PRUNING 



173 



plant. The first thing to do is to remove all the small, 

 weakly growths that obviously will never bear a bloom ; 

 they prevent the free access of air and sunshine that 

 is so beneficial to all parts of the stems, and absorb some 

 of the plant's energy that would be so much better 

 directed to perfecting the stems that are capable of 

 blooming. 



The preservation of an " open centre " is a strong 

 article of faith of the expert grower, and this is ensured 



A typkal bush or dwarf rose tree pruned rather severely. 



