ROSES AND ROSE GARDENS. 



171 



In conclusion, we would say to everyone about to plant Roses, whether you adopt the 

 principle of massing or not, before selecting the varieties make up your mind what you 

 want in the future, and then, if you do not yourself know Roses, delegate the choice of 

 sorts to someone who does, and whom you can trust 

 to furnish you with sorts and plants best fitted to 

 realise the ends in view. 



FIG. i. 



Propagation of the Rose. 

 THE Rose is too beautiful and important a flower 

 of the English garden to lightly pass over, hence 

 general remarks are given concerning it, and then each 

 group taken separately. There are numerous races, 

 all charming in their degree, and some little valued, 

 although possessing great decorative beauty in beds, 

 borders, and the pleasure ground. As propagation is 

 frequently a vexed matter with amateurs, remarks 

 are first made upon this interesting phase of Rose- 

 culture. 



PROPAGATION.— There are many methods of 

 increasing Roses. They may be rooted from cuttings, 

 both of matured and young wood ; from eyes ; by 

 seed ; and by budding and grafting. Budding upon 

 some suitable foster-stock' is the plan generally 

 adopted. It gives much quicker returns, imparts 

 more vigour to many varieties, and often, especially in the case of the darker-coloured 

 Hybrid Perpetuals, a deeper and more brilliant colouring. This matter will be referred to 

 again under the heading of "Stock's and their Preparation." 



BUDDING. — Although a simple operation, it is not easy to describe. Therefore a 

 rough illustration is given. Fig. 1 represents the bud and method of removing same, while 



Fig. 2 shows the bud inserted. But before one 

 goes further into this subject it will be well to 

 consider the selection of buds. 



Always select from a healthy tree or plant, 

 such as those that have given the most characteristic 

 flowers of a particular variety. It is too much the 

 practice to take buds from plants which have plenty 

 of wood, not only because there is a natural 

 reluctance to cut a plant which has carried and is 

 carrying many blossoms, but because one does not 

 seem to be wasting future flowers. This question 

 of selection is of great importance, for if buds are 

 got from a plant that is in any way poor, one 

 naturally gets others of even less merit than the 

 parent. The shoot from which a bud or eye is 

 taken must be a little more than half ripe. The 

 lower buds upon a long, growing shoot are in the 

 correct stage ; so, too, are those left below a 

 full-blown flower. It is a good test to break off a few prickles. If they snap off 

 freely, the wood is ripe enough, but if they hang, it is either too old or the reverse. 

 The bark must lift easily, so that one can remove a small portion and also the piece of 

 wood which will be covering the seat of the bud. Fig. 1 shows a piece of Rose growth 



fig. 2. 



