Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-27
ROSE CULTURE.
An Interesting Paper on the
Subject.
Some Practical Hints as to
Their Care.
Which Is the Result OF
Actual Experience.
The Cuttings-How to Grow :Them for
Homo Culture - How tho Plant
Should Be Pruned-UsefaI
Information.

lThe following paper was read before
the Santa Ana Horticultural society.
Unfortunately on the copy received by
the HERALD the authors name was
omitted. Acknowledgement will be
made if the writer will let this paper
know his identity.l
BY way Of preface I would say that my
chief inducement in writing this paper
has been desire to call out the express
sions of others. To complement my
own limited knowledge with that of
more scientific correctness.
All the information 1 can give is but
the result of practical experience and
observation, coupled with scattered in
formation cleaned from reading.
We will begin with the infant plant.
the cutting, in which lies the potency of
so much perfume and beauty. l have
found my best results to have been
wah cuttings put out after the fall
blooming, when the tree is in its DOR
mant state, selecting slips from early
spring growths, when the wood is suffi-
GENTLY firm to be hardy and vigorous,
and do not think that my imagination
colors my judgment when I say
formed the idea some time since of
breaking the slip instead of using the
shears, as being less disturbing to the
germ life OF the plant, and of breaking
them close to the old growth.
For home culture, prefer, instead of
putting them in hotbeds or boxes, to
plant them where I wish them to be
permanent, putting an ordinary sized
cutting three or four inches into the
earth. 1 do not fertilize particularly for
cuttings, although we are all aware that
most plants thrive best in we'll fertilized
soil. 1t seems to me that one reason 80
many are unsuccessful in starting cut
tings is, because, in loosening the soil,
the roots are disturbed, or the fibrill@
cut off. The soil should be kept moist
but not too wet, as the wood then be-
comes water-soaked, and rots. Water
shoots can be used for cuttings if they
are taken from below the soil and the
tops cut off.
There is no general rule for watering
after the plants are once started, for the
various quality of the coil requires diff.
ferent degrees of irrigation. l would
say sub-irrigation is much preferable to
surface, if it can possibly be given.
In pruning, the condition of the plant
should be considered. In the case OF
water shoots, I cut them off unless they
appear to have greater vitality than the
tree, in which case 1 cut off the old bush
and form a new tree from the water
shoot. Several times I have inadvert-
emily broken off branch, and very soon
found it to be bleeding to that extent
that the sap was running down to the
ground in pool, 80 have adopted the
plan of pruning in the fall for winter
blooming, and in the late winter for
spring blooming. usually find Feb
ruary favorable month for winter
pruning, and September for fall work.
In general pruning take off the dead
and unhealthy wood, leaving the young,
vigorous growth for the body and bloom
ing surface of the plant.
One need not be afraid of giving away
or plucking roses in blooming time, for
as the more are taken off, just that
much more vitality goes into forming
buds.
Insect pests know nothing about as
am not troubled with any of them, but
should like to be enlightened in order to
meet possible emergency.
Blight is caused by fogs or the sprink-
ling OF the bushes; the outer petals be-
come decayed by prolonged moisture,
and sort OF sealing up is produced that
prevents the opening Of the bud.
Mildew is also caused by fog orsprink-
ling foliage. There is an opinion that
miIdew is caused by lack of cultivation,
but in my own experience, when l have
been cultivating most carefully. | have
frequently had mildew, and noticed it
was during heavy fogs. At other times,
when the cultivation has been more neg
lected, the plants have been perfectly
free and healthy, when the weather was
favorable, or had left the foliage with
out sprinkling.
One way to raise fine roses that have
seen tried, which may be new to some
of you, is by parties full of enthusiasm
and ideality, sending to some eastern
florist for extra qualities OF roses; the
plants are impatiently awaited; when
they arrive are talked and smiled over,
and finally planted, with great expecta-
tions and faith; gushing activities of
our friends; seeking new pursuits, they
leave their roses to develop their own
excellence; those ever latent. ever
ready visitants, weeds, detecting
their opportunity. spring up in
great protusion until the fine roses
are hid completely from the sun.
The happy possessor by this time
is deep in new variety of blackberry,
and fails to supply needed irrigation and
cultivation, but finally, remembering it
is blooming time, they go out to revel in
their luxuriance and lol where are they
So fine they can hardly be seen with the
aid of microscope. However, this
should not deter any one from rose cul-
ture. 1t is beautiful and healthy pas
time, and very little time, systematic
ally and intelligently employed, will
suffice for satisfactory results, and
one can reap beautiful harvest in
abundance.
Women seem to take naturally to the
1