i88i.] PRUNING ROSES. 65 



base ; all the weak shoots should be cut close off to where they have 

 started, not leaving a bud to form another shoot, as it is such as these 

 that produce a number of small fiowerless stems only to crowd up and 

 smother the others. Weak-growing varieties must be done in the same 

 way, but one or two more buds may be left on each stem. When the 

 plants are two or three years old, it takes some care to prevent the 

 dwarfs from assuming a semi-standard form, as by a loose way of 

 pruning the stems sometimes become some feet in length, with a num- 

 ber of smaller growths emitting from the top. To rectify this, the best 

 plan is to cut such stems down to a few inches from the ground, and 

 let them sprout afresh. 



TEA KOSES, ETC. 



The time to prune these should be the same as the others, but few 

 of them will bear or are beautified by hard cutting. Gloire de Dijon 

 is one of the most rampant amongst them. It is not well suited for 

 dwarf or standard in beds amongst others, but should be planted 

 where space is afforded to ramble. Here only the very smallest of the 

 shoots should be cut out, and the strong ones must only have their 

 points cut off, if it is desired that they should throw out shoots and 

 clusters of blooms from every bud. Marechal Mel has the same habit. 

 Others, when growing in beds, must all be pruned in proportion to the 

 growth they have made, but never heavily or too early, as many Tea 

 Roses have very delicate constitutions, and a severe winter or spring 

 often injures the wood to a considerable extent. We allow all our 

 Tea Roses to become more bushy than the H. P.'s, and the pruning 

 they get is simply a thinning out, not a cutting in ; and with the 

 majority this answers better than any other way we have tried. All 

 climbing Roses against walls, pillars, <kc., are treated in the same way — 

 always allowing the best formed and matured shoots to remain, and 

 never leaving any small growths that are likely to be fiowerless to make 

 any headway. 



ROSES IN POTS AND UNDEE GLASS. 



In many gardens the stock of these is ever increasing, and the 

 knowledge of this must be gratifying to all ardent Rose-growers — as of 

 all Roses, I think there are none so valuable as those gathered under 

 glass in January, February, March, and April. By care in pruning 

 and attention to selection, Roses in these months may easily be ob- 

 tained by all who can keep any glass structure from 40"' to 60° during 

 the time specified. H. P. pot-Roses must be pruned on the same 

 system as the same kinds out of doors, to regulate the time of 

 blooming and the distribution of the shoots. If wanted to bloom in 

 February or March, we would prune in October or November; if in 

 April or May, January would do. Teas planted out and in pots may 

 be treated differently ; many of them continue flowering all the 



