THE ROSE. 131 



be taken to keep the mice from the seed, as they are great 

 lovers of the Rose; and, indeed, they are quite amateurs in 

 the seed of most choice flowers. 



Propagation by cuttings. Most varieties of the China 

 and Tea Roses are propagated by cuttings of the young wood, 

 which should be taken from the plant when they are well 

 ripened, which is soon after the mother plants have done 

 flowering, or more properly speaking, when its general flow- 

 ering is over; the cuttings should be plump and hard. A 

 good compost, with one-fourth sharp sand, should be mixed 

 for the purpose, and the cuttings taken off about three joints, 

 and prepared as directed under the head of " Cuttings," in 

 the green-house department. They are then to be inserted 

 in pots, or boxes, and placed either in a frame or a shady 

 location, and every attention should be given, by keeping 

 them moderately moist, clearing away any filth and decaying 

 leaves. In a few weeks, the cuttings will be well rooted, 

 when they are to be potted off, in small pots, and managed in 

 the same manner as directed for the potting of young plants 

 from cuttings in the green-house. 



Propagation by layers. Almost every class of Roses may 

 be propagated by layers, although the practice is generally 

 applied to those kinds which do not propagate freely from 

 cuttings, which are those known under the name of the old 

 garden, or June Roses the Multiflora, Boursault, Champney 

 and most running roses, with the Remontantes, Bourbon, and 

 Perpetuals. The best time for this business is about the 

 latter end of July, or the beginning of August, when the 

 young roots, which are those to be selected for this purpose, 

 are tolerably well ripened ; but the best criterion is to layer 

 the Rose so soon as the ground is sufficiently moist to create 

 young shoots from the incisions, where the callus is formed 

 to make fibres, or young roots. 



Budding Roses is one of the most speedy and certain 

 methods of increasing the Rose, and is now becoming very 

 prevalent among cultivators, particularly where choice va- 



