PRUNING 



THE necessity for pruning Rose-trees is due to the 

 natural manner of the plant's growth. The Rose does 

 not, as some trees do, grow steadily upwards, merely 

 increasing the length of its twigs, but makes new wood 

 yearly from side buds, usually low down on the branch, 

 or even from the base of the plant. It follows from 

 this that the strong new shoot deflects the nourishment 

 from the wood above it, so that this latter first ceases 

 to bear flowers freely, and eventually dies. The first 

 season of growth is the best for flowering. The second 

 year is not so good, and from that time on the old wood 

 becomes almost valueless. It is thus obvious that to 

 obtain the greatest number of fine flowers from a Rose- 

 tree it is necessary every year to remove such wood as 

 is past its prime so as to concentrate all the vitality of 

 the plant in the new young shoots. 



The method of removing these old branches, as well 

 as the treatment given to the new shoots, varies both 

 according to the variety of Rose and the result required. 

 For instance, where Roses are desired to cover a trellis, 

 wall or pergola the old wood only should be removed, 

 the young wood being left its full length, but where 

 fine flowers or shaped trees are required a different 

 method must be adopted. Often a Rose-tree will 

 become over-crowded with young wood, so that if left 

 alone half of the shoots would choke each other, rub, or 

 in some way be damaged, and in such a case the aim of 

 the pruner should be to so thin out his shoots as to 

 allow the utmost freedom for light and air to reach all 



