211 



Much harm can result from the too free use of knife or pruning- 

 shears on roses in these classes. 



Rosa riigosa and its Hybrids. In this group it is better, on the 

 whole, to restrict pruning to removal of dead, and insect-infested 

 branches, and to the maintenance of a shapely bush. Occasion- 

 ally, it may be necessary, especially in those varieties where 

 rugosa characteristics are dominant, to rejuvenate the bush by 

 cutting it to the ground in the spring. 



It is desirable to emphasize once more the necessity of severely 

 pruning newly planted roses. It is hard to convince novices that 

 they must cut back their newly spring-planted roses to within 

 six or eight inches of the ground. They seem to take the attitude : 

 "Well, I've paid good money for this rose bush, and why should 

 I cut off the major part of it and throw it on the trash pile." 

 Perhaps one way of handling this problem would be to persuade 

 the nurserymen to prune their roses ready for planting before 

 shipping. There would be a saving on carrying charges and 

 much less mortality amongst rose bushes. But, of course, and 

 naturally, the nurseryman wants you to see what a fine rose bush 

 he is sending you, and so, as a rule, he does not cut in back. 

 Fall-planted roses should have the tops shortened only one-half, 

 and be protected by mounding them as high as possible with soil, 

 but do not fail to cut them back still more in the spring. It will 

 assure a much better bush in the long run. 



Don't be afraid of pruning too severely Hybrid Teas and 

 Hybrid Perpetuals. C^arry out your pruning thoughtfully and 

 with observation. Watch the results of your pruning. We have 

 to deal with hundreds of varieties and no general advice and no 

 set of rules will apply ecjually well to all. 



Summer Priming 



Summer pruning of roses is secondary in importance only to 

 spring pruning. C'ertain types of roses, such as the Ramblers, 

 can only be pruned to advantage during the summer. Among 

 the varieties belonging in this group, which is sometimes called 

 the "small bunch-flowered type," are Dorothy Perkins, Hiawatha 

 and Excelsa. They may be distinguished from other climbing 

 roses by the numerous new shoots arising from the base of the 



