THE LADIES’ MAGAZINE OF GARDENING. 
327 
shoots to bring forth their summer flowers; the remainder shorten to 
about half their length. Each shortened branch will soon put forth buds, 
and in August and September the plants will again be covered with 
flowers. In cultivating Perpetual roses, the faded flowers ought immedi¬ 
ately to be removed ; for in autumn the petals do not fall off readily, but 
lose their colour, and remain on the plant, to the injury of the forthcoming 
buds. Though I have recommended Perpetual roses to be grown on their 
own roots, in dry soils, yet, on account of the autumnal rains dashing the 
dirt upon their flowers when close to the ground, wherever it is possible to 
make grafted roses grow, they ought to be preferred; for, on stems from 
one and a half to two feet in height, the flowers will not be soiled; they are 
also brought near to the eye, and the plant forms a neat and pretty object. 
“ The crimson, and indeed nearly all the Perpetuals, force admirably: 
for this purpose it is better to graft or bud them on the Dog-rose, as it is 
so easily excited. It requires also but small pot-room; as, previous to 
potting, its roots may be pruned to within two inches of the stem, and 
apparently with advantage ; for, if placed in gentle heat, an abundance of 
fibres are immediately put forth, and the whole plant will soon have an 
appearance of great vigour. Those who wish for the luxury of forced 
roses, at a trifling cost, may have them by pursuing the following simple 
method :—Take a common garden frame, large or small, according to the 
number of roses wanted; raise it on some posts, so that the bottom edge 
will be about three feet from the ground at the back of the frame, and two 
feet in front, sloping to the south. If it is two feet deep, this will give a 
depth of five feet under the lights at the back of the frame, which will 
admit roses on little stems as well as dwarfs. Grafted plants of any of 
the Perpetual roses should be potted in October, in a rich compost of 
equal portions of rotten dung and loam, in pots about eight inches deep, 
and seven inches over, and plunged in the soil at bottom. The air in the 
frame may be heated by linings of hot dung; but care must be taken that 
the dung is turned over two or three times before it is used, otherwise the 
rank and noxious steam will kill the young and tender shoots; but the 
hazard of this may be avoided, by building a wall of turf, three inches 
thick, from the ground to the bottom edge of the frame. This will admit 
the heat through it, and exclude the steam. The Perpetual roses, thus 
made to bloom early, are really beautiful. They may also be forced in 
any description of forcing-house with success, by plunging the pots in old 
tan, or any substance that will keep their roots cool. It will at once give 
an idea how desirable these roses are, when it is stated that, by retarding 
and forcing, they may be made to bloom for eight months in the year.” 
(Rose Amateurs Guide , p. 115.) 
