of the scion may lie exactly upon the bark of the stock. In laying the scion on, it is a good plan to hold the pot containing the stock in the left hand, and the knife must occupy the right. Now place the thumb of the right hand on the top of the stock, and insert the knife an inch or an inch and a half below, drawing it up obliquely to the summit. In making this cut, do not remove more than one-fourth of the diameter of the stock. Care must be taken to prevent the knife twisting, or the consequence will be an unlevel cut. The stock being prepared, take the scion in the left hand, place it on the knee, giving an eye to the size of the piece of wood removed from the stock: while in this position, pass the knife downwards, repeating the movement till a clean level cut is made, and the size of the lower end such that it may, when united to the stock, exactly replace the part removed. Thus, if one-third of the stock is removed, supposing that and the scion to be of equal dimensions, two thirds of the latter must be cut away. The unpractised eye and hand will not always be able to fit the stock by the first cut; and as it is important that the two barks should join, he may have to take a second or a third slice from one or the other. Well, he had better do so than leave the stock and scion badly placed; but the less of this trifling work the better. It is far easier to make a clean and level cut by a single draw of the knife, than by the most delicate after touches. When the scion is placed in a right position, it should be securely held there by the thumb and fingers of the left hand until it is bound firmly on the stock with the right. With regard to the treatment of the newlygrafted plants, if the stocks have been in bottom-heat before grafting, they must remain there; if taken from the open air, bottom-heat is not absolutely necessary, although it will increase the amount of success. Suckers are sure to spring from the stocks, and they often do so in an annoying abundance. They must be kept in check by pinching out their tops till the stock and scion are firmly united, and the latter pushed into growth, when they may be entirely eradicated.

When the scions first shoot the young leaves are very tender, especially when developed in heat. In most cases, too, they are but ill supplied with food in this early stage of growth, and shading is especially necessary. A strong current of air, or a hot sun, will injure them greatly. When the shoots are two or three inches long, the plants that have been grown in heat may be removed to a cold frame, where air should be admitted gradually, to harden them. Some will bloom the same year; but they should not be left to flower in heat, or they become drawn and weakly, producing thin and badly-coloured flowers.

It is advisable to remove the ligature in grafted Roses, and this should be done so soon as we suppose, by the growth of the scion, that the union is complete. If, when untied, the junction is not perfected, a single tie at top and bottom is sufficient to render all secure.

In plants grafted out of doors the composition should not be removed for two or three months; and that which covers the summits of the stock and scion may remain till it naturally disappears.

In reference to grafting Standard Roses, as they are invariably done in the open air, March is the best season. As fine and mild a day as March is likely to afford should be chosen. Grafting requires at all times an ordinary share of patience and perseverance; and if the practitioner be not possessed of more than an ordinary share, he had better not attempt it out of doors on a true March day; for to be kept in one position five minutes at a time, with a cold wind whistling round one's is a trial of no common order. What a contrast between this and budding in a sultry July day! In grafting Standard Roses, the stock is of course considerably larger than the scion, and Cleft-grafting is the mode I have pursued with the greatest success.

ears,

In grafted plants, as in budded ones, if the buds or eyes be allowed their natural course they break and form long single shoots. If these are stopped so soon as they have three or four good healthy leaves, a bud from the axil of each leaf will be developed, and a round bushy plant is formed.

5. Layers. This mode of propagating is not so commonly resorted to as the others. Dwarf or bush Roses only are commonly laid. It is first necessary to dig with a fork for some space around the bush, breaking the soil quite fine, mixing in a little pulverized manure in the operation. The instruments wanted are, a knife, a flat trowel, and some pegs. All things being ready, select some of the best shoots, stripping off a few of the leaves at a distance varying from six No. 40.

Laying.

b

inches to two feet from the point of the shoot a. a. Now take the shoot in the left hand, and the knife in the right: insert the latter just beyond an eye b., on the upper side of the shoot, and pass it upwards steadily and evenly, cutting about half through the shoot, and for an inch and a half or two inches in length. This done, drop the knife and take the trowel. With the left hand bend the shoot close to the ground, that you may see the best spot in which to bury it, drive the trowel into the ground, working it backwards and forwards till a good opening is made, throw a little sand in the bottom of the opening, and press the shoot into it, pegging it down two or three inches under the soil. It is well to twist the shoot a little after the cut is made, so that the end of the tongue-as it is technically termed (b)-from which the roots will be emitted, may take a downward direction. Having made all secure, close in the soil, pressing it firmly round about the layer. It is a good plan to give each layer a small stick (c), to keep it from being agitated by the motion of the wind. As to the length of the shoot that should remain above ground, much will depend on the state of the wood. We should make the cut or tongue in wood that is young, yet firm. The larger the layer, of course the larger will be the plant, though not always the better rooted: the contrary is often the case. June, July, and August, are the months for laying; and should the weather continue dry, the layers should be occasionally watered. If laid in June and July, the free rooters will be ready to take off in November. It is well, however, to examine one or two of each kind to ascertain this point, as some root in an amazingly short space, others advance very slowly. When rooted they may be cut off within an inch or two of the tongue, taken up, and transplanted into beds, or to various spots in the garden. In the spring they may be cut down to within three or four eyes, and some of them will bloom in the summer or autumn. Their after treatment is the same as that of other Roses.

