The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-01-22
Propagating Roses From Outings.

TO the SOuGnorn CultlVator and DlXle
Farmer
Please inform me how to propagate hybrid per-
petual and tea roses out of doors or in frames.
T cut the shoots on toward December and buried
them temporarily in the ground about three in
ches deep. They calloused nicely, and thought
most OF them would GROW. Then m ade a frame
and put them in there to root. Muslin was
stretched over the frame. The soil is san ~.
The eyes kept swelling and finally the leaves
came. Then they seemed to stand :sti'l, and Fl
nally began to droop and the wood turn black.
I found thev were all rotting where the callous
was. The sand they were in was just on a level
with the surroun ling soil. which was sand. The
frame was out in the open air but thought the
muslin shaded the cuttings sufficiently. Ought
the cutting bed have been raised a few inches
above the ground level SO as to drain it? What
was the matter? Does the wood have to be in
special condition when making the cuttings?
How long should they be made. and how deeply
inserted?
Replying the editor says;
1t is not always that one can decide
on the causes of failure, even when pres
ent to examine conditions and surround
ings, but, from your statement, we
should judge that instead of placing
your cutting bed above the surrounding
surface, it should have been little be-
low, and the cuttings would have suc-
ceeded better if they had been placed at
main until rooted The following plan
has been tried with great success, and
can be modified or enlarged to suit Cir
cumstances. For amateurs, it is per-
haps the safest and most certain. Pro.
fessional florists are supposed to have
studied and become acquainted with
the best and most reliable methods, and,
having every convenience at hand, have
greater chances for success.
Before the frost has nipped the plants,
select the bloom stems and break them
at the joints, where they will break
easily; choose sunny spot, and dig
trench the depth Of an ordinary glass
fruit Jar, quart size, work the bottom of
the trench thoroughly, and, having
taken off all buds and leaves from the
cuttings, plant these in the trench, firm
ing the soil around each cutting If it
is desired to keep the different varieties
separate, place them so that the fruit
jar, when inverted, will cover about
three cuttings; the label can then be
placed beside each jar. Put in the three
cuttings, firm the soil, and cover with
the jar; then put in three more, and SO
on. When you have as many as you
wish of each variety, fill up the trench
on level with the jars, not above or be-
low them, allowing the bottoms of the
jars to show evenly on the surface. This
will give the necessary light. If the
ground is dry, water thoroughly, and do
not disturb them until spring, except to
see that the little windows are kept un-
covered to give necessary light. When
the spring opens, lift the jars carefully
from the cuttings; they will be found to
have grown astonishingly; and give
them some finely pulverized, rich earth
about the roots. AS the roses grow,
gradually fill up the trench, of course
giving them water as they need it.
When the jars are first removed it is
best, if the weather becomes too cool, TO
throw some protection over the trench,
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