270 
THE CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOSES. 
joints, peg that down under ground in autumn; 
it will root well by the following autumn. 
Others cut a notch in the wood on the upper 
side, which makes the bend sharper ; but 
there is more danger of breaking it. Another 
method is to run a knife through the wood, 
so as to split it, and then give the wood a 
little twist : but most of the sorts will root if 
only pegged Tinder the surface. That, how- 
ever, is rarely resorted to; and when it is con- 
sidered what facilities for propagation are 
offered other ways, it is no wonder. The 
laying should be done as soon as the wood has 
ripened, and the pegs to be used should be 
like a miniature hooked walking-stick, which 
it is easy to form out of any branch of wood. 
This hook is thrust into the ground firmly, to 
hold fast the whole winter and summer sea- 
son. In the dry weather the layers should be 
watered, as the trees themselves, or bushes, 
frequently prevent the rain from coming near 
the surface, where the branch is pegged down, 
and they would, in such case, have no en- 
couragement to root. In the autumn of the 
next year, examine them all before they are 
cut off from the present root, and if rooted, 
of which there will be little doubt, cut the 
new plant away with all the new root ; and in 
planting it out in another place, shorten the 
portion above ground to half its length; and 
at pruning time in the spring, cut it down 
within three or four eyes of the ground, that 
it may form a bush. Layers of some Roses 
strike almost immediately; and from this facility 
it is a common practice to lay Roses all over 
a bed by pegging down the branches on the 
surface, at small distances, and thus cover a 
whole space with Roses, which have rooted at 
almost every joint. The flowers in such case 
are very strong ; but a bush thus treated, and 
every branch layered, would cut up into an 
immense number of plants. 
MANAGEMENT OF THE ROSE GARDEN EACH MONTH 
IN THE YEAR. 
January. — Look well to all Standard-roses, 
to see that their stakes are firmly in the 
ground, and the stocks or trunks well fastened 
to them. If the heads of Standards are, as 
they frequently, indeed, are, very large, com- 
pared with the hold they have upon the 
stock, it is necessary that the stock to 
which the tree is fastened should reach 
partly through the head, and be fastened to 
the head itself. It is also desirable, when 
very large growth has been made, to shorten, 
though not properly prune, all the longest 
branches, to lessen the head, that the wind 
may not have too much power. If you have 
not provided yourself with stocks before this 
month, lose no time, and when procured, 
prune the roots into moderate form, for they 
will frequently be found straggling and awk- 
ward. Besides planting out a number in 
rows, to be worked in the open ground, pot 
some of the most compact-rooted in pots, 
and plunge them, making a post-and-rail sort 
of frame along them to fasten the stocks to, 
and prevent them from being disturbed by the 
wind ; also, if you have not got in all the 
Roses you want, order them and plant them. 
February. — Look over the established 
stocks, and see -which are most favourable for 
grafting; and if you have any wood of Roses 
you intend to graft, leave it on the trees; but 
if you have to obtain wood, seek for it in 
time, and if you get it, plant the thickest end 
downwards in the ground, in some shady 
place, because they ought not to be grafted till 
next month, and the cuttings will keep some 
time. The China-roses in the house, and 
Roses in the forcing-house, must be kept well 
syringed, and watched carefully, that, in the 
event of green-fly attacking tlrim, they may 
be fumigated, as well as syringed. Roses in 
pots should be kept a little moist, and if not 
pruned in autumn, should be pruned directly. 
Look to a supply of wild stocks, if you have 
not yet completed your arrangements. 
March. — Prune all Roses which were left 
half done in the autumn, or not done at all, 
especially grafted and budded ones of last 
year, as they have this year to make some 
growth. Stocks may still do if the season is 
backward, but not a day must be lost. Look 
over all the standard trees, examine the 
pushing buds, trim out all w r eak shoots from 
the buds, and cut away all shoots from 
the stock. This must be always considered 
of first consequence, for the growth of a 
branch from a Stock will completely check the 
growth of the head. All grafted and budded 
trees, Avhen once fairly growing, should be 
deprived of all means of growth from the 
Stock itself. It is not wise to destroy alto- 
gether the growth of the Stock above the 
graft or bud, until the union and subsequent 
growth of the graft or bud itself are well esta- 
blished ; but this once accomplished, leave 
no vestige of growth belonging to the Stock, 
and constantly rub off every bud. You may 
begin grafting this month. 
April. — If any suckers appear among esta- 
blished Roses or Stocks, worked or unworked, 
remove the earth down to where they join the 
root, and cut them off close. If the Rose 
quarter is at all infested with snails or slugs, 
use all means to destroy them. Inverted 
flower pots, tilted on one side, will catch many 
snails ; cabbage leaves laid on the ground, and 
examined daily, will entrap slugs. All Stocks 
on which grafts or buds failed last season must 
be looked upon as new Stocks, and cut down 
to where they appear alive. The shoots upon 
