106 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



for permanent plants. Some years ago it was difficult 

 to get dwarf plants upon any other stock but this, which 

 was said to be generally more suitable to the lighter 

 soils ; but, with the increased use of the cultivated briar 

 for dwarf stocks, this idea has died out, and dwarf H.P.s 

 upon either of the three stocks can generally now be 

 obtained of the leading professional Rose-growers. 



There are still I believe a few amateurs who grow 

 Roses in quantity, and show them well, yet never bud or 

 propagate them themselves. I cannot understand this, 

 for I find a large part of the delight of the pursuit in 

 the raising of my own Roses, and I have but a few among 

 all my plants which were not budded with my own 

 hands. There is much fascination in the whole opera- 

 tion of budding : — you have before you rows of strong 

 wild plants, rough and untidy as the worst of hedges, 

 and in one short year you transform these into splendid 

 Rose-plants of all varieties with noble foliage and 

 glorious flowers of many shades, certainly as good 

 and probably better than any that can be got from 

 bought plants. A due mingling of hopes and fears 

 is essential to true enjoyment, and there is plenty 

 of both in Rose-budding, from the planting of the 

 stock to the cutting of the maiden bloom. But when 

 all dangers are passed and over, is not that glorious flower 

 more truly and verily your own ? You may see your 

 Rose marked for the Silver Medal at the Crystal Palace, 

 as the best in its section. Yes ! it is your Rose, even if it 

 was your gardener who ordered, planted, pruned, fed and 

 cultivated the plant, and cut and showed the bloom. 

 But if it was you alone who had found, chosen, and 

 grubbed out the stock from the hedge, or cut, prepared, 

 planted, and transplanted the briar or manetti cutting 

 — if no hand but yours had budded it, cared for it in all 



