20 i THE FLORIST. 



encouraging. In each case the fact that no pruning has been allowed 

 is dwelt on with great force, and to that circumstance is attributed the 

 success. One of the correspondents, he whose Isabella Gray has 

 produced one pinched bloom, and a second about to open, has also a 

 Cloth of Gold, which has been treated in the same way as the Isabella. 

 It, also, was planted in 1857, " grew rapidly in 1858, no pruning 

 being allowed, and is now, in 1859, making vigorous, healthy, dark 

 purple shoots, and will doubtless be covered with Roses by the month 

 of July ! " May it be so ! But those " vigorous, healthy, dark purple 

 shoots " are sad deceivers, too often finishing their career with blind 

 ends, to the disgust of the disappointed grower, whether professional or 

 amateur. The inference to be drawn from the remarks of the Gar- 

 deners Chronicle itself, as well as those of its correspondents, is that 

 "protection from the pruning knife" (coupled with age and suitable 

 aspect) is the grand secret in getting Cloth of Gold blooms, and pro- 

 bably those of Isabella Grey and other yellow varieties. Perhaps it 

 may be in the recollection of the readers of this paper that on the 10th 

 of June, last year, a description was given of a Cloth of Gold Rose 

 growing at the Rev. R. M. Atkinson's, on the Rectory House at Great 

 Cheverell, on which there were two or three hundred blooms fully 

 expanded, and a far greater number of buds ready to expand, the tree 

 itself (worked on a yellow Banksia) being in the highest health. Now 

 this tree, which is covered with blooms every year, having at this time 

 (although it has suffered much, both in foliage and bloom, from the 

 severe blight), upwards of 100 fully expanded blooms of deep yellow 

 colour and great beauty, with twice or thrice that number ready to 

 burst forth, is, and always has been, regularly pruned, every shoot 

 being cut back to two or three eyes, except when it is necessary 

 to lead in long shoots, to fill up any blank space on the wall. Another 

 constantly blooming Cloth of Gold, in this neighbourhood, has also been 

 always subjected to close pruning. In other cases, whether pruned or 

 unpruned, the rule is, no blooms — the exception, a few stragglers ; so 

 that pruning no more seems to prevent free blooming than non-pruning 

 seems to promote it. It may be recollected, too, that the account of 

 Mr. Atkinson's Cloth of Gold, above alluded to, caused a long corre- 

 spondence in this paper, on the subject, and that it was suggested by 

 Mr. Ayres, of Orchardleigh Park, near Frome, that the most likely way 

 to insure a free-blooming Cloth of Gold, would be to take the bud for 

 working from immediately below a bloom. We should be glad if any 

 correspondent who has tried the experiment will favour us with the 

 result. And now a word about the Isabella Grey. Mr. Mould, the 

 well-known gardener and florist, of Devizes, has this year succeeded in 

 producing a very fine and highly coloured bloom, under glass ; the 

 bloom was of good size, perfect shape, and of exquisite fragrance. That 

 plant had been pruned. On the other hand, on a very warm sunny 

 wall, with south aspect, we have seen upwards of 30 strong shoots of 

 Isabella Grey (budded on a Banksia), from one to four feet in length, 

 unpruned, both wood and foliage a deep red, and showing the highest 

 health, and not a single blossom bud to be seen ; each one of these 

 shoots going off" with blind ends ! Thus it would seem that pruning 

 has really nothing to do with it, 



