166 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
done, cover the whole with grafting wax, 
which should be made to melt at a moderate 
heat, so that you can bear your finger in it 
without absolutely scalding; but harden in the 
ordinary temperature, so that it effectually ex- 
cludes air from the place where they join, and 
thus promotes the union of the graft and 
stock. Another mode of grafting is to cut a 
slit across the stock, so as to go through both 
sides, then cutting the graft, of a long wedge 
fashion, and with a thin sharp knife, while 
you hold the slit open, shave off inside enough 
to make the slits proper to receive wedge- 
shaped grafts, and put in one of each side. If 
the stock be not very nicely cut out to receive 
the grafts, the slit below where they reach 
gapes open, and if this be too much open it 
lets in the weather, and perhaps rots the 
stock in the course of time ; if it be only a 
little open it will close up in time. There 
should be no wood above the top eye in the 
graft, but one or two eyes are enough to a 
graft above the stock. The advantage of 
having an eye or two on the portion that is 
fitted to the stock, is, that they often spring 
out stronger than the eyes above ; and we 
have known repeatedly the graft to unite only 
partially, — enough of it has joined to save one 
eye and no more. The bark of the Eose is 
very tender, and easily bruised or raised from 
the wood ; it is therefore absolutely necessary 
to use a sharp knife, and make the cuts very 
clean. In cases where grafts have failed the 
previous year, the strongest of the side shoots 
which come from the stock may be used for 
grafting ; cut them into branches four inches 
in length from the stem, and select only those 
strong ones which grow on different sides, 
that is, that branch different ways ; on these 
shoots fit grafts in any way, either by slitting 
them down, and cutting out some of the 
wood to make way for the graft to be put in 
like a wedge, or by making a long slope, and 
cutting the graft to match, or, in fact, by fit- 
ting them any way, so that the bark on one 
side shall be even and join. It does not matter 
if the graft is only half the size, so that the 
bark is made to fit any one side, for unless the 
barks touch we can never get a good union. 
Budded and Grafted Roses. — Look well at 
the stocks of all last year's budded and grafted 
Eoses ; take, off all the growth of the stock 
wherever there has been any, and rub off all 
the buds of the stock that start. There is 
nothing more important to the well-being 
of a Eose-tree than keeping the stock from 
growing, for if it start it almost stops all ad- 
vance of the grafted part by the vigorous 
effort it makes to establish itself; and in 
newly-grafted or budded trees it will, literally 
speaking, deprive them of all nourishment, and 
kill them. The only exception we make to this 
rule is with regard to the top bud of the stock, 
which being there to draw the sap up past the 
graft, must be allowed to grow until the graft 
has united ; but as soon as it has started four 
inches it must be topped to check it a little, 
and as soon as the graft begins to grow the 
growth of the stock may be stopped. Keep a 
good look-out for suckers, which will some- 
times come up from the root, and make rapid 
and distressing growth, checking very much 
all the advances of the grafted portions. 
Those stocks which have had their buds 
fail, and are intended for budding again, 
should have all the side shoots cut off, and all 
the stem that is above the upper growing 
branch, because all above the upper branch is 
dead and useless, — not only so, but there is a 
risk of its dying down further : those briars 
which are intended for budding must be 
trimmed close, and cut so as to leave a bud at 
the top. 
Pruning. — If any Eoses have been left 
over, according to last month's directions, for 
late blooming, cut them back to two eyes, (or 
more, if the wood is wanted to fill more space,) 
for it will be found that all the buds toward 
the ends of the branches grow, long before 
those, close at the bottom. As the object is to 
make two distinct seasons with those pruned 
last month, your first month's pruned ones 
must be your guide as to the time you are to 
cut the last. The buds of those that are to 
bloom first, should be shot a good half inch, 
and you will find the forwardest buds of those 
which have not been pruned at all shot even 
much further : it is by cutting those forward 
ones off, that you leave the buds which have 
not started at all to make their growth, and 
these are of course very much behind those 
already pruned. 
Succession Plants for the forcing house 
must be taken in if you are likely to require 
more, and so must Eoses for showing in pots, 
but this must be regulated according to the 
season at which you require them. Those 
who want to make the most of Eoses, may 
bloom them every month in the year. 
THE FLOWER GAKDEN. 
Anemones. — If the weather is dry, the soil 
between these should be well soaked with soft 
water ; a little clear manure water will do 
them good. If they are very choice, they should 
be shaded when the sun is very powerful. 
Annuals. — Successional sowings should be 
made every month up to July, for the pur- 
pose of raising a supply of plants for keeping 
up an unbroken display of flowers : those 
sown now will flower onwards from the end 
of June. Plant them in rich light soil. 
Auriculas. — Though these require plenty 
' of air, yet they must be protected from strong 
