CHAPTER VIII.

CULTIVATION OF THE ROSE.

"Nymphs who haunt th' embowering shades,

Poesy's enchanting maids,

Woo thee, Rose! Thy charms inspire

All the raptures of the lyre;

Cull we straight the inviting Rose,

Shielded by the thorn it grows;

Cull the Rose! what boots the smart?

Countless sweets regale the heart."

Thus sang Anacreon, the Greek poet, hundreds of years ago, in praise of the Queen of Flowers, which was used to decorate the temple and the palace-the solemn rites of religion, and the festal gayety of the banquet.

France excels all other nations in the production of new varieties of this lovely flower. The Empress Josephine collected every variety then cultivated, for a rosary at Malmaison; and, under her patronage, the culture of roses became speedily the fashion. The skill and patience of the florists produced more beautiful varieties, under the stimulus thus given to their trade; and they have continued to give us yearly many rich and rare roses; but have not yet succeeded in producing a blue rose. The English florists are but little behind the French, in their attention to this charming flower; and our own nurserymen yearly produce many beautiful varieties.

Thousands of named sorts are offered to us; and it is very hard to make a selection when all possess so much merit. It is usually best, in purchasing plants, to leave the selection to the florist, merely stating the climate, and soil in which they will grow.

It is also best to grow roses on their roots, unless "standards" are desired, for the old roots will throw up strong suckers, and thus assert their rights to the detriment of their nursling; unless these are constantly watched for, and cut off, they will destroy the graft.

The varieties of the rose have increased with such rapidity in the last twelve years, and they have produced so many new races, that it is scarcely possible for the most skillful botanist to refer each variety to its proper parent species. There are Hybrid Perpetuals, Bourbons, Bengal, Chinese or Daily Rose; Tea-scented, Noisette, Perpetual Moss, Annual Moss, Prairie Rose as climbers; Scotch, Damask and all the old varieties of Garden Roses.

From the thousands of names offered in the catalogues, lists of those most desirable will be given; but, of course, every one has his own pet fancies.

There is no plant which requires a richer soil or better repays the cultivator for attending to its wants; when grown in a congenial soil its blossoms are perfect.

The best soil is fresh loam enriched with well-rotted cow manure, with a little sand. If a top dressing of this compost is given every spring before the buds start, the branches will make fine growth.

The finest clusters of flowers are always produced on new wood, and close pruning will cause more new wood to grow, and ensure you a more splendid show of flowers. Use the knife freely, though it does make you ache to do so; cut all the old growth out, and prune in last year's branches a little; thus pruned, the roots will throw up new shoots, from whence will come the finest roses of the garden.

As soon as the plants have done flowering, thin out the weak shoots, and even some of the stronger ones, if they are too crowded; each shoot left, should be exposed on every side to air and sun. The summer flowering kinds thus treated will continue their growth from the main shoots, and bloom much finer another year; while the autumnal flowers push forth their buds the entire length of the stalk, and the second flowering is perfected.

The roses are improved in both varieties; for shoots grown at that period of the year invariably produce the finest flowers.

It has been recommended by some writers, to destroy the first bloom of those roses which bloom twice in the season; because there is an abundance of roses in June, and by so doing a finer bloom is obtained

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in the autumn. Too many roses! Has any one ever witnessed such a season? Let them bloom when they will, and cut off the stems as soon as the leaves fall; then remove the soil to the depth of three or four inches, and spread over it, almost close to the stem, a spadeful of cow manure well decayed; throw back the soil that was removed, and, if the weather is hot and dry, water occasionally, and you will have a vigorous growth and a profuse flowering.

The flower stalk should always be cut off; it exhausts the plant to form seeds, and consumes the strength which should go to forming new shoots. When roses are planted in lawns, they should have no sods near the roots; for the grass will absorb all the moisture, and also prevent the air from reaching the soil.

The best time to plant hardy roses is in October or November, according to the climate.

Spring months are better for planting half-hardy and tender roses, as their roots will not get started before winter sets in. Of course, in the mild climates of the Southern States, they can also be planted in the late autumn. When first set out they should be mulched with coarse manure, and watered occasionally, if the weather is warm and dry.

Cuttings of Roses.

Roses are propagated chiefly by cuttings, layers and buds. Cuttings of the hardy kind of roses, will strike easily in July and August. Hybrid Perpetual, Chinese and Bourbon, with all the other kinds will grow readily, if the cutting has, what gardeners term, a heel; that is, cut off close to the old wood. Three, four or even six eyes can be left above ground.

