2^6 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



comfortably settled in their new homes as soon as it can be 

 done. In three weeks or a month you may remove the 

 cotton ; in November you may shorten the budded shoot to 

 5 or 6 inches from the bud ; and in May you may cut it 

 close to the bud itself You must now keep a constant 

 supervision over your budded stock, removing all super- 

 fluous growth, and having your stakes in position, so that 

 you may secure the growing bud against those sudden 

 gusts which will force it, if not safely fastened, " clean out " 

 of the stock. These stakes must be firmly fixed close by 

 the Briers, and should rise some 2 feet above them. To 

 this upper portion the young shoot of the Rose, which 

 grows in genial seasons with marvellous rapidity, must be 

 secured with bast. Look out now for the Rose-caterpillar, 

 that murderous "worm i' the bud." I generally employ a 

 little maid from my village school, whose fingers are more 

 nimble and whose eyes are nearer to their work than mine, 

 who prefers entomology in the fresh air to all other ologies 

 in a hot school, and who takes home to mother her diurnal 

 ninepence with a supreme and righteous pride. 



Towards the end of May apply the surface-dressing which 

 is recommended in Chapter VI. — I presuppose a liberal 

 supply of farmyard manure in autumn, as advised in the 



