207 



strong, vigorous canes of the preceding year, we are enabled in 

 a large measure to renew this quality of youthfulness in our roses. 



Another principle that should be followed in rose pruning is 

 that weak growers should be pruned severely in order to stimu- 

 late the production of vegetative growth, and thus provide a 

 strong framework for another year, while strong-growing vari- 

 eties should be pruned lightly — partly because heavy pruning is 

 unnecessary, and partly to avoid the possibility of stimulating 

 too much vegetative growth. 



The cutting may be done wath pruning shears or a pruning 

 knife. There is little doubt that a better job can be done with 

 a knife than with shears. The cut made by a sharp knife is 

 smooth and clean, the bark is not bruised, and the wound more 

 readily heals. However, the work may be carried out more ex- 

 peditiously by the use of pruning shears, and if they are kept 

 sharp, so that the branches are cleanly cut off and not mangled, 

 a good enough job can be done. Heavy leather gloves, preferably 

 with gauntlets, are indispensable except to those who accept 

 a few scratches in preference to the heat, discomfort, and clumsi- 

 ness of heavy gloves. A narrow blade pruning saw is desirable, 

 for one is almost always sure to come upon thick old snags at 

 the base of some of the bushes that need to be cut out, but which 

 are too big to be handled with shears. If your gardening eciuip- 

 ment does not run to a pruning saw, a keyhole saw is an effective 

 substitute. A kneeling pad is an advantage, especially for those 

 to whom long-continued stooping means a pain in the back. 



If you want the full complement of ec|uiiyment, you may add 

 a pot of paint and a rather stiff paint brush, so that any large 

 wounds may be covered with paint. A container with a 10% 

 solution of formaldehyde, in which the pruning tool may be 

 dipped after pruning a diseased plant, and before tackling a 

 healthy one, is desirable. This, of course, is to disinfect the 

 tools and thus prevent the spread of disease by them. 



Time of Pruning — Teas and Hybrid Teas 



In a normal season, get busy just eis soon as the buds have 

 started to grow. But such £ich"ice does not always ai:)])ly; fen' in 

 Brooklyn in some years many of the Hybrid Teas have as much 



