ROSE GROWING FOR EXHIBITION 153 



being to concentrate all the energies of the plant into 

 these few flowers. 



Superfluous shoots must be carefully thinned out in 

 May, and a look out kept for grubs and green fly. For 

 the former there is nothing better than hand-picking, 

 and if the plants are really healthy there will not be 

 much trouble from green fly. Mildew is apt to be very 

 troublesome during certain seasons, and some varie- 

 ties are especially liable to attack. It is a good plan 

 to sprinkle the ground thickly early in the season, soon 

 after pruning, with green sulphur. This acts very bene- 

 ficially and will often prevent mildew appearing. 



As the growths develop and flower buds are seen, 

 disbudding must be attended to. The most promising 

 bud is retained, and the others are removed, leaving 

 only one bud upon each shoot. Disbudding needs to 

 be done with discrimination, because some varieties 

 produce the best blooms from the side buds and not 

 from the central one. When growths spring from the 

 axils of the leaves it is well to pinch them out, so as 

 to concentrate all the energies of the shoot upon the 

 one bud. 



Feeding roses is very necessary. This is done dur- 

 ing May and June by applying liquid manure once a 

 week at first and later on twice a week. It is agreed 

 by all that liquid manure made from cow manure and 

 soot is an excellent stimulant, but its preparation is 

 not pleasant, though rendered much less disagreeable 

 by the use of Maiden's Infuser, which is in the form of 

 a bucket. Both bucket and lid are full of holes. The 



