74 



THE ROSE GARDEN. 



has been, the fear of pruning too much : the branches have consequently become 

 straggling, and the tree unsightly. To deal with these, the best plants, to cut 

 back some of the branches almost close to the base of the head, either main 

 branches or yearling shoots, one here and there in different places. These will 

 produce shoots near home, and, by pruning such close the following year, the head 

 is brought into a more compact form. 



No. 20. 



Attempt to recover an old plant that has suffered from neglect, or too little pruning. 



We have here a plant (No. 20), the form of which, we think, none will be bold 

 enough to advocate. The flowers are produced just at the top of the branches, 

 and numerous naked unsightly branches appear near the base of the head. But 

 we must remodel this tree, and, in attempting this, we first cut the main branches 

 off at a a. But, says the tyro, there are no buds left visible on the stumps. 

 .True ; but the practised hand knows well that they exist there, although not 

 visible. It is our business to develope them. If we shorten in the surrounding 

 branches tolerably close, leaving only that part of the tree which is shown by 

 the dark shading, we shall succeed in doing this : the eyes, too, will most likely 

 shoot forth with uncommon vigour. We view this as we should a young tree : 

 our first aim is to form it aright. This we may often do in one year, by the help 

 of disbudding ; without it, two years will be recpjired. 



Trees that have become weakly are generally much improved by close pruning; 

 so are those small growing kinds which flower so constantly that it is rare to see 



