S2 THE ROSE BOOK 



as nearly horizontally as possible. If allowed to grow 

 upright, they will start into growth only at the top. 



The best time to cut out the old stems is as soon as 

 the chief crop of flowers is over, which, on wall roses, is 

 usually in July. Needless to say, old stems must not 

 be sacrificed indiscriminately, for the roses most worthy 

 of growing against walls are not so prodigal of fresh ones 

 as, for instance, Dorothy Perkins. A good deal of reliance 

 has to be placed on the side shoots from the older stems 

 for a display of flowers. In late February the side shoots 

 are shortened to within three or four buds of their 

 base. If the training of all fresh stems is as nearly hori- 

 zontal as possible, the tree will eventually assume the 

 form of a fan, and this is the ideal shape at which to 

 aim. It follows that the stems of the second year will 

 be fastened to the wall a few inches above those of the 

 first year, and so on, so that gradually the rose mounts 

 higher and completes the resemblance to the fan. The 

 growths should never be trained across, but always 

 parallel with each other, and there should be at least 

 eight or ten inches between them to allow room for the 

 side shoots that will subsequently develop. 



An important detail in the cultivation of wall roses, 

 and one that is frequently neglected, is watering. The 

 soil at the foot of walls and fences receives less than its 

 fair share of rain, and may be dry when the ground 

 in the open garden is moist. Water should be given to 

 roses on walls twice a week from May until the end of 

 August, the soil being thoroughly moistened. Liquid 

 manure and plain water may be given alternately. 



