JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 17,1881. ] 
125 
17th 
TH 
Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. Linnean Society at 8 p.m. 
18th 
F 
19th 
S 
20th 
SUN 
Sexagesima. 
21st 
M 
22nd 
Tu 
23rd 
W 
Society of Arts at 8 p.m. 
ROSES ON THEIR OWN ROOTS. 
EING but a dwarf in the Rose-growing world, 
and having only a few hundreds of plants to the 
thousands possessed by other lovers of the queen 
of flowers, I almost hesitate to question the de¬ 
cision arrived at by “ Oxonian " (see page 86) 
on this subject as connected with the National 
® L Rose Society, and the list of such Roses as will do 
well thus started. “ Oxonian " thinks such a list would 
be “ premature.” If by that word he would mean im¬ 
perfect I certainly agree with him, but even an im¬ 
perfect list would be a great advantage to many, and I cannot 
but hope that the idea will be acted upon. 
“ Oxonian ” says, “ To produce Roses on their own roots is 
a very slow process.” Well, I cannot help thinking that with 
many Roses it is much quicker than on the foster parent. 
What is the process? Take Manetti. Suitable shoots have 
to be selected, the eyes carefully (and not infrequently care¬ 
lessly) cut out—this is a great consumption of time—then 
these are planted close together. The following autumn the 
cuttings that have grown are taken up and replanted in beds 
suitable for budding in the following season. Sometimes they 
are budded the year after planting, but this is not the ordinary 
plan. Now, take a batch of Rose cuttings. Suitable pieces have 
to be selected. So far the Manetti and the Rose are equal, 
but in the latter after the preparation of the base of the 
cuttings no eyes require removal. This time, therefore, is 
saved, and the cuttings may be inserted the same as Manettis 
and left to their fate, and the following season many will 
bear respectable blooms, and with attention make good plants 
to transplant in the autumn. It seems to me, therefore, that 
the process of making a Rose plant “ fit for sale ” is not so 
slow as the budding process, and I wonder it is not more 
adopted. 
For some years on a small scale the experiment has been 
made by me. In 1879 I inserted between four and five 
hundred Rose cuttings, the greater portion in the autumn, but 
a quarter perhaps at the spring pruning. Well, last year in 
the autumn I had nearly fifty plants put out, and quite two- 
thirds of these were as strong in growth and as vigorous in 
appearance as the plants I ordered from nurserymen. One 
or two had made such growth that I was able by careful 
division to make two plants. These I have planted in two lines 
by themselves, and I shall be able to compare their flowering 
with their neighbours. 
It is somewhat strange that only two varieties grew amongst 
the spring-planted cuttings—Hippolyte Jamain and La France ; 
and among the autumn-planted cuttings these two varieties 
also distinguished themselves. Other successful sorts were 
Charles Lefebvre, Gabriel Tournier, Sophie Fropot, Camille 
Bernardin, Marie Baumann, and Pierre Notting. I daresay 
that in my ignorance I am only advancing an idea which every 
Rose-grower knows, that it is the thornless varieties that are 
the best in striking from the cuttings. Certainly the great 
majority of those named above are comparatively free from 
thorns, and I cannot help thinking that a very thorny stem is 
against the close fitting of the soil to it when planted, and 
hence failures occur ; at any rate the close fitting of the soil 
is essential to success. 
I agree with “ Oxonian ” as to Marechal Niel not liking 
its own roots, and yet there is a sort of exception to this. I 
say a sort of exception, because I am not certain what the 
effect would be were the plant cast off to shift for itself. I 
mean when the long shoots of Marechal Niel are bent down 
and layered the growth appears to me more vigorous. I have 
seen this frequently, and where it can be conveniently ar¬ 
ranged I believe it to be the best way of growing that beautiful 
variety. Neither does in my experience the Marechal like 
Manetti as a foster parent, the Briar and Gloire de Dijon 
stocks seeming to suit it best. 
There is no doubt that in deciding on stocks, if we would be 
successful regard must be had and special attention given to 
the soil. In a general way it may be said that Teas do not like 
the Manetti but succeed on the Briar, and, 1 write hesitatingly, 
I think they would do on their own roots. 
In the case of the Hybrid Perpetuals it is often hard to say on 
what roots they are. Many budded on the Manetti after three 
or four years are certainly well established on their own roots 
and have discarded the foster parent, which is absolutely dead 
below the point of insertion of the original bud. Such a plant 
may be said to be growing luxuriantly on the Manetti, whilst 
the very reverse is the fact.—Y. B. A. Z. 
There is an exception, it is said, to every rule, and I can 
adduce an instance in favour of Marechal Niel thriving ad¬ 
mirably on its own roots, notwithstanding the dictum of 
“Oxonian,” who on page 86 wrote as follows—“Marechal 
Niel I am certain will not do well on its own roots.” But first 
I must say that I do not believe the rule thus laid down is 
established ; yet assuming for the moment that it is, I will 
submit my exception, and if “ Oxonian ” can publish better 
results from any stock in his possession I will admit my 
position is weakened. 
Last autumn I was at Norris Green near Liverpool, the 
owner of which, Mrs. Pemberton Heywood, is a great admirer 
of flowers generally, and Roses, perhaps, particularly ; and Mr. 
Bardney grows them, especially Teas, under glass probably as 
well as any private gardener in the kingdom. Now it is 
curious that the only Rose that this cultivator could not grow 
satisfactorily was Marechal Niel. He followed out the notion 
that it must be “ worked,” and tried various stocks, but with 
none could he attain the high standard of excellence that he 
sought. At length after hearing and reading so much that 
this grand Rose would not thrive on its own roots, he thought 
there would be no harm in adding one more to what he thought 
a long list of failures. He inserted cuttings, which rooted 
freely, and the plants started so well that he thought they were 
worth repotting. They were potted and managed similarly to 
No. 34.—Yol. II., Third Semes. 
No. 1«90._ VOl. LXTm 0X4) sicrim. 
