THE ROSE. 



699 



species shouM be congregated togetlier, so that 

 tlie seed-beai ing plants may have a cliance of 

 crossing with different sorts. Or tlie method of 

 Mr Knight, employed in other flowers, might bo 

 [jractised; that of exti-acting tlie stamens from 

 the flower, and dusting the stigma with pollen 

 from the anthers of other plants. 



The common mode of propagating by layers, 

 is to lay down the young shoots of the preceding 

 summer late in autumn, or early in the succeed- 

 ing spring, when rooted plants will be formed 

 by the next autumn. It is found, however, 

 that if the same shoots are laid down when the 

 ]>lant is beginning to flower in July, they will, 

 with a few exceptions, produce roots, and be fit 

 to remove the same autumn, by which a whole 

 year is gained. It is even found that the tip 

 of the fixed layer itself may, in some kinds of 

 rose, be again layed; and this secondary layer 

 will have roots formed to it in the same season. 

 Such sorts as do not root in one year, as the 

 moss rose, and some others, must be left on the 

 stools till the second autumn. But layers made 

 when the shoots are in a growing state, and fur- 

 nished with healthy leaves, root much more freely 

 than shoots with ripe wood. After the plants 

 are removed from the stools, they are planted in 

 nursery rows; and in a year, the blossom buds 

 having been carefully pinched off^ from the first 

 laying down, they will be fit for removal to their 

 final destination. The stools are then to be 

 pruned, and the soil dug and manured. An 

 improved method of laying roses is suggested 

 in the Gardener's iMagazine. A slit is to be 

 niade with a knife up the centre of the inlaid 

 portion of the wood of the layer, aiid a small 

 jilece of stone or wood is introduced to keep the 

 slit open. In this way the rooting is greatly 

 facilitated. 



Many of the common kinds of roses may be 

 rapidly multiplied by cutting off^ the suckers 

 which spring from the roots, and planting them 

 out at once: or cuttings of the young wood may 

 be taken and put into the ground; and in some 

 species, as the Indian and China roses, they will 

 strike freely. 



Budding is resorted to chiefly for the rarer 

 sorts, and such as are of difficult propagation by 

 laj'ers; for it is found that plants so procured, 

 even tliough on hardy enough stocks, are less 

 durable than those raised otherwise. This pro- 

 cess has of late become very common in the for- 

 mation of standard stems, with varieties of roses 

 growing from them. This is a modern inven- 

 tion, supposed to have originated in Holland, 

 from thence copied in Paris; and about the begin- 

 ning of the last century adopted in Britain. 

 These may be rendered highly ornamental to 

 parterres and borders. The stocks are fonned 

 of the tree rose, the dog rose, or any other 

 strong and (all-stemmed species. These stocks 



may be from three to seven feet from the ground. 

 One remarkable stock in the Paris garden is 

 fifteen feet high; and there are others of similar 

 dimensionsatMalmaison, and thegrand Trianon.* 

 'J'he stock is procured from a wood or copse, and 

 may be budded the same season in which it is 

 transplanted, or in the following spring or sum- 

 mer. 



Generally, two buds are inserted on the 

 opposite sides of the stock; but sometimes three, 

 four, or a dozen, in alternate positions, on the 

 upper six or twelve inches of the stem. Every 

 stock is supported by a rod, which should reach 

 a foot or eighteen inches higher than the situa- 

 tion of the bud; to this rod the stock is tied, 

 and afterwards the shoots from the inserted bud, 

 which would otherwise be liable to be injured 

 by high winds. The buds inserted may be of 

 all the different varieties; they will gro* out 

 freely, and flower, and thus afford a rare and 

 interesting assemblage. 



The Parisian gardener having the advantage 

 of finer stocks, and a better climate than can be 

 obtained in England, produces superior and 

 cheaper plants, which are exported along with 

 other roses in great profusion into this country. 



In rosaries, the usual practice is to introduce 

 but one plant of each sort; and the varieties 

 nearest akin to each other are grouped together, 

 by which their distinctions are made more con- 

 spicuous. Sometimes compartments are formed 

 of particular species, as the Scotch, Chinese, 

 yellow rose, or others, which has a pleasing 

 effect. An elevated rock work in the centre, 

 bound with creeping roses, also forms a pleasing 

 varietj'; or, hedges of roses may be formed with 

 standard roses, interspersed at regular distances. 



To produce vigorous and beautiful flowers, 

 some attention is necessary in the treatment of 

 roses. The old wood should be annually pruned 

 off, and the young shoots thinned and shortened, 

 according to their strength, or according as 

 number or magnitude of flowers is wanted. 

 Those plants which throw up numerous suckers, 

 require to be taken up every three or four years, 

 the roots reduced, and the offspring planted for 

 new plants; at the same time, that part of the 

 old soil about the roots is replaced with fresh 

 mould. When pruning is performed in early 

 spring or winter, the points of the shoots of the 

 more delicate sorts are apt to die. This process 

 then, should lie practised on such sorts in the 

 month of June. The most usual time of prun- 

 ing and dressing, is immediately after the blow 

 is over. When very large roses are wanted, all 

 the buds but that on the extreme point of each 

 shoot, should be pinched off as soon as they 

 make their appearance; while at same time a 

 liberal supply of water is given. 



* Loudon. 