6. Suckers. This is the least artificial of the artificial modes, though the Rose is not so much inclined to multiply itself by suckers as are many plants. The Scotch Rose (R. SPINOSISSIMA) is perhaps, next to the Dog-rose, most given to this peculiarity. It pushes its shoots along under the ground, and they break through the surface at various distances. It is not very often they can be separated from the parent with roots; yet the underground stems will put forth roots, if carefully severed and transplanted. The autumn is the best time for doing this, and a spade with a sharp edge is the fittest instrument for the purpose.

EVERY one who cultivates Roses may not do so with the design of becoming a candidate for floricultural honours; many are satisfied with the calm enjoyment which this, in common with other branches of the pursuit, affords: the quiet mind, the healthful glow, yields them a sufficient recompence, and ample satisfaction. From such we must ask a little forbearance while we offer a few remarks on preparing for exhibition, for we should be doing an injustice to some of our subscribers were we to neglect this point altogether. Let us first consider the arrangement and exhibition of cut Roses. The old plan of shewing large crowded bunches is superseded by the more natural one of shewing three loose trusses of cach variety. By the old method, a gorgeous display was created, but the principles of good taste were violated, and the connoisseur could find little to delight and interest him: each bunch was a confused mass of colour, with a ragged outline. By the method now in vogue, the flowers stand out separately, the variety is shewn in a graceful style, displaying flowers in different stages, from the tiny bud to the full-blown rose. So far, great improvement has been made; and we submit whether a classification of the varieties exhibited would not be another step in the right direction. A more heterogeneous mass could not be produced by any other genus than that commonly displayed by bringing together Roses of dif ferent groups, and arranging them indiscriminately. It is cheerfully admitted that certain groups may be mixed together without any grave offence against taste; but I have seen the beautiful but tiny Moss de Meaux completely smothered between two large French Roses, and the richness and beauty of the full deep colours of the latter marred by the soft and bewitching tints of an adjoining Tea-rose. And are similar cases unfrequent? By no means. Why not, then, arrange the kinds according to the classification of some popular grower? The beauty of each group would thus become apparent, and the abrupt transitions complained of be avoided.

We think it a pity that Horticultural Societies should limit the number of varieties to be shewn. Would it not work better to reduce the number of trusses from three to two, or even one, and append a notice to the schedule that a bad

truss or variety will be counted against the exhibitor? This would guarantee the exclusion of all inferior kinds, and secure a great number of varieties in a small space, and in a state approaching more nearly to that of nature. But to limit the exhibition to a small number of varieties, when hundreds or thousands are grown, does not admit of classification, and renders it impossible to give a full and true account of the genus.

With this statement of our views on exhibiting cut Roses, we respectfully submit two arrangements for the consideration of those who prepare the prize-schedules for our flower-shows.

1st, Roses in a collection, the number of varieties unlimited, classed in groups according to the arrangement of (name who), one, two, or three trusses only of one variety.

Or, 2dly,

A. Climbing Roses in a collection, the number of varieties unlimited (one, two, or three), trusses only of one variety.

B. Summer Roses (exclusive of the kinds shewn under letter A) in a collection, the number of varieties unlimited; classed in groups according

C. Autumnal Roses in a collection, number of varieties unlimited, to be classed and shewn as in letter B.

By the arrangements above proposed we afford the tyro efficient aid in selecting varieties. The classification enables him to see at a glance the extent, variety, and beauty of each group, and he can select from each and every one a gradation of colour from the lightest to the darkest hues it may embrace. Or if he prefer one colour more than another, such can be noted down, and its free interspersion secured. Further still, while he admires the variety and richness of colour exist ing in one group, the regular outline of another, and is charmed by the delicious odour of a third, he is enabled to form a correct judgment of the comparative value of each, from the whole, or the most worthy, being brought at once under the eye. But these remarks are sufficiently extended, and we have to speak of dressing the boxes, and gathering and arranging the flowers.

The boxes may be made of inch deal of the simplest construction, and painted green. By the laws of some Societies, framed for general convenience, the lids must shift off at pleasure: no boxes are allowed to be placed on the exhibitiontables whose dimensions exceed eight inches in height when the lid is removed, and eighteen inches in width from front to back. A handle at either end is necessary, which should drop into the wood that the ends may approach closely. The box may be filled with moss, into which zinc tubes may be sunk, filled with water, to contain the flowers. The tubes may be about three inches deep, three quarters of an inch wide, with a rim half an inch broad. Nothing, perhaps, forms so agreeable a ground on which to place the flowers as green moss, which may be gathered in most hollows of woods, and from shady banks. It is not, indeed,