186 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



spring when the plants are in a growing 

 •state, and again to the Perpetuals after the 

 first bloom is over. The drainings from 

 dung heaps I have found the most effica- 

 cious, and good liquid manure may be made 

 with either horse, cow, sheep, or pig dung. 



Planting. — All kinds worked upon the 

 brier, or other stocks, should be planted in 

 the autumn — say early in November — and 

 the tender varieties upon their own roots, 

 which are usually kept in pots, may be 

 planted at any time from March to May. 

 No plant suffers more from late spring plant- 

 ing than the Rose, and I should recommend 

 that all (with the exception of those to be 

 turned out of pots in May) be planted by 

 the end of February, and in no instance 

 later than tbe middle of Maich, otherwise, 

 many failures and much weak growth will 

 be the result. As soon as the plants are re- 

 ceived from the nursery, let the roots be 

 examined, and all injured portions and 

 sucker roots removed ; also shorten the long 

 fibrous roots ; by no means allow the roots 

 to become dry, but have them put into the 

 ground as soon as possible, and there let 

 them remain until required for planting. 



Pruning. — This operation will require to 

 be performed during February, March, and 

 April. Commence with the more hardy 

 varieties, such as the French, Moss, Alba, 

 Provence, &c. These for the most part have 

 dormant looking buds, and being less ac- 

 tive than others, take a longer time for 

 their development. Next, begin with the 

 Hybrid China, Hybrid Bourbon, and Hy- 

 brid Perpetual, but as these are more 

 excitable than the above, only a few of each 

 should be pruned in February, leaving the 

 greater portion to be done in March. 

 » The Tea-scented, China, and tender 

 Noisettes, should not be pruned before 

 April. Before commencing to prune it is 

 necessary to observe the habit of the plant, 

 whether it be a vigorous, moderate, or dwarf 

 growing variety ; also to determine with 

 those kinds suitable for exhibiting, whether 

 they are required for that purpose or merely 

 for effect ; if for the former, large blooms 

 will be required and less of them, and these 

 can be obtained by close pruning ; in the 

 latter instance longer pruning must be 

 adopted, when a greater quantity of blooms 

 will be obtained, but they will be inferior in 

 quality and less in size. 



Carefully thin out the head of the plants, 

 by taking away the small crowded branches, 

 likewise all gross unripe shoots, leaving 

 such only as are composed of firm and well 

 ripened wood, and these at regular and 

 equal distances- Prune down according to 

 the strength of the shoot and habit of the 

 variety; in some cases to two or three 



inches, in others where the habit is vigorous, 

 one foot, or even eighteen inches will not be 

 too long for a shoot to be left, but as this 

 depends upon the habit of the variety and 

 shoot to be pruned, no absolute general rule 

 can be given. In shortening the shoots cut 

 close to an eye, observing, when practicable, 

 to leave well swollen plump buds, which will 

 always produce the finest blooms ; likewise 

 secure those having an outward tendency, 

 and pointing in a direction proper for the 

 handsome formation of the plant. 



The French, Alba, Provence, and nearly all 

 the Moss Roses, require rather close pruning, 

 and if large blooms are required for exhibi- 

 tion, this particular must be strictly atten- 

 ded to. 



The Hybrid Chinas and Hybrid Bour- 

 bons, are, with few exceptions, very vigorous 

 growers, and require more care in pruning 

 than most other sorts. An acquaintance 

 with the varieties is necessary to enable the 

 operator to prune successfully — for instance, 

 we have Fulgens and Brennus, vigorous 

 grfrwing varieties, which frequently produce 

 shoots five or six feet long in a season, 

 either of which if pruned as recommended 

 for the French or some other of like habit, 

 would not produce a flower, whereas, M*ith 

 judicious pruning, every shoot would be 

 made to give out large trusses of blooms. 

 The varieties in these two classes must 

 therefore be carefully studied, as there are 

 some amongst them which require close 

 pruning ; and these may be known by their 

 moderate style of growth when compared 

 with the large majority of the same fami- 

 lies. 



Young plants just received from the 

 nursery -will require to be pruned down to 

 two or three eyes, a little more or less 

 according to the habit of the variety ; unless 

 this is attended to, large and handsome 

 heads are rarely obtained. The Austrian 

 Briers require a system of pruning peculiar 

 to themselves ; if pruned in the spring, as 

 recommended above, they will produce but 

 few, if any blossoms; therefore all plants 

 that are required to bloom must be left 

 tmpruned, with the exception merely of a 

 little thinning out, and having just the ends 

 of the shoots taken off : this treatment may 

 be continued from year to year with Har- 

 risonii and a few other varieties ; but the 

 Persian Yellow, to be kept in vigorous health, 

 must be pruned down close every year, 

 otherwise it will soon exhaust itself ; when this 

 plan is acted upon, of course no blooms will 

 be produced that season ; it is well, there- 

 fore, to grow duplicates of this kind, pruning 

 the one half one year, and the other the 

 next. Like other Roses that are required 

 to form fine and handsome heads, they must 



