Roses in Pols. 135 



3. Abundance of bloom. 



4. Form or individual outline of the flowers. 



5. Duration and constant succession of bloom. 



6. Sweetness. 



What ! says the tyro, can we find so many good properties combined in one 

 variety? Can we obtain a Rose of an elegant habit, an abundant bloomer the out- 

 line of whose flowers is at the same time perfect, remaining a long time in full beauty, 

 and that is very sweet ? Truly such cases are rare. Few have a strong claim on all 

 these points, but some combine them more intimately than others, and it is these we 

 should choose. 



Roses intended for growing in pots may be either on their own roots or on short 

 stems the Tea-scented and Chinese kinds are usually better in the former way. Let 

 us suppose any number of young plants are obtained on their own roots in 6o-sized 

 pots in the spring of the year. In the first place, they should be shifted into 48 or 32 

 sized pots, according to the rate of growth of the plant and the quantity of roots it 

 has made, then plunge them, seeing that they are watered as often as the soil be- 

 comes dry. I believe that Roses cultivated to bloom at their natural period cannot 

 be placed in too airy a situation, therefore I would keep them constantly plunged in 

 an open spot in the garden, removing them on the approach of winter for shelter 

 against frost. 



Some object to plunging, and prefer placing the pots on the level ground, packing 

 moss, cinder ashes, or sawdust between them. Practically speaking it seems to 

 matter little, and whichever plan is adopted there are two things to guard against 

 the ingress of worms from the ground and the egress of the roots from the hole in 

 the bottom of the pot. If the roots find their way into the ground there will be but 

 few formed in the pot, and the result will be a more vigorous, but less perfect, growth ; 

 and if the plants are required to be removed at the time of flowering they will receive 

 a severe check. Both of these occurrences must therefore be prevented by placing 

 the pots on inverted seed-pans, or adopting some other plan which the ingenuity of 

 the cultivator may devise. 



It must not be expected that the plants will all maintain the same rate of growth, 

 some will grow vigorously, others not so. Now, although we would not wish to 

 deprive the cultivator altogether of the reward of his care and labour the flowers 

 yet we would say a few only should be suffered to develop the first year, and the 

 seed vessels should be cut off when the flowers drop. The aim throughout the growing 

 season should be to get a few stout well-ripened shoots by Autumn shoots that will bear 

 strong pressure between the finger and thumb without giving any indication of softness, 

 for it is these which will produce strong and perfect blooms. 



The way to accomplish this is to place the plants a good distance from each other, 

 and as the young shoots form they should be set wide apart, that they may enjoy the 



