56 THE ROSE BOOK 



round the rose stem, and tied. Square, deal stakes, 

 painted green, are the best, and as it is sometimes difficult 

 to obtain them locally, as many as are needed should be 

 ordered from the nurseryman at the same time as the 

 roses. When standards arrive from the nursery the 

 shoots are usually supported by a thin stick or bamboo 

 cane, which has served the purpose of keeping the young 

 growths firm in the stock ; in the spring following bud- 

 ding, they are liable to be blown out by rough winds. 

 These small supports should not be removed at planting 

 time, for they serve to support the shoots in rough weather 

 in winter. They may be dispensed with when the roses 

 are pruned in March. 



It is advisable to prune standard roses severely in 

 the spring following planting, cutting all shoots back to 

 within two or three buds of the base. In succeeding 

 years, especially if the plants show signs of weakening, 

 hard pruning is also advisable. If the standards are 

 vigorous, the shoots may be shortened by half ; other- 

 wise, they should be cut back to within two or three 

 buds of the base. I believe that lack of hard pruning is 

 partly responsible for many failures in growing not only 

 standard, but all roses. When a rose gets weakly and 

 the shoots decrease in size, amateurs are less inclined 

 than ever to prune hard ; the smaller the growths, the 

 greater is the hesitation in cutting them off. This is 

 contrary to good practice, for the weaker the growth the 

 more severely should it be pruned. Standard roses 

 benefit greatly by applications of liquid manure during 

 May and June, but if this cannot be prepared conveniently, 



