2o 



ON THE PROPAGATION OF GARDEN ROSES, 



BY DAVID CAMERON, A.L.S., Botanic Garden, Ed gbaston. 



Garden Roses are usually increased by layering, budding, or grafting ; and 

 but seldom by cuttings. The first method has long been practised both in 

 nurseries and private gardens. 



Budding and grafting, which were first introduced upon the Continent, have 

 been extensively practised with the more rare sorts, and are now becoming pretty 

 general in the English nurseries. Plants worked in this way flower more freely, 

 but are sometimes apt to perish before attaining any great age. Notwith- 

 standing the advantages of budding and grafting, layering is still the most 

 general method of increasing the good old sorts. The old Moss Rose and the 

 Rose Unique (both admired by every cultivator of roses), are, however, difficult 

 to be obtained from layers, as they often require several years to make good 

 plants. 



The following process is a ready method for obtaining good plants of both 

 these sorts. 



Take up some old plants, carefully preserving all the long fleshy thick roots, 

 and cut the roots into lengths of from two to three inches each, in the latter end 

 of February. Prepare a bed of very rich soil, take off about three inches of 

 the surface, and put on about an inch of fine light soil. Lay the cuttings of the 

 roots flat, about four inches apart ; cover them over with an inch of some light 

 , soil, then with an inch of good rotten cow-dung, and finally finish with two inches 

 of the common soil. Each root will send up one or more strong shoots, pro- 

 ducing abundance of fine, healthy, fibrous roots among the dung. They should 

 be transplanted singly in winter, and will flower freely the ensuing season. 

 Most of the hardy roses may be obtained in the same way, but it is most appli- 

 cable to the Moss Rose and Rose Unique. 



ON THE CULTURE AND ESCULENT PROPERTIES OF 

 TROP^OLUM TUBEROSUM. 



BY DAVID CAMERON, A.L.S., Botanic Garden, Edgbaston. 



This plant proves perfectly hardy, producing tubers in abundance, and pleasant 

 flavoured, which circumstance may cause it to be cultivated as an esculent 

 vegetable. About twenty-five plants were planted out for experiment last 

 season in the Birmingham Botanic Garden, about one half of which were tubers 

 planted in April, before they began to vegetate ; the others were raised from 

 cuttings kept under glass until near a foot high, and then turned out (balls 

 entire) in July. They began to show flower buds in September, a few of which 

 expanded before cut off by the frost. All did equally well, producing, when 



VOL. II. NO. XIV. APRIL. E 



