editor's table. 



the rough end or bruised part away. Tlien dig your hole where the ground is prepared, and 

 plant it with the collar of the root just helow the surface, for, if deeper, they will not flourish, 

 and will sometimes dwindle and die. Thrust a strong stake down of such a length as shall 

 just reach the head, and to this stake fasten the tree in an upright position. Water, to 

 settle the eai-th about the root, and tread the earth firm. If there be any very long shoots 

 to the head, shorten them a little, because the wind has great power, and might break them. 

 But pruning should be deferred until the spring, which we will suppose to have arrived. 

 Now, with a sharp knife, cut off all weakly shoots close to the base, and shorten all the ripe 

 wood to two or three eyes, taking care that the top eye left shall point outwards or down- 

 wards. "Wlien the shoots push, rub off any that grow inwards. The tree will bloom freely 

 unless attacked by the maggot, which is generated in the very heart of the bud ; but when 

 the first buds have been destroyed by the maggot, it is only the first bloom that is lost ; the 

 tree will recover. When the autumn comes, you may just shorten some of the longest 

 branches, to lighten the head a little, and, in spring, properly prune them again. Now, you 

 may study the form of the tree in your pruning, bearing in mind that all the shoots which 

 grow inwards where you have omitted to rub them off must be cut clean away, except 

 where you leave them longer for the sake of forming the head. The head ought to be 

 formed by several branches growing outwards, equally divided as it were, and if two are 

 close together, let one be removed. In pruning, therefore, some regard should be had to an 

 equal growth all round. As it is desirable to get the head of the tree as good in form as 

 possible, as soon as we can, we have to bear in mind, when we prune, that a top eye is sure 

 to grow strong ; the second may grow, and sometimes the third will start. This ought to 

 give us a good idea of what the tree will be at the end of the season, and may induce us to 

 cut in more or less, as will best assist the form of the head. It ought, however, never to be 

 forgotten that weakly shoots are useless and mischievous, and so, also, is every branch that 

 grows inwards, and helps to fill up the interior of the head. The stocks of tree Roses will 

 every now and then send out branches, which not only deprive the heads of great nourish- 

 ment, but they are also in the way. They should therefore be removed at once — the instant 

 they are discovered ; whether they come from the root or the stem, they must not be allowed 

 to grow. 



Roses on their own roots want the same kind of soil, mixed with peat or sand to lighten 

 it, as their fibres and roots are not so robust as those of the brier, and especially some of 

 the more delicate varieties. If the small sorts are intended for a bed, it is worth while to 

 make up the soil on purpose all over the bed. If they are isolated plants, straggling about 

 here and there, a circle of one or two feet may be enough for each plant, but this is sup- 

 posing the soil too light. If, however, it is good, strong, kitchen garden soil, or like it, a 

 little dung forked into the ground will do all that is wanted. If intended to climb on a 

 wall, or front of a house, or on poles or arches, we must calculate on their growing for years, 

 and therefore provide more fitting soil to ramble in ; at the same time, we may bear in mind 

 that good, strong loam naturally forming the ground can hardly be improved for Roses that 

 are to stand for years. Fruit-trees do well on natural loam, and so will everything else, 

 and, when we are making a plantation of Roses, we may look at the productions around us, 

 and if the trees, shrubs, and flowers, are growing strong and well, we need trouble our heads 

 very little about a change. Some persons plant all the dwarf fancy kinds of Roses in good 

 soil, about a foot apart, and then cover the surface with large flint stones, building, as we 

 may call it, close up to the stems. The appearance of these Roses, blooming over the flat 

 stones, is very curious, but no one can dispute that they are pretty. They keep on flower- 

 ing till the frost settles their afi'airs for the season, and the roots are so protected by the 

 stones that they survive even a hard winter. They are cut down to the surface of the 

 stones, and, in the spring, they come out stronger than in the previous year, and spread all 



