. Mag., vol. ix. p. 301.); and it is 

 calculated to be of the greatest value to propagators of roses. Mr. Monro, 

 who, at first, used small stones to keep the slit open, afterwards applied a 

 little decayed moss (/fypnum), or, instead of this, a small portion of grafting 

 clay, for that purpose. 



By Cuttings. This mode is chiefly applicable to the varieties which partake 

 of .Rosa indica, R. semperflorens, R. Boursaultw, R. Noisettzamz, &c. The 

 cuttings may either be put in during the winter season, and protected by glass, 

 or early in spring; or, in the course of the summer, they may be made of the 

 young shoots with their leaves on. In either case, they are best planted in 

 pots or pans, so as to be brought forward on a little heat. One of the most 

 expeditious modes is, to put a plant or two of any of the roses that grow 

 readily by cuttings into a hot-house or hot-bed, in January or February. 

 The heat will cause them rapidly to throw up some young shoots ; and, as 

 soon as these have three or four leaves, they should be taken off, however 

 tender or succulent they may be, taking care not to remove, shorten, or injure 

 any of the leaves. After preparing the cuttings, they should be planted in 

 sand, a glass put over them, and placed in the same heat as the plants. In 

 three weeks, cuttings thus treated will have rooted, and will be ready to pot 

 off. As the old plants continue to produce shoots, these may be taken off for 

 cuttings ; or the plants raised from cuttings may be topped for that purpose, 

 till as many young plants are propagated as may be wanted. 'Mr. J. Elles, 

 who practised this method at Longleat, says that he raised upwards of 100 

 plants of #6sa odorata in one season, from a small plant, which only afforded 



3 H 2 



