CULTURE. 115 



vigorous-growing varieties on strong Manetti rose 

 stocks, and training up a single strong shoot from 

 the bud to an iron rod a))Out the size of a small 

 curtain-rod, to a height of six or seven feet. If 

 the soil is favourable, tlie shoot, if kept clear 

 at foot from small shoots, will attain that heiglit 

 in one season. The following season, if it has 

 attained to the height as above, it sliould be cut 

 off to four feet, so as to force it to make shoots at 

 its lower part, otherwise it will be bare of shoots 

 and flowers, and have the appearance of a low 

 standard. As soon as the side shoots have given 

 their flowers, and they are commencing to fade, 

 all should be shortened with a sharp knife to 

 about four inches ; they wull then give a second 

 and third crop of flowers. The leading shoot in 

 the second should be shortened in summer to the 

 height of the rod, and it is advisable to pinch in 

 ]\Iay all the shoots at the corner of the pillar to 

 two inches, repeating this pinching in June, so 

 as to force all the lower shoots on the stem into 

 more vigorous growth. The early spring or early 

 autumn pruning — the former if the effects of 

 winter are dreaded, the latter if early roses are 

 desired — is simply to thin out the clusters of side 

 shoots if crowded, and with a sharp knife to 

 shorten all of them to within four inches of the 

 stem. By this method of culture, most beautiful 

 pyramidal roses may be formed, far superior to 

 the usual broom-headed standards. 

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