SOILS, PLANTINGS, PRUNINGS 31 



arrived in time to prevent such a holocaust. 

 The trouble was simple enough. Instead of 

 the collar of the unfortunate Roses being three 

 inches below, it was three to four inches above 

 the surface of the bed. And though the poor 

 dear things, thus mounted on stilts, were 

 making a gallant fight for existence, another 

 year must have seen an end to every one. As 

 my friend had just got in a fine heap of my 

 favourite turfy loam, I prescribed a good dress- 

 ing of it at once round each plant, to be fol- 

 lowed by thorough renovation of the whole 

 soil in November, and rather close pruning in 

 April ; which remedies will, I feel confident, 

 give the Roses a new and vigorous lease of life. 



And now for a vexed question the Pruning 

 of Roses. 



A hard and anxious task is that of the Rose- 

 grower in March and April. And each year, 

 as my friends and neighbours ask me what 

 rule they should follow, I can only reply, 

 " There is no fixed rule. Let every one do 

 as experience teaches him." For I am as 

 much perplexed at times as any one else during 



