30 OF PRUNING, &c. [Feb. 



ral of the Viburnums, and many others, bear their flowers 

 on the wood of last year, and when thus sheared afford no 

 gratification in flowering. And those shrubs that thus 

 flower on the shoots of last year, are perhaps worse to keep 

 in regular order than those to which the knife can be 

 freely applied; but good management while young will 

 ensure handsome free flowering plants. 



Climbing shrubs, and others that are trained against out- 

 buildings, walls, or such as are sheltered thereby, and not 

 now in danger of suffering by frost, may be pruned and 

 dressed. These should be neatly trimmed, and the branches 

 moderately thinned out, tying in all the shoots straight and 

 regular. Avoid, at all times, the crossing of any shoots. 



There is not a shrub in the garden that agrees so well 

 with close cutting, as the Mthea, and all its varieties. 

 These can be made either bushes or trees, and kept at any 

 desired height. Where the wood of last year is cut to 

 about two or three inches from the wood of the former year, 

 the young shoots of the coming season will produce the 

 largest and finest flowers, and likewise more profusely. 

 When they have attained the desired height, let them be 

 kept in the most natural and handsome shape that the taste 

 of the operator can suggest. They will bear cutting to any 

 degree. 



Honeysuckles of every description may, with all free- 

 dom, be trimmed, providing the frost is not very severe. 

 These are very frequently allowed to become too crowded 

 with wood, and then superficially sheared or cut. The 

 flowers would be much finer, and the brush handsomer, if 

 they were regularly thinned out, divesting them of all na- 

 ked and superfluous shoots. Of those that remain, shorten 

 the shoots of last year. Where any of the honeysuckle 

 kind has become naked at the bottom, and flowering only 

 at the top of the trellis, or extremities of the shoots, one 

 half of the bush should be cut to within four inches of the 

 ground. It will throw out plenty of fine young wood, which 

 give room for, and train them straight, and to the full ex- 

 tent, during summer. These shoots will flower profusely 

 the following season, and in like manner, when thought 

 proper, the other half can be cut. 



Roses of the hardy kinds (termed garden roses) that 

 were not attended to in November, should, if the weather 



