THE CULTIVATION OF ROSES IN POTS 
23" 
branches must be tied well down to the rim of the pot all round; any branches in the centre of the 
plant can be tied down to the lowest branches ; but not in too close or crowded a manner. I am aware 
some first-rate growers recommend pruning many of these hard in, at this stage of growth: in this I 
can see no advantage, as the plants, under proper treatment, will be full of young wood, and to prune 
them hard would spoil the bloom. All that I find necessary, is to thin out, where over-crowded; to 
shorten where too long ; and to properly regulate and tie out the branches. 
The plants will now require to be placed in them winter habitation, and nothing is better than a 
cold pit facing the south, the lights being at a very acute angle, in order to catch every ray of light 
and sun. Let the plants be placed upon inverted pots, as close to the glass as possible, keeping the 
delicate varieties, as the Teas, Chinas, &c., at one end by themselves. Leave the lights off, night and 
day, during autumn, except in case of rains, from which they must be scrupulously protected. During 
the winter the lights must be off all day in settled weather, and tilted up by night to allow a circula¬ 
tion of afr among the plants, shutting close only in case of very severe frosts, and wet; slight frosts 
are not injurious. Through the winter they require little or no water. I have had them a month or 
two without a drop, and it should be given only when the mould is very dry; the great point of winter 
treatment being to protect the plants from rain, to give very little water, and to allow them abundance 
of afr. 
About the end of February, many of the Perpetuals, Bourbons, Chinas, Teas, &c., will commence 
growing, and the slight protection which they have will facilitate this. About this time they should 
receive a surfacing of rotten cow-dung, from one and a half to two inches hi depth, taking out a portion 
of the mould to make room for it, particularly by the rim of the pot. If it is desired to have a portion 
of the plants in bloom early, the end of February is an excellent time to remove them into a warm 
greenhouse—a span-roofed house is the best; and here the plants will progress rapidly, and come early 
into bloom. But I will leave this structure, and return to their present quarters, and bloom them 
there. As the plants progress in growth they must be frequently looked over, tying the lower branches 
of all down to the rim of the pot, and the other branches of the Dwarf Boses neatly and regularly down 
to them, but not leaving the centre open or bare. The pyramidal plants should be trained regularly 
from the rims round the sticks to the summit, and the climbers in a similar way; they should also be 
turned round in the pit once or twice a-week, that they may not get one-sided. Through the spring, 
while the plants are growing (particularly hi March and April), ah’ must be regulated with caution; 
the young shoots being extremely soft, the cold harsh winds of March would be very injurious to 
them, and from these they must be protected, giving ah’ at that side of the pit from which the wind 
cannot beat upon the plants. By night they should be shut close to avoid spring frosts—these slight 
frosts being more injurious when the plants are so far advanced than 12° to 15° would be in the depth 
of winter. I have even found it necessary to well mat the pit where the Teas and Chinas were, in 
March, when severe frosts were expected, and the plants appeared liable to be frozen—a thing not 
unfrequent at that season. Alternations of the weather in spring are very injurious to delicate Boses; 
and, from the effect of a little frost at that season, I have seen large branches and whole plants of Tea 
Boses die off: hence the great care necessary to protect them from frost and cold. At the same time, 
no opportunity should be lost of removing the lights from the whole collection every fine day, and for 
as long a time as possible, that the shoots may not be weak or drawn; they should be exposed to 
all the light, and to soft rains, which are very beneficial; protecting them from cold or heavy 
rains. 
By the middle of April all danger from severe night frosts being past, they should have afr all the 
night, by tilting up the lights at the back, and keeping the lights off as much as possible by day; 
following this up to the middle of May, when many will be coming into bloom. By the beginning of 
May the pots may be removed from under the plants, and they set on the bottom of the pit, provided 
it is not too far from the glass—not more than nine inches. From the end of April to the end of May, 
and later, till the blooming of the last plants, the pit should be sprinkled every fine day, morning and 
evening, around the sides, on the ground, and over the foliage of the plants, until the blooms begin to 
open, when it should be discontinued; it should be performed with a very fine rose-pot, or a syringe. 
The foliage, under this treatment, will be remarkably clean and healthy. In wet or cold weather this 
must not be performed, as mildew would be the inevitable consequence. After my plants had been 
top-dressed in the spring, and when commencing growth, they received a watering of liquid manure. 
Such waterings are not necessary to be repeated before the end of three weeks; and after that once 
a-fortnight, will be often enough, until about the middle of May, sooner or later, according to the weather 
and the forwardness of the plants. About that time we may expect the buds to be swelling, and the 
liquid manure may be given once a-week, and continued through their blooming; when given, the 
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