Chapter XXXV: Roses

“VERY many people love roses more than any other flowers,” began Billy, “and Miss Gardener explained to us that for this reason, rose growing has become a specialty among professional floriculturists.”

“Mercy, Billy,” interrupted Mary Frances, “please explain those last two long words.”

“‘Professional floriculturists,’” explained Billy, “are men who raise flowers as a profession or business.”

“Thank you,” said Eleanor.

The children were in the rose arbor, where the girls had begged him to give them a lesson on roses.

“Because,” Eleanor had said, “roses are my favorite flowers.”

“Mine, too, except violets,” Mary Frances had added.

“The result of this specializing,” resumed Billy, “is that there are many beautiful new kinds of roses constantly being introduced into our country, for while a good many new roses have been produced here, the most have been produced by growers across the ocean, in Ireland and France.”

“I never knew that,” exclaimed Eleanor. “I thought that roses were—just roses.”

“So did I!” declared Mary Frances. Then suddenly, “Oh, here comes mother! Don’t stop talking, Billy! Mother will love to hear!”

“Oh, I don’t think—” began Billy.

“Please let me listen, Son,” interrupted his mother’s pleasant voice. “You know how I love roses, I would certainly appreciate hearing what you learned from your teachers about them.”

“Well, all right, Mother,” said Billy, “but I’ll stick more closely to my notes than I generally do, since we are honored by your presence.”

The girls made room for her on the arbor seat, and Billy opened his note book.

“Here is the place,” he said in a moment. “Here commences the lesson on Roses—

OLD-FASHIONED ROSES

A flower garden would be lacking in interest and
beauty, indeed, without the Queen of Flowers, the rose.

No matter how small the garden space, some roses may be
grown, and their loveliness and perfume will well repay
the work of caring for them.

There were no such beautiful roses in your
grandmothers’ gardens as you may grow to-day, for more
beautiful and more perfect roses come into existence
every year.

Perhaps you have heard of “Damask,” and “Cabbage,” and
“China” roses; old-fashioned sounding names they are,
very familiar to the ears of your grandparents.

They were the great-great-grandparents of the hardier
and lovelier roses of to-day, the “Hybrid Perpetuals,”
and “Hybrid Teas.”

HOW NEW ROSES CAME ABOUT

Some few of the new roses were accidents, so called
because good Mrs. Bee carried some strange rose pollen
to the pistil of one or more of the old-fashioned
roses, and the new rose seed-babies took on a new
nature. When the little plants from the new rose
seed-baby bloomed, rose lovers were delighted with the
more perfect loveliness of the new flower.

They carefully saved the new plant, and tenderly cared
for it. When it was old enough and strong enough, they
took “cuttings” from its shoots, and grew more plants
like it.

Now, rose lovers after noticing what good Mrs. Bee had
done by accident, thought, “I wonder if a person could
not dust the pollen from a very different rose on the
pistil of some particular rose.” This was tried, and
to-day we have such wonderful improvements on the
old-fashioned roses that no other flower gives quite
the pleasure to garden lovers as the rose.

HOW ROSES ARE PROPAGATED

No, the seeds of the new varieties would probably
not bring plants like themselves. More likely they
would resemble closely their parents or grandparents.
Besides, it takes a long time to raise a plant from a
rose seed.

So the safest and surest way to propagate, or grow more
of, the new varieties is by:

(_a_) Cuttings, or
(_b_) Budding.

CUTTINGS

_Cuttings_ are “slips” cut from the plant, which if
kept in damp sand will take root.

New geranium plants are usually procured in this way.
In fact, the old plant is often cut entirely up into
sections and each section is planted in an earthen pot.
They are kept damp, and soon throw out roots. The new
plants of the geranium will bloom much better than the
old one, especially in winter, in the house.

Many roses will readily grow out-of-doors from
cuttings. Among these are the Rambler roses, the
Dorothy Perkins being one of the easiest to raise.
Among the Hybrid Tea roses, the La France grows readily
from cuttings.

Cuttings, however, do best if raised under glass, in a
greenhouse.

Each little cutting may have its own greenhouse. This
is arranged by—

GROWING ROSE CUTTINGS UNDER GLASS JARS

At any time in warm weather some cuttings will
take root under an inverted jar. The best time to
experiment, however, is in the Spring or in August.

The tip cut from a strong growing shoot, or cane, does
best. It should have at least three joints, one of
which is near the base. After all the leaves but one,
and the tip are cut off, the “slip” is placed in damp
sandy soil up to _one-third_ of its length, and covered
over with an inverted quart jar. The glass jar is the
little cutting’s own hot-house where it will have
wonderfully good conditions for “taking root.”

Do not lift the jar for many a day, but keep the soil
well watered.

After a number of weeks, most likely you will notice
new leaves putting forth, and will know that the
cutting has become a little plant with its own roots.
Let it grow under the jar until the tip reaches the
glass; then uncover.

It is not necessary to make cuttings especially for the
purpose, for rose[I] bushes have been raised from the
stem of a blooming rose after the blossom has faded.

Cuttings are inexpensive, and the method is an easy
one for obtaining a large number of plants; but there
is a better and quicker and more certain way for
professional rose growers.

This is by—

BUDDING

In order to find what is meant by budding, you must
understand that the “bud” referred to means the little
green “eye” on the stem of the plant where a branch
will grow.

This “eye” is cut off with a sharp knife, and slipped
under the bark of some wild rose plant, called the
“stock.”

The advantage of budding is that the growth is rapid
and commences with the strong roots of the wild plant.

If you buy rose plants from the dealer, they will
probably be budded plants. Now, watch for—

“SUCKERS”

You see, in budding, after the “bud” or “eye” has begun
to put forth leaves, all the branches of the wild rose
plant are cut away, and only the new bud allowed to
grow. Sometimes the _wild rose stock_ or root will send
out a shoot after the new rose bush is planted. If this
is allowed to grow, it will use all the food sent up
by the roots, and the new budded growth will die out,
unless the _wild rose shoot is cut off close_.

“Suckers” are very easily discerned. They are full
of prickles, are light green in color, and usually
have seven leaves. Cultivated rose bushes with few
exceptions have five leaves.

You do not want to find any of your lovely rose bushes
killed in this way—so watch out for “suckers!”

Billy looked up from his note book, “I haven’t read exactly as I have taken these notes,” he said; “I’ve made the lesson shorter. Do you wish me to go on?”

“Oh, please do!” cried the girls.

“Yes, Son,” said his mother, “that is, if you are not too tired. I imagine we are coming to that interesting point where we will learn what roses were recommended to you for planting.”

FOOTNOTE:

[I] Mary Frances has several rose bushes blooming, which she made from cuttings. She saved some especially beautiful cut roses which were given her. When the flowers had wilted she cut them off and followed the directions Billy had given.