138 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE CHAP. 
consolidate to form fruit buds. But if we cut back 
these strong shoots in winter, when there are no 
leaves and all is at rest, the roots when they wake 
in the spring try to make up the balance of the 
foliage by strong luxuriant growth equal to that 
which has been cut off. 
So it is with our standard briars. If we cut off 
any shoots in summer, we hinder the roots from 
attaining their full development. But if we cut 
them off in winter, when the roots have attained to 
their maximum and are resting, their full strength 
can be devoted to the buds in the spring. 
But some of the advocates for the removal of 
those branches which are not to be budded have 
given their reasons for the advice. They say the 
object is to divert the entire strength of the plant 
into the selected shoots before they are budded. 
This is not quite correct: the full strength of the 
plant will be lost, for the check to the roots will be 
considerable. Yet it is true that the selected shoots 
will grow more vigorously, for the plant will try to 
make up the balance in both ways, in lessened root 
power and also increased growth in such branches 
as remain. But, in the first place, we do not want 
such extra stout branches to bud on; if big enough, 
the union will be better than on a very large shoot, 
because a small one will have to swell and increase 
with the strong growth rising from it. And, in the 
second place, what we do want especially is as 
much extension and strength in the roots as we can 
get for the support of the maiden growth of the 
Rose. : 
It is naturally much easier to bud upon standard 
stocks where some of the shoots have been removed 
