CHAPTER VI 

 PROPAGATION BY GRAFTING 



THE propagation of roses by grafting is in this country done under 

 glass during the earlier months of the year, for the production of 

 plants to grow on in pots or to increase new and scarce varieties 

 in the quickest possible way. Such varieties as Marechal Niel, 

 W. A. Richardson, Climbing Niphetos, Climbing Liberty, and 

 others, are grafted by the thousand every year, making first-rate, 

 saleable plants several feet in height within the course of a single 

 season. In nurseries specialising in roses, the grafting begins at 

 Christmas, or even earlier, and goes on up till Easter, batch after 

 batch being passed through the propagating pit according to 

 requirements and accommodation. 



For the earliest work, stocks should be potted into 3-inch pots 

 a year before being wanted, and plunged out in nursery beds to 

 become well established, and develop a strong root system which 

 is invaluable for the purpose to which the stock is to be put. In 

 November, the first batch of these is lifted and taken into a temperate 

 house to start after being pruned hard back, and this is followed 

 by other relays at short intervals, the object being that at any given 

 time they should be in advance as regards activity of any of 

 the scions which it is desired to graft on to them. 



Before we go into the actual process of grafting, we may as 

 well glance at the accommodation provided for it and the conditions 

 essential to success. A convenient form of house is one about 

 1 6 feet wide (see Fig. 14), 9 to 10 feet to the ridge board, and of a 

 length varying from 40 to 60 feet. Occupying the centre and running 

 to its full length is the propagating pit, from 6 to 7 feet wide, 

 built with bricks as a chamber about 3 J feet in height and containing 

 at a suitable elevation two flow and two return open hot-water 

 pipes. These are covered in with slates, which must be sound 

 and strong, and upon these is placed 6 inches of coco-nut fibre. 

 The open hot-water pipes will permeate this fibre with a moist 

 heat of a regular intensity where the ordinary hot-water pipes would 



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