128 THE ROSE BOOK 



done towards preventing the base of the hedge from 

 getting bare by spreading out the stems of the vigorous 

 roses, and training them in the shape of a fan ; in fact, 

 this is an excellent practice to adopt, as far as may 

 be possible with all roses grown as a hedge. The arrange- 

 ment of the varieties needs some consideration so that 

 one may have blossoms on some part of the hedge through- 

 out summer and autumn. This end will be achieved 

 if a summer-flowering and perpetual-flowering rose are 

 planted alternately. 



One can do little in the way of pruning, when the 

 hedge is established, beyond cutting out old, weakly 

 stems to make room for fresh growths ; in fact, little 

 will be needed beyond an occasional thinning out if the 

 stems are tied out as described, though old, useless 

 growths must be freely cut out. A rose hedge, if well 

 planted, will last for many years, if given annual dressings 

 of farm manure in March and frequent applications of 

 liquid manure in May and June. Roses on their own roots 

 are to be preferred to those budded on the Brier or any 

 other stock, for if suckers develop freely they become 

 a great nuisance, and in a rose hedge may be overlooked 

 very easily. 



Pests are very troublesome on hedge roses, chiefly 

 because the bushes are not pruned so much as others. 

 Maggots, especially, often quite spoil the show of bloom 

 unless checked. The best remedy is to poison their 

 food by spraying the plants with arsenate of lead solution 

 made with the following ingredients : Arsenate of lead, one 

 ounce ; acetate of lead, two and three-quarter ounces ; 



