212 THE FLORIST. 



ON PRUNING ROSES. 



BY MR. M'ARDELL, FOREMAN, CASTLE HILL GARDENS. 



The interesting article on Roses in your last Number has induced 

 me to oifer a few remarks on pruning, which I trust may prove in- 

 structive to the young Rose-grower. 



As regards the time for pruning, some recommend autumn or 

 winter, while others advise its being done in the beginning of March. 

 I, as well as most Rose-growers, like the latter season best. By 

 winter-pruning the buds break in the latter part of the winter, and 

 are almost sure to be cut off by late frosts in March. 



Pruning effects two objects : it makes compact handsome trees, 

 free from weak shoots and dead wood, and it increases the amount 

 of tioral beauty throughout the summer and autumn. It is suscep- 

 tible of three divisions : first long, second moderate, and third close 

 pruning. 



Long pruning is employed for all strong, vigorous, free-growing 

 kinds. The consequence of a vigorous-growing Rose being close 

 pruned is, that it will make a quantity of strong shoots, generally 

 springing from the crown close to the stock, and very likely no 

 flower during the whole year, at all events, not until late in autumn. 

 The proper plan is, to leave from five to eight strong shoots, placed as 

 regularly as possible, to cut them back, so as to leave four or five 

 buds of last year's wood, and then carefully to prune away all weak 

 and dead branches. Roses do not flower well in the centre of the 

 bush, and therefore that part should be well thinned out, leaving the 

 branches as free of each other as possible. As a general rule, it 

 is not right to cut into the bush below the preceding year's wood ; 

 but when the trees become old, it is necessary now and then to cut 

 away a portion of the old wood, which becomes clubbed ; and this 

 applies more or less to all Rose-trees. It should be removed with a 

 nice small saw, and the wound afterwards smoothed over with the 

 pruning-knife. These remarks apply to most of the Hybrid Chinas 

 and Hybrid Bourbons, also to some of the Hybrid Provence, Hybrid 

 Perpetuals, and Bourbons. 



Moderate pruning consists in using the knife more freely than in 

 the former case, in leaving but two eyes of last year's wood, and in 

 carefully training the branches, so as to make the head round and 

 compact. As Roses that require moderate pruning have a greater 

 natural tendency to flower than those in the last- mentioned class, a 

 little inattention is not so injurious to them. Under this head may 

 be enumerated the greater part of our newest and best Roses, includ- 

 ing the Moss, Gallica, Damask, Hybrid Damask Perpetual, and a great 

 portion of the best Hybrid Perpetuals and Bourbons. 



The third method, or close-pruning system, is used for those 

 Roses which are termed Dwarf growers, or that make but little wood. 

 This class is not numerous in comparison with the others, but it con- 

 tains many of the brightest gems of the rosery. They succeed better 



