OKNAMENTAL PLANTS. 55 



Strong and healthy growth, so that a portion of the wood, 

 at least, shall be fully mature at the time they are placed 

 in their winter quarters. Besides being perpetual bloom- . 

 ers, these roses are the most readily propagated from cut- 

 tings or layers. For cuttings, choose the half-ripened 

 wood ; usually the lateral shoots are best, cutting them 

 off close to the main stem ; remove all but one or two 

 leaves, and cut off the upper portion of the shoot so that 

 the cutting will be three to six inches long. Plant these 

 cuttings in pure sand, either in a flower-pot or in a shallow 

 box ; place them in a half shady place, either in the house 

 or in a warm situation in the open ground. If a bell- 

 glass or a common drinking-glass is inverted over them, it 

 will assist them to grow. Keep the sand moist or wet, 

 but never let it get dry. The blooming shoots, after the 

 floAvers have gone, also make good cuttings, and with 

 some varieties root as readily, or more so, than any other 

 portion of the plant. There are many ladies who are very 

 skillful in propagating Roses in this rather primitive man- 

 ner, but there are some who would give more attention to 

 the cultivation of Roses if they could readily multiply any 

 new variety which they might purchase. Those who do 

 'not succeed with cuttings should try propagating from 

 layers. This method is performed by bending a shoot 

 down and covering a portion of it with soil. Before it is 

 covered, a small notch should be cut at the point where it 

 is to be covered ; or, what is better, insert a knife at the base 

 of a bud, cutting about half way through the branch, and 

 then passing it along toward the end of the branch for an 

 inch or more, forming what is called a tongue. From this 



