124 ROSES FOR ENGLISH GARDENS 



often repeated that most of these pests can with com- 

 parative ease be kept in check if dealt with directly 

 they make their appearance, but when once they have 

 become established, the difficulties of the cultivator 

 are increased tenfold. 



Thinning out the Young Shoots. — As the object of 

 the exhibitor is to allow each plant only a limited 

 number of shoots and to confine the flow of sap to 

 these particular growths, it will be necessary soon 

 after the young shoots appear to remove nearly all the 

 other growths until the first crop of flowers has been 

 produced. It is not advisable to begin this thinning- 

 out process too early, as, in the case of harm from 

 spring frosts, some of the later-made shoots may be 

 required to take the place of some of those originally 

 designed for the production of the exhibition blooms ; 

 besides which, it is only when the young shoots are 

 moderately advanced that it will be possible to judge 

 which of them it will be advisable to retain or to remove. 

 According to the strength of the plant, from three to 

 six flowering shoots should ultimately be left on each. 

 This art of thinning out is an important one and can 

 only be mastered after some little experience. As a 

 rule the growths that are likely to bear the best 

 flowers are the strong ones which come from the top 

 bud of the shoots that have been pruned. Some of 

 the moderately strong shoots which spring from the 

 base of the plant may also be retained, but not so the 

 extra strong sucker-like growths. These should be cut 

 down to within six inches of the ground, for not only 

 will they monopolise an undue proportion of the 



