PRUNING. 51 



are leafless and the [,^round frost-bound. The period 

 of rest is deoendent upon climate, and ours is most 

 uncertain. A pruned tree until frosts are over is in 

 greater danger than one that is unpruned, simply be- 

 cause if it starts into growth too early and the shoots 

 get cut it has less dormant buds to fall back on, for all 

 trees start to break from the top and work downwards. 

 If a mild winter should start a tree into early growth 

 and the top shoots be cut by frost, it does not matter, 

 for the top will be cut away in any case, and the lower 

 buds, being still dormant, the tree is safe. It must be 

 remembered that, as a rule, the best flower-buds are 

 produced from the middle and lower buds, so that if 

 these are cut with frost owing to too early develop- 

 ments, there is a loss, even if the tree is sound. No 

 two varieties are quite alike, but most of them follow 

 the general habits of their class in respect of the time 

 of year in which they put forward new growth. Thus 

 we find Wichuraiana Roses in winter pushing forward 

 new growth when the Teas, Hybrid Teas, and Hybrid 

 Perpetuals are dormant, and in mild weather in the 

 winter the Noisette and Tea Roses have started into 

 growth when the Provence and Moss Roses have not 

 moved. Great discretion should be used at all times, 

 not only as to the time of year in which a class or 

 group of Roses should be pruned, but also in the 

 pruning of some of their varieties. Roses are like 

 children, some are stronger than others, and, although 

 of the same family, yet one will take after the habits of 

 the father and another after the mother, or even follow 

 those of a more distant relative. I am a great believer 

 in heredity in all orders of creation, and nothing shows 

 it quicker than the constitution of a subject. 



If, then, we consider carefully the subject, and do 

 not content ourselves with a general date for all prun- 

 ing (much like Good Friday in the West Country is 

 selected, early or late, wet or fine, for the first planting 

 of potatoes) we shall study the requirements of each 

 class and variety, and, taking the season into considera- 

 tion, we shall prune accordingly. My experience is 



