130 DESCRIPTION OF THE ROSE. 



" When grown as large standards, these roses require 

 peculiar pruning. If their shoots are shortened too much, 

 they will grow vigorously, but give no flowers. They 

 should, therefore, be thinned out, so that the head of the 

 tree is not at all crowded, and then be shortened to within 

 twelve buds of their base : a crop of fine flowers will then 

 be produced. This is the pruning to be done either in the 

 early part of November or in February : we will call it the 

 winter pruning.* There is another mode of pruning these 

 roses, partly in summer, which will be found highly eligi- 

 ble. Thin out the shoots in the winter, and leave a selected 

 number of those that are most vigorous nearly their full 

 length, merely cutting off their tips : these V&1 be loaded 

 with blossoms so as to make the trees quite pendulous. 

 As soon as the blooming season is past, shorten them all 

 to within six inches of their base. They will immediately 

 put forth strong shoots, which, while in a very young 

 state, thin out, leaving those that are the most vigorous. 

 These shoots treat in the same manner the following year. 

 By this method of pruning, a pendulous, graceful head is 

 formed, instead of a stiff, formal one, so common to stand- 

 ard roses. In pruning these roses, when trained as pillars, 

 the spurs from the shoots fastened to the stake merely 



* These directions, it will be remembered, are for the climate of 

 England. The November pruning will not do here; indeed, it will 

 require much precaution to make even the hardy roses succeed as 

 standards. 



