212 



CASSELL'S POPTJLAR GAEDENING. 



dormant shoots in the open air in the late autumn 

 or early winter, are the best for the sure rooting of 

 Rose-cuttings. Some years since, a Eose-secret was 

 written about rather freely, that promised to con- 

 vert every shoot and twig into a Eose-plant, as if 

 by some magician's wand. . It is needless to remark 

 that that secret has not yet been revealed. It is 

 probably, however, fully two-thirds opened to those 

 who have oarefuUy followed us thus far through the 

 propagation of the Eose. Each eye, as we have 

 already seen, may be converted into a plant, and 

 some have affirmed that every leaf and even leaflet 

 may be made to root. But as there is no record of 

 the leaves growing into Eose-bushes, it is not needful 

 to go further into the matter. One of the easiest 

 of all seasons to root Eoses has, however, yet to be 

 adverted to, and may be most conveniently discussed 

 under the head of 



Spring Cuttings Since the forcing of Eoses 



has become general, it is obvious that quantities of 

 Eoses will be found under glass in February, March, 

 and other early spring or simmier months, with their 

 wood in similar condition to that of out-of-door Eoses 

 in June, July, or August. The wood is found in 

 practice to be in even better condition for rooting 

 than that from the open air. Cuttings of forced 

 Eoses, or from those grown under glass, seldom fail 

 to root freely. They bear warm forcing treatment 

 with less risk than any other Eoses. 



Were this true of Teas only, it might be easily 

 explained, but it applies to all sorts and conditions 

 of Eoses grown under glags, and the fact is of the 

 utmost practical value to the rapid multiplication 

 of Eose-plants by cuttings. 



So soon as the flowers fade is the best season to 

 insert what are called here " spring cuttings." The 

 name is about all they differ in from other cuttings, 

 unless, indeed, the better climate in which they have 

 been grown has endowed the plants with greater 

 vital energy, as well as inured them to the higher 

 temperature favourable to the emission of roots. 

 Be aU. that as it may, no cuttings root so freely, with 

 such a small percentage of loss, as those of forced 

 and other Eoses put into heat in the spring. One 

 strong argument in favour of rooting Eoses at that 

 season consists in the fact that they have all the 

 summer before them to grow into plants. The 

 cuttings also root sooner in the spring than at any 

 other season. Hence, if inserted say in February, 

 they may be rooted, shifted into single pots, grown 

 into considerable size, hardened off, and planted out 

 by the end of May to furnish a good crop of bloom 

 before the end of the year. The roots of Eoses may 

 also be converted into cuttings, and become good 

 plants. But as they are more trouble, and in no 



respect better than those already described, it is not 

 needful to advert to them further. 



Nothing has been said about compost for cuttings, 

 as it is not material to their rooting. Cuttings need 

 nothing, and can indeed absorb little else from the 

 soil than water ; and this in plenty, but not in excess, 

 is all they rec[uire untU roots are formed. Very sandy 

 soU, or pure sand, is consequently the best rooting 

 medium for Eose-outtings. So soon as rooted they 

 become Eose-plants, and no soil can well be too 

 good for them. 



PROPAGATION BY QRAFTINa. 

 This differs from budding in the fact that it 

 generally means the union of two different woods as 

 well as of bark, and that the foreign scion inserted 

 in the stock is much larger than a bud, and generally 

 consists of a considerable section of wood with two 

 or several buds. The art of grafting differs, however, 

 but little in principle from that of budding. Larger 

 masses are concerned in it, and hence the modes of 

 manipidation vary, but the uniting forces are still 

 the same. And these can hardly be said to be the 

 wood, but the sap, the cambium or young growing 

 tissue, the bud, and the bark. It is of importance to 

 bear this in mind, or failure in grafting is almost 

 sure to ensue. It matters less about the mere size of 

 the scions, than the close fit of the inner barks of the 

 scions and the stocks. Tyros in the art of grafting 

 will please to note the word " inner." The outer bark 

 is little more or better in regard to grafting than a 

 mere covering. It has little more life than the paper 

 wrap round a parcel. The inner bark is the source 

 of life, where the growing tissues are situated — the 

 only active agents in effecting the union between 

 the scion and the stock. 



Condition of Stock. — The stock should have 

 started into root, and, less prominently, into top 

 growth. The exact amount of leaf-development in 

 the stock most favourable to the union of the scion 

 varies in particular plants. The Eose, for example, 

 need hardly have started ; the Grape-vine must' be 

 in full leafage, otherwise it would bleed to death. In 

 aU cases the root should have started, and the sap 

 be on the move, if not in full circulation. 



This is, however, not seldom set aside in practice. 

 Stocks are dug up, or received from the nursery, and 

 grafted at once without more ado. The manipula- 

 tion of a few stocks in this way is much easier than 

 that of potted plants. This practice, however, 

 though occasionally successful, is not to be com- 

 mended or approved. Such stocks should be placed 

 in heat for a fortnight or so before use, after which 

 they may be worked in this free-and-easy manner 

 with every prospect of success. 



