^1 



12 



comprising the Tea, Noisette^ Bengal and Bourbon 

 classes, with the Prairies, are so readily reproduced 

 by the old, well-known method of hard wood cut- 

 tings, that it is not necessary to embrace them in 

 our remarks ; but such varieties as are included in 

 the Hyhrid Perpetual, Moss, Provence, and the nu- 

 merous other hybrids and species, are increased 

 with so much difficulty by this process, that it be- 

 comes absolutely necessary to use some other me- 

 thod to enlarge our stock of plants. 



It is true we have known instances where these 

 varieties have succeeded equally as well by this sys- 

 tem as the tender Koses, and have had ourselves 

 what gardeners term a perfect " strike ;" but the 

 next season, in the same bed, and with the same 

 treatment precisely, we have met with an entire 

 failure. To counterbalance this accidental (or ra- 

 ther uncertain) system, gardeners have recourse to 

 a number of plans, which prove more unfailing. 

 The first of these is budding on the Manetti stock, 

 a strong, healthy grower, but exceedingly liable to 

 sucker, and hence quite unpopular among a partic- 

 ular class of purchasers. Although we do not de- 

 precate this method, believing that, in the majority 

 of jcases, and more particularly for such weak- 

 growing varieties as Dr. Henon, Virginale, &c., it 

 is very beneficial ; yet the uninitiated purchaser is 

 so liable to neglect his plants, that in a few years 

 he not unfrequently finds a strong, rampant grower, 

 with a poor, insignificant bloom, in the place of 

 what was originally a compact bush, with splendid 

 flowers. 



To the careful, welbinformed gardener, we reite- 

 rate, budded Roses are preferable. 



The next plan we shall consider is the layering 

 process. In the open air, in certain situations and 

 with a favorable season, it may prove reasonably 

 profitable ; but our growers generally, in this pro- 

 gressive age, desire something rather more speedy. 

 The plants also, by this method, are very frequent- 

 ly poorly rooted, and require two years to become 

 saleable, thus proving too serious an objection, to 

 the producer, at least. Many gardeners have re- 

 course to inside layering from plants grown in pots, 

 the young, half-ripened wood being used ; and as 

 this is much more liable to throw out roots than 

 the older wood, and being likewise aided by the 

 warm, humid, even temperature of the house, this 

 process is comparatively easy and certain. Our ob- 

 jection to this system is, that the plants produced 

 are generally too weak, and especially among 

 those varieties that are constitutionally devoid 

 of vigor. They may eventually form excellent 

 specimens ; but, as time is money, particularly 



when inci easing our stock of the new and scarce 

 varieties, we must turn our attention to a more sat- 

 isfactory method. Another objection is, the amount 

 of wood necessary to perform this operation. A 

 branch used in layering would form, perhaps, suffi- 

 cient material for three or four good cuttings, which 

 is a very important fact to be taken into considera- 

 tion. The plan now veiy generally pursued by 

 many of our best propagators, and one which the 

 writer objects to seriously, is that known as " soft- 

 wood cuttings." Almost everyone interested in 

 this subject is a'^vare that young, half-ripened shoots 

 taken from plants grown under glass strike more 

 readily than those taken from similar plants grown 

 in the open air. These cuttings are usually pre- 

 pared and placed in the propagating bed during 

 the Summer months, to be forced into new individ- 

 ual plants by heat, either through artificial means 

 or, as in some instances, by the rays of the sun. 



This plan is, undoubtedly, one of the most expedi- 

 tious, and, in the hands of an expert propagator, 

 most certain in use ; but we fear at the cost of the 

 future race of plants. The sy^'tem of forcing the 

 parents under glass during Summer, and in many 

 cases producing weak wood, is certainly a forerun- 

 ner of disease, and almost invariably (unless a very 

 strong grower naturally) produces small plants, re- 

 quiring several years to perfect their usual vigorous 

 growth. This theory of excessive forcing and rapid 

 reproduction is fully exemplified in the thousands 

 of weak spindling Grrape-vines that are annually 

 offered for sale, especially among such poor grow- 

 ing varieties as the Delaware. We now arrive at 

 another, and in our judgment, the best system in 

 use, — simply root-grafting. Although deprecated 

 by many, it is to our mind not only as expeditious, 

 but the most desirable to the purchaser of all the 

 methods named. In the first place we have the 

 privilege of selecting healthy, well-ripened wood, 

 taken from strong plants grown naturally in the 

 open air, which is of primary importance. 



Secondly, we use a very small portion of root, 

 taken from one of the strongest growing species, 

 such as the Manetti, and thus give the young plant 

 an impetus at the very commencement. 



Thirdly, when planted in the open ground the 

 small portion of artificial root almost invariahly dies, 

 as the young plant forms new fibres at the base of 

 the graft, thus making it truthfully on its own roots. 



Fourthly, in our experience, plants thus grown 

 are larger and healthier than those produced by 

 any other method. We have seen in large blocks 

 of Roses grown in this manner an occasional plant 

 showing the effect of its artificial propagation by a 



