62 THE ROSE GARDEN. 



indiscriminately : 1. Long Pruning, suited to varieties of vigorous growth. 2. Close 

 Pruning, suited to kinds of small growth. 3. Pillar Roses. 4. Weeping Roses. 



1. Long pruning. — This must be applied to the strongest growers: such are, 

 the greater part of the Hybrid Chinese, the vigorous in the groups Moss, Damask, 

 Noisette, and Bourbon, &c, which form large heads, of rather loose, but not 

 always inelegant growth. 



If we remove many shoots from a strong growing Rose, or shorten the shoots 

 in very closely, the result, as previously stated, will be a vigorous growth, but 

 few or no flowers ; and the shoots may be developed so gross, as to render the 

 flowering for the subsequent year partial or void. This is more to be feared when 

 dealing with Summer Roses and established plants, than with the Autumnals or 

 newly-planted ones. To what endless disappointment have those fine old Roses, 

 Beauty of Billard, Brennus, and Fulgens, given rise from not blooming freely. 

 I have heard them branded as shy, bad bloomers, not worthy of place in any 

 garden. " Grow they do," says the cultivator, " and that most vigorously, but refuse 

 to shadow forth a single blossom." Now we would ask, Should the blame, if 

 blame there be, be attached to the varieties ? Is it natural for them not to flower ? 

 Or does this state of things arise from the system of cultivation? We sometimes 

 see them produce abundance of flowers, and pronounce them perfect ; then surely 

 the former is not the case. They, and numerous others of like habit — vigorous 

 growers — require long pruning : that is, a sufficient portion of the shoots 

 should be cut away at their base, which is called thinning: out, to allow a free ad- 

 mission of air and light into the heart of the tree ; then the shoots which remain 

 after thinning should be left long. If they are cut close, the eyes are developed 

 as wood shoots, and not as flower-shoots ; and this is the cause of their not 

 blooming. 



The treatment of plants from the bud will be alluded to elsewhere (see Bud- 

 ding) ; and as few comparatively have to deal with them in this rude state, I shall 

 commence here with one-year budded plants, such as are usually purchased at the 

 grounds of the Rose-growers. Of such No. 8 is a representation. Let us 

 look closely at it, and, while doing so, bear in mind that it is a young plant. Now 

 what is the object of paramount importance this year ? Shall we look solely to 

 the formation of the tree ? Can we wait till Autumn for the flowers of the Au- 

 tumnals, and till the next year for those of the Summer kinds ? If we can, we 

 shall receive a good return for doing so. Let us assume, then, the first effort to 

 be to establish the plant, and to put it in a right course of formation. With this 

 end in view, we prune more closely the first year after transplanting than at any 

 subsequent period. Let us suppose the specimen before us required to take the 

 shape of a half oval. What is the first step ? It has been budded in two places, 

 and has seven shoots. This is too many : we must therefore remove some. In 

 this stage of a tree, pruning is not complicated: the number of shoots is few, and 

 we see our way pretty clearly. Three shoots are thought sufficient to remain 



