400 



be taken off from the old plants, and be planted out where they are 

 to remain. The seeds are sometimes sown in the autumn, to pro- 

 duce new varieties, in beds of light mellow earth, or in drills, espe- 

 cially for the Common Sweet Briar kinds, and for raising hedges of 

 them. 



Almost all the sorts delight in a rich moist soil and an open situa- 

 tion, in which they produce a greater quantity of flowers, and those 

 much fairer, than when they are upon a dry soil, or in a shady 

 situation. The pruning which they afterwards require is only to 

 cut out their dead wood, and take off all the suckers, which should 

 be done every autumn; and if there are any very luxuriant branches, 

 which draw the nourishment from the other parts of the plant, they 

 should be taken out, or shortened, to cause them to produce more 

 branches, if there be occasion for them to supply a vacancy ; but it 

 is best to avoid crowding them with branches, which is as injurious 

 to these plants as to. fruit-trees; for, if the branches have not equal 

 benefit from the sun and air, they will not produce their flowers so 

 strong, or in so great plenty, as when they are more open, and 

 better exposed to the sun, so as to have a more free circulation of 

 air. As the Moss Provence Rose seldom sends out suckers, and docs 

 not strike very freely by layers, it is often increased by budding it 

 upon stocks of the other sorts; but the plants are best when raised 

 from layers. 



The best sort for flowering early and late is the Monthly, next to 

 which in flowering in the open air is the Cinnamon, which is imme- 

 diately followed by the Damask Rose, then the Blush, York, and 

 Lancaster; after which, the Provence, Dutch Hundred-leaved, White, 

 and most other sorts: and the latest sorts are the Virginia and Musk 

 Roses, which, if planted in a shady situation, seldom flower until 

 September; and, if the autumn proves mild, continue often till the 

 middle of October. And the plants of the two sorts of Musk Roses 

 should be placed against a wall, pale, or other building, that their 

 branches may be supported, otherwise they are so slender and weak 

 as to trail upon the ground. These plants should not be pruned 

 until spring, because their branches are somewhat tender; so that 



