PROPAGATING THE ROSE. 



THE first matter for attention is the 

 wood from which the cuttings are 

 to be made. It must neither be 

 too hard nor too soft. To be 

 sure of getting it at about the right 

 stage, make up the cuttings from the 

 flower shoots or stalks at the terminus 

 of which the flower is borne, just at the 

 time the flower naturally wilts and the 

 petals fall. It is not necessary at all in 

 making the cuttings to have an eye, or 

 joint, it might be called, at the end of 

 the cuttings which enters the sand, as is 

 often supposed. 



Make the cuttings about two and one- 

 half inches in length, using a sharp 

 knife, and in cutting let the stroke be 

 slightly slanting. The ends of the cut- 

 ting should be cut clean and smooth, 

 and not mashed or bruised in any way. 

 Let several leaves remain on each cut- 



ting, but trim off the tips of the outer 

 leaves. Now procure a saucer or pan 

 of some sort deep enough to hold about 

 two inches of sand. After putting in 

 the sand to a depth of about two inches, 

 water heavily until it is thoroughly 

 soaked. With a knife make several 

 cuts one and one-fourth inches deep 

 across the sand, and in these incisions 

 insert the cuttings, pinching the sand 

 about the base of each cutting as it is 

 put in. When the pan is filled with the 

 cuttings about an inch apart, or perhaps 

 a little more, set the pan in full sunlight, 

 there to remain every day during the 

 rooting process. The only operation 

 necessary each day while rooting is to 

 keep the sand thoroughly saturated with 

 water. Neglect this one day and the 

 chances are that the whole lot will be 

 spoiled. — Woman's Home Companion. 



PRUNUS PISSARDI. 



7S Primus Pissardi short lived ? This 

 is a question recently called to my 



] attention, and while my experience 

 leads me to answer the interrogation 

 in the affirmative, I sincerely hope that 

 I am mistaken. However, I have be- 

 come quite skeptical as to the value of 

 this much admired tree or shrub, but I 

 hope that these remarks may elicit some 

 facts from other parts of the country 

 which may be of value to us here. 



The trees with which I gained this 

 experience were planted somewhat over 

 ten years ago, and out of a group of a 

 half dozen or more only one sickly 

 specimen survives. The others died in 

 the past two years. I do not think that 

 the soil or situation can have anything 

 to do with it, for in that respect I should 

 consider them rather favorably located 



in comparison to the surrounding coun- 

 try. The trees are to be found in Mt. 

 Olive Cemetery, situated on the eastern 

 slope of a ridge which once constituted 

 the beach of the lake. 



The tree which has survived is bleed- 

 ing considerably and cracks badly along 

 the main trunk, the effect of which is 

 noticeable in the dead top. From its 

 appearance this specimen must have 

 once enjoyed splendid health. 



Is it our erratic western climate which 

 is unfriendly 1 Prunus Pissardi is pro- 

 bably a variety of Prunus cerasifera and 

 is also known under the name Prunus 

 cerasifera var. atro-purpwea. It was, I 

 believe, introduced by Mr. Pissard, 

 head gardener to the Shah of Persia; 

 its home is Ispahan, Persia. — Gardening. 



235 



