78 THE BOOK OF ROSES 



of a suitable stock. The difficulty is to obtain a Briar 

 stock which, whilst being young enough to be well 

 ripened and vigorous, shall yet be thick enough to 

 support the luxuriant growth of the foster-plant. When 

 this has been secured it should be about half an inch 

 through the selected Rose should be budded on it, 

 and in the second year of growth the tree may begin its 

 training. It is not advisable to train the first year, 

 beyond the mere tying erect of the young shoots. Four 

 years are needed to train and grow a perfect weeping 

 standard, so that it need not be hurried. 



In the second year the training should be begun in the 

 spring by attaching to the stake rings made of split cane, 

 tied into the required size, to which the shoots must be 

 directed, the object being to form a rough umbrella 

 shape. The rings will of course be only small in the 

 first year, whilst the shoots are short and slender, 

 larger and larger ones being used at subsequent times. 

 The shoots should be carefully tied in position on these 

 hoops, and the plant carefully watched and treated 

 especially with regard to watering and syringing should 

 the weather be dry so as to encourage new strong 

 growth. Not much cutting out will be required in this 

 early stage, as room can be found for nearly all the 

 shoots on the rings. Cutting but will need to be done 

 in the third year, when the growth will be very 

 luxuriant, and early in September the plant should be 

 examined and the finest young shoots selected. The 

 older shoots should be cut away to make room for these, 

 and they will harden off nicely before the winter frosts. 

 In this way the tree is constantly renewed, and a show 

 of bloom ensured each year. 



If the shoots are bent down too sharply in the first 

 instance when beginning to train, it is unfortunately not 

 unusual to find one or two of them broken off at the 

 union with the stock. It is well therefore to allow the 



