10 JULY 1941, Page 13

In the Garden Rather late, the roses have been magnificent.

The singles and the species were never such a joy. The little single Hugonis and the cherry Moyseii surpassed themselves. The Penzance briars seemed richer in tone and the old perpetuals were never better, with their fragrance of claret and cold cream. The climbers were a lesson in something or other: either nature or laziness. Pruned varieties bloomed moderately. Unpruned varieties were bowed to the ground with thousands of blooms. Remember, by the way, to put in some cuttings of climbers, Wichurianas and ramblers. Two-foot shoots of young growth stamped hard into the ground in bunches will root quickly. August and September is, however, early enough. But it is well to mark out particularly desirable varieties now. I find varie- ties like Dr. van Fleet, Crimson Rambler and the delicious old Francois iuranville as vigorous from cuttings as from grafted stock. Bush roses can be similarly treated, and cuttings do well under cloches or under jam jars used as cloches. This is generally }red to be against the best rules, but many older garden roses are certainly on their own roots and do magnificently.

H. E. BATES.