Culture of Roses in Pots, and Forcing. 55 



lii a month after potting, the pots will have become full of roots : the 

 plants having the strongest and best-matured wood should then be cut in 

 to from four to six eyes, more or less, according to their strength. It 

 should be borr^e in mind that the weak are to be cut in most ; and the 

 strongest shoots, the least. The weak shoots may be cut in to two or 

 three eyes ; those of medium strength, to four eyes ) and the strong, to from 

 four to six eyes. Now, if possible, protect the shoots from wet by placing 

 them in an open shed, and keep them rather dry for a fortnight or three 

 weeks. If pruned in the second week in October, they may be thus rested 

 until the first week in November ; then they will soon break well if the pots 

 be plunged to the rim in a bed of tan or other fermenting material, with a 

 heat of not more than 70°, in a house with a night-temperature of 45°. 

 Here they should be sprinkled through a syringe with water, morning and 

 evening. 



When the eyes have broken, and the shoots are an inch or so in length, 

 the night-temperature may be raised to 50°, and that is as high as it need 

 be for forcing roses until the buds show color ; then it may be increased to 

 55°. When in bloom, a temperature of 50° from fire-heat is sufficiently 

 high. The plants should be kept near the glass ; and the roof must not be 

 shaded by creepers, or otherwise. Avoid a high temperature from fire-heat 

 by night : in fact, it would be well to let the fire go out at night in mild 

 weather, lighting it in the morning, and working on, so that the highest 

 temperature may be attained by one or two o'clock in the afternoon. On 

 the temperatures above named, allow a rise of 5° on dull days ; of 10° on 

 those days which are cloudy, with clear intervals ; and of 15° in sunny 

 days. The art of forcing roses is to afford them abundance of air 

 and plenty of heat by day, and a comparatively low night-temperature ; shut- 

 ting up in good time after admitting air early, so as to let in, catch, and 

 retain as much sun-heat and fresh air as possible. By day, the temperature 

 from fire-heat should not exceed 70°. The sprinkling overhead may take 

 place from nine to ten, a.m., and again at the time of shutting up the house ; 

 but in dull, foggy weather, only the morning syringing will be necessary. 



Keep the plants as far from the heating-apparatus as possible ; and, above 

 all, avoid cold currents of air. Let the waterings be copious after growth 

 has become active ; but on the one hand do not over-water, and on the 



