12 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



their full development. But if we cut them off in 

 winter, when the roots have attained to their maximum 

 and are resting, their full strength can be devoted to 

 the buds in the spring. 



But some of the advocates for the removal of those 

 branches which are not to be budded have given their 

 reasons for the advice. They say the object is to divert 

 the entire strength of the ^Dlant into the selected shoots 

 before they are budded. This is not quite correct : the 

 full strength of the plant will be lost, for the check to 

 the roots will be considerable. Yet it is true that the 

 selected shoots will grow more vigorously, for the plant 

 will try to make up the balance in both ways, in 

 lessened root power and also increased growth in such 

 branches as remain. But, in the first place, we do not 

 want such extra stout branches to bud on; if big 

 enough, the union will be better than on a very large 

 shoot, because a small one will have to swell and 

 increase with the strong gTowth rising from it. And, 

 in the second place, what we do want especially is as 

 much extension and strength in the roots as we can get 

 for the support of the maiden growth of the Kose. 



It is naturally much easier to bud upon standard 

 stocks where some of the shoots have been removed 

 than it is upon such a rampant hedge of thorny 

 growth as will be formed by a row of unrestricted 

 stocks if they have grown well. But the knowledge 

 that all this prickly luxuriance represents the power 

 we are going to put into the growth of our buds next 

 season should be an encouragement for a bold attack, 

 and a comforter against thorny assaults. The branches 

 should be carefully shifted and turned aside to expose 

 the places for operation, and the thorns can be com- 

 pelled to make themselves useful, as the branches 