Plant them as recommended in chapter six; in wet sand. A dozen cuttings can be set an inch apart, close to the pot; and the sand should not be allowed to dry at all. If covered with a "cloche," or hand-glass, a moist temperature will be kept up, and, in two or three weeks, they will commence to grow.

Layering Roses.

Roses grown as dwarfs or bushes are the kind that will layer advantageously. Loosen the soil about the plant, then choose a good shoot, strip off a few leaves from six inches to two feet from the point of the shoot; insert a sharp knife just behind an eye, on the upper side

of the shoot, and pass it carefully upwards cutting about half through the stem, and from an inch to two inches in length. Open the soil, bend down the shoots and press it in; peg it down with a hair pin or a bit of wood, two or three inches beneath the soil, and cover it firmly. Each layer should be tied to a stake to prevent the wind from disturbing the roots.

June, July and August are the best months for layering. If the weather is dry and hot, water frequently. Don't let the layers dry up; about October or November they will be large enough to take away. Cut them off within two inches of the root, and transplant them wherever they are desired. In the spring prune the stem down to three or four eyes, and they will bloom finely.

The Chinese method of layering is often more successful than any other.

At the end of July or beginning of August, they select a strong shoot of the same year's growth, tongue it, as described above, and put in a small stone to keep the slit open, and bind a handful of fresh green moss around the tongue. This must be kept constantly wet, and the tiny roots will shoot forth into the moss so rapidly, that in five or six weeks the layer can be removed from the parent stalk. The roots can be planted without disturbing the moss, and fine plants are thus procured.

Budding Roses.

Budding roses is a very simple process, and an old razor can do duty for a budding knife, and the handle of an old toothbrush, if scraped down smooth, will answer for a wedge.

The latter part of June to the middle of August, is the best season for budding; or, when the bark of the stalk can be easily raised from the wood, this is a sure sign that one can bud with success.

Take a smooth part of the stem at the height you desire, and on the side least exposed to the sun; with the razor make a horizontal cut across the bark through to the wood, but not in to it; from the center of this cross-cut make one straight down the stem, an inch or more in length; these two cuts should be in the form of a T.

Now prepare the bud, or shield, as it is termed. Slice it off from the rose you desire to bud from at one cut, and the shoot must be cut off close to the main stalk; then the bud is sliced off, with a portion of the old wood adhering to it; most of this should be picked out, but a

little at the back of the bud is essential to life; if you make a hole through its bark throw it away, it will not grow.

Now, with the thin edge of the toothbrush handle, turn back the stem on each side of the straight cut, and insert the bud close to the wood, and fit it accurately and firmly to the cross-cut in the turnedback bark; on this close contact of the two barks will depend the success of your operation.

Lay the turned-back bark closely over the bud, or shield, and with woolen yarn, or a bit of bass-wood, bind it down, leaving the point of the bud clear.

Common adhesive plaster is said to be better for this purpose than either yarn or bass. A handful of damp moss should be tied around the whole, leaving the tiny point of the bud exposed to the air.

In six weeks at the farthest these ties can be removed.

All other shoots on that stem should be cut off, so as to throw the strength of the plant into the support of the new comer.

By budding you may produce several kinds of roses upon the same plant. Take a common wild rose, cut down all its suckers, and trim in its branches, and bud with white, pink, crimson and yellow roses. As soon as the buds commence to grow, cut off all the wild shoots, and you will have a beautiful show of flowers.

Variegated shrubs can be budded in this manner upon the plain green stocks. Grafting roses is not so popular as formerly; but the operation is easily performed. Any one who can graft a tree, can graft a rose. The stock to be grafted should be more forward than the scion, and the operation should be performed when the sap is rising. April or May are the best months.

The most important points in a good rose are, that its "constitution should be hardy, and vigorous, with a robust habit of growth, good foliage and profuse bloom. The flower should be fine in form, large in size, decided in color. The form of the flower, whether it be globular, cupped, or widely expanded, should be symmetrical; the petals even and regular in their arrangement, full but not too crowded; the outer range broad and firmly set, rendering the flower more lasting. In texture they should be firm and thick, not thin and flimsy. Fragrance, and a firm upright stem are desirable points. A green or yellow center to a flower when fully open, is a great fault. There is no kind of shrub in existence so well adapted to take various forms as the rose. It can be