Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-05-14
AGRlULCFURAL--- SCIENTIFIC,
THE CULTURE OF ROSES.

Rosa, the Rose-There is an almost end
less variety of this beautiful flower, many
OF which, as the Cabbage, the China, and
the Scotch, require very different treatment
All roses thrive best in a rich, loa,ny soil
but, owing to their throwing off great guam
tity Of excrementitious slime, they require
to be moved at least once in three or four
years, or the plants deteriorate, s do not pro-
duce fine flowers. The Cabbage or Province
Roses, the French, and Moss, are all to be
treated IN the same manner; and whether
kept as dwarfs or standards, must be annu-
ally pruned. To keep roses long in flower
gather the flowers as fast as they fade close
TO the stem, niPping off any hips that may
form.
Standard roses are now very much cult
yated. In some cases a leading shoot is
trained to a stake, (the plant being Invested
of all its branches J al four or FIVE feet high
1t is topped, and then allowed to branch out
into 9 head, which is kept closely pruned.
Standard roses may be obtained by budding
the sort desired on young stocks of the Dog
Rose or Sweet Briar, which have been pla-
ced In the desired situation the year before,
as they viii by that means be well estab-
hshed. Pruning must be practically atten-
ded to IN all roses except the China for if
THIS be neglected, the plants will speedily
degenerate, the stems becoming bare. 1t
is mistake to think by closely pruning the
number Of flowers will be lessened on the
contrary, more and finer flowers will be pro-
duced. The shoots, however must be uni
formly cut to within a short distance of the
stem; but the,strong and vigorous should be
annually shortened to within six inches of
che base, while the slender and weak shoots
should be cut to within three OF four inches;
young suckers, not required for layering,
should DE pruned down to within six inch
es OF the soil, to supply the place of the old
wood, which should Re cut out; when suck
ers are too numerous, they should be eradi-
Gated.
Standard roses require to be very closely
pruned, IN order to make them a uniform
and compact head The young shoots
should be annually cut to within two or three
inches of the part they started from; and
when the head becomes too large, some of
the old wood must be cut out, allowing the
young shoots to supply its place. Pruning
should be performed in March. Standard
roses, when carefully pruned, are among the
most beautiful objects of the garden. When
they flower, each will present She appearance
OF dense cluster Of blossoms, and occupy
but little room they, however, require sup
port by stake and suckers must be allow
ed to remain.
Several sorts of insects infest the rose :;
Inc pest way to get rid of them is to pluck
OF the leaves or flowers affected and burn
chem. The green fly must be DESTROYED by
tllmigatlon with tobacco smoke. The plant
iouse may readily be exterminated by sy-
ringing the plant once or twice with the So
luton OF tobacco or weak whale-oil soap, af-
terward rinsing with clear water.
noses are ProPagated by layers; the Chi
ma oy cuttings, which strike under hand
glass. This should be done early in the
spring.
In layerlng roses and other shrubby plants
u Is only necessary to run penknife through
Inc shoot to be layered at bud or Joint {;
ana having slightly twisted the shoot so as
70 open the bark, bury it about three inches
below the surface ofthe sol, treading the soil
slightly around it, so as to place it almost e.
rect.
The Bengal ever-blooming roses comprise
Inc old Chinese varieties, monthly or daily,
as formerly called, with the new varieties of
similar character; little protection in win
ter is advisable.
Inc Tea roses are likewise ever bloom
lng with the addition of the peculiar odor
winch has given celebrity to this division of
fhe family. The varieties have multiplied
S5e9uy, and are all much sought after
WEh slight protection they will stand the
winter, If the soil be dry.
mere are also the Noisett or Cluster TO-
SEES which include the well known Champ
iney; the Garden roses, or those which bloom
0N' once year the Isle de Bourbon, and
me Musk or White Cluster.