94 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



as possible whether the damage is serious enough to 

 warrant the removal of the whole shoot. In some cases 

 the severe pruning will cause buds to push at once 

 from the old wood ; and among the weaker varieties, 

 whose blooms are best on maiden plants, such buds 

 should be encouraged ; but in the case of the stronger 

 growers, the blooms will probably be best from last 

 year's wood. Some sorts have particularly robust and 

 ample foliage : in this case the shoots should be left 

 longer in the pruning, and the top buds, or those that are 

 as far apart as possible, alone retained. Thus Madame 

 Gabriel Luizet is strong enough to support from four to 

 six, or even perhaps more, first-class blooms upon each 

 plant ; but as the foliage is large and full, the shoots 

 should be left at the pruning four or five inches long, 

 and the top outlooking bud alone retained on each, all 

 others being removed as fast as they appear. Varieties 

 apt to come coarse and too full should also be left a 

 little longer in the pruning, and have more shoots 

 retained : but the coarseness can generally be remedied 

 by care and discretion in gradually thinning the flower- 

 buds. 



For ordinary and decorative purposes. Tea Roses m 

 the open, if well fed and spared by the frost, might be 

 pruned but little ; still they should not be allowed to 

 become leggy and scraggy, and a fair amount of 

 pruning on the same lines as recommended for the 

 H.P.s will tend to keep the plants in health and 

 vigour. But in many parts of the country, particularly 

 in low-l}dng districts, Ave often find, on removing 

 the protecting material in April, that a consider- 

 able part of the plant has been killed during the 

 winter ; and are only thankful, as I have said, if we can 

 find some real life to cut back to. For exhibition 



