ROSES. 
201 
first attempt is not made between varieties too different in 
character, cross impregnation succeeds among the principal part 
of these, and they may be varied without end. 
There are three principal ways of propagating Roses,—by 
seed, by layers, and by budding on the brier. Early flowering 
Roses, which ripen their seeds, may be treated in any of these 
ways. The seeds are ripe about the beginning of November ; and 
they should be kept dry and protected from mice until about the 
end of February, which is the season for planting. If they are to 
be excited the first year, they will not appear later than May ; but 
they often remain till the second year without being rotted. The 
seedlings must be a month in pots, and shaded by hand-glasses for 
the first few days ; and by the beginning of September the vigorous 
ones are usually far enough advanced for being budded on short 
stalks. Thus treated they will bloom in the third year, whether 
they are naturally impregnated or crossed. The usual time for 
planting out these early Roses is November or December ; but if 
the soil is cold and retentive, the operation is better delayed 
till February. 
Budding on the brier is by no means a difficult operation, only 
it must be neatly done ; but for the early Roses layering is 
perhaps preferable. The layer is prepared in a manner similar 
to that of the Carnation,—and is indeed much the same in all 
plants that admit of the operation,—only the Rose requires to be 
pegged down deeper than the Carnation, as Roses are more deeply- 
rooted plants. Besides these methods, Roses may also be 
propagated by dividing the roots ; but this can be effectively 
done only during the time that the plant is in a perfectly 
quiescent state. It has the advantage, however, of furnishing 
flowering plants at once. The proper soil and compost for 
all Roses is a mixture of fine rich loam and well-rotted leaf- 
mould and stable-dung in nearly equal portions, though more 
leaf-mould than dung Is required, for any quantity of compost. 
This is a near approximation to the natural soil of Roses ; for the 
spots where they grow are those that collect the finest of the loam 
and the decayed vegetable and animal matters which are blown 
about by the winds. The habits of the Rose require differences of 
treatment. If its period of flowering is brief, the strength of the 
compost is enough for it, and more would force it too much to 
shoots, and weaken its flowering property; but if, on the other 
VOL. IT. no. ix. 
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