CULTURE OP THE ROSE. 21 



growth, has an effect contrary to that of pruning when it 

 is in a dormant state. Far from increasing its vigor, it 

 weakens it, by depriving it of a portion of its leaves, 

 which are at once its stomach and its lungs. Only two 

 kinds of summer pruning can be recommended. The first 

 consists in the removal of small branches which crowd 

 their neighbors, and interfere with them : the second is 

 confined to the various classes of Perpetual roses, and con- 

 sists merely in cutting off the faded flowers, together with 

 the shoots on which they grow, to within three or four 

 buds of the main stem. This greatly favors their ten- 

 dency to bloom again later in the summer. 



When old wood is cut away, it should be done cleanly, 

 without leaving a protruding stump. A small saw will 

 sometimes be required for this purpose ; though in most 

 cases a knife, or, what is more convenient, a pair of sharp 

 pruning-shears, will be all that the operator requires. 



When roses are trained to cover walls, trellises, arches, 

 or pillars, the main stems are encouraged to a strong 

 growth. These form the permanent wood ; while the side- 

 shoots, more or less pruned back, furnish the flowers. For 



