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12 



The Weekly Rorists* Review. 



Februart 15, 1912. 



GBAFTINO BOSES. 



To Graft or Not to Graft? 



"Do roses do better grafted or on 

 their own roots?" is a question fre- 

 quently asked. Much depends on the 

 soil in which they are to grow, and a 

 good deal depends on the variety. 

 Where a grower has a light soil to 

 deal with, there is no doubt the Ma- 

 netti stock, upon which most kinds are 

 grafted, is good. Even in a heavy soil 

 the Manetti will push more roots than 

 weak growing teas or hybrid teas. 

 Tn solid beds on the ground the Ma- 

 netti sometimes shows a disposition to 

 go to rest in winter, just when the 

 grower wants his stock to move freely, 

 but this is not the case in raised 

 benches, where the heat reaches the 

 roots. Some popular kinds are too 

 slow in growth on their own roots and 

 are much improved by grafting. Take 

 Mrs. Marshall Field, for instance; it 

 l)ractically refuses to grow in some 

 soils on its own roots, while it makes 

 a fine growth on the Manetti. 



I have little doubt that nearly all 

 the popular hybrid teas do better 

 grafted than. on their own roots. As 

 to the best stock, thf.t is another 

 story, but the Manetti is usually the 

 easiest to get hold of and is used more 

 largely than otlicr and jiossibly better 

 stock. 



Some Hints to Beginners. 



The o|>eration of grafting has been 

 so frequently described that it is hard- 

 ly worth while to go over the ground 

 again, so I will presume that the cardi- 

 nal points are known and try to point 

 out a few rocks upon which beginners 

 often founder. 



Stocks are frequently potted too 

 deeph'. The rose unites more freely 

 on the root portion, or that which has 

 been buried in the nursery, than on 

 the portion carrying green bark. T 

 have frequently grafted roses on pieces 

 of wild brier roots that have never 

 borne a leaf or any bark. Stocks 

 should always be potted with about an 

 inch of straight stem just above the 

 soil, for grafting on. This is easier 

 to work on than a crooked stem and 

 insures the point of union being buried 

 when the final planting takes place. 



When the stock is larger than the 

 scion, do not try to make the latter 

 fit all across, or the cambium layers 

 on the stock will not be fully exposed 

 and a good callus will not result. As 

 long as the cambium layers of stock 

 and scion meet at the point of the cut 



portion and up one side, it will be all 

 right. But the nearer the stock and 

 scion match in size, the better on all 

 accounts. 



In the Grafting Case. 



The grafting case should be as 

 nearly as possible air-tight. This is 

 not so much on account of the heat 

 required, but it enables the grower to 

 maintain abundant atmospheric mois- 

 ture in the case without frequent 

 moistening of the plants overhead. 



No reasonable amount of fire heat 

 will injure the plants while the process 

 of grafting is going on, but the sun 

 must be carefully excluded. One hour's 

 sunshine will probably ruin every plant 

 in the case, so shade regularly and 

 thoroughly. 



From ten days to two weeks, accord- 

 ing to the amount of heat given, is 

 sufficient time for the plants to callous, 

 and after this takes place a little air 

 should be put on the case at night 



after the house is closed. For tho 

 first couple of days a label, placed the 

 flat way under the light, is ample, and 

 this should be removed and the plants 

 lightly sprayed with an atomizer be 

 fore the house is ventilated the next 

 day. Let the change from an abso 

 lutely close case to the ordinary rose 

 house temperature be as gradual as 

 possible. 



Raffia is good for tying material. 

 There are several adhesive preparations 

 on the market, and I have seen goo<l 

 results from their use, but millions ol 

 good plants have been grown with the 

 common raffia for ties, and it is the 

 cheapest of all. 



KTT.T.AKNEY AND RICHMOND. 



Will Killarney and Richmond roses 

 do better in separate houses than when 

 grown in the same house? 



B. J. M. 



Though Richmond and Killarney re 

 quire practically the same night tem 

 perature in winter, 58 degrees being 

 about right, and are often grown suc- 

 cessfully in the same house, they wilt 

 undoubtedly do better in separate 

 houses. Each of the forcing roses has 

 some little peculiarity. For instance, 

 Killarney has tender foliage compared 

 with Richmond and falls an easier prey 

 to spider and mildew. Then again, 

 it is always easier to make little tem- 

 perature and other changes with one 

 variety than with two or more. It 

 will certainly be well to grow the va- 

 rieties separately if accommodations 

 will permit. C. W. 



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SEASONABLE 



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I 



Lilies. 



We are getting a much colder winter 

 than a year ago, and with Easter com- 

 ing, as it will, nine days earlier, it 

 will be necessary to keep close watch 

 on the lilies, and any laggards should 

 at once be placed in more heat. We 

 have now a bare eight weeks in which 

 to flower the plants. It is always bet- 

 ter to have them in flower a few days 

 ahead of time, as they can easily be 

 held back in a cool house, rather than 

 have to subject them to severe forcing 

 near the time they are wanted in flower. 

 To be sure of the flowers being on 

 time, the buds should show distinctly 

 forty days before Easter. That time 

 will be here almost before we know it; 

 therefore move late plants without 

 delay to as warm a house as you can 

 give them. Syringe them freely and 

 hurry them all you can. On the other 

 hand, those with buds already showing 

 may be kept a little cooler. The house 

 should not go below 50 to 55 degrees 

 at night, however. 



With an early Easter there will be 

 fewer flowers of the Ascension lily, L. 

 candidum, seen than usual. This va- 

 riety resents hard forcing; it causes 

 the spikes to become spindling and the 



flowers are always much smaller than 

 under cooler treatment. If the can- 

 didum buds show by March 1, it should 

 be possible to flower them in an aver- 

 age night temperature of 55 degrees, 

 but this should be the absolute maxi- 

 mum at night. Once a week the plants 

 should be fumigated or sprayed for 

 green aphis. 



Liliums speciosum and auratum, if 

 fall potted and kept in a cool house, are 

 now a few inches high and should be 

 given a bench where they will be close 

 to the light. They prefer a moderately 

 cool house. These are always found 

 useful in June and July. 



Rambler Roses. 



Rambler rose plants intended for 

 Easter flowering should now be nicely 

 started into growth and given a house 

 with a night temperature of 55 to 60 

 degrees. Ventilate with care. On 

 many days the sky, which has been 

 clear, will suddenly darken and the 

 temperature will drop quickly in the 

 houses. A cold, clammy atmosphere 

 must be avoided as much as cold drafts. 

 On the first appearance of mildew, dust 

 the affected parts with flowers of sul- 

 phur, using a powder bellows, and if 



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