(50 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



fallen leaves, have been often found fresh and in good 

 condition in the early spring. Whatever the covering 

 be, it should not be removed till the end of March or 

 beginning of April, when the plants are ready to be 

 pruned, unless the quantity be so small that the cover- 

 ing can be very quickly replaced. 



Tea Roses on walls can be easily protected by ever- 

 green boughs hung on nails; if fir branches be used, 

 the needles or leaves will begin to drop off in early 

 spring: this has a good effect in exposing the plant 

 gradually, and so hardening it off, but the needles should 

 be swept away and not suffered to work into the soil. 

 It must be remembered in this case and in that of 

 standards that it is no use protecting the upper shoots 

 if any part of the actual Rose below is left exposed. 

 The very lowest part of the Tea Rose as budded on 

 the briar is the important place ; if that be killed the 

 whole plant is destroyed ; but if even an inch of sound 

 wood is alive at the very bottom, though all the rest be 

 killed, the Rose will probably grow up again as strong as 

 ever. 



In very severe frosts and on low-lying grounds there 

 is, however, great difficulty in keeping standard Teas 

 alive during the winter. Leaves or earth, the most 

 efficient protectors, seem impossible of application ; and 

 as the best Tea Rose blooms are produced on standards, 

 heavy losses are often experienced by exhibitors. 

 Digging the standards bodily up, and, after laying them 

 carefully in rows in the earth, covering them with 

 boughs or soil has been tried and recommended. For 

 the weakly growers, such as Comtesse de Nadaillac, 

 Princess of Wales, or Cleopatra, if on strong stems, this 

 may answer fairly well; but for the stronger sorts 

 with large heads, such as Marie van Houtte and Anna 



