VII 



STOCKS 



105 



cutting, is the best for purchased plants. The voice of 

 the majority in the Rose world, with which I thoroughly 

 agree, places the value of these stocks for permanent 

 plants in the order named above. The advantages of 

 the briar cutting are that it makes the finest permanent 

 plants, that, taken all round, it gives the best blooms, 

 and that its tendency to comparatively shallow roots 

 makes it the most amenable to good cultivation. Its only 

 disadvantages are that it is not quite so early in bloom- 

 ing as plants on the manetti stock, and that its want 

 of deep roots prevents its being able to stand neglect 

 so well as those on the briar seedling. This is however 

 a poor advantage to claim for the briar seedling, as the 

 growth from the deep roots will not be satisfactory or 

 free-flowering. Even if the tap-roots are taken off, the 

 plants are generally somewhat inferior to those on the 

 cutting, and are the latest in blooming of all. Mr. 

 Prince's magnificent culture of Tea Roses on this stock 

 caused it to be very generally tried and used for this 

 purpose, but I have not found any advantage from its 

 adoption. 



The manetti stock is not suitable for purchased plants. 

 Its disadvantages are that unless the union of stock and 

 scion is planted at least an inch below the surface of 

 the soil, the Rose will simply die : — that as a general 

 rule it dwindles and gets weaker every year, though 

 there are exceptions to be found where the Rose itself 

 has thrown out roots to aid the stocks : — and that the 

 suckers, which it is sure to throw up as the plant gets 

 weaker, are so like the growth of the Rose, that it re- 

 quires a trained eye to detect the difference. The 

 manetti has its uses, in the propagation of new Roses and 

 in the growth of " maiden " plants of most of the H.P.s 

 for exhibition blooms, but it should not be employed 



