MARCH 13 



pruning. Captain Christy, with its upright growth, 

 for instance, should be well thinned out at the 

 centre ; Countess of Oxford, which is apt to break 

 too high, should in this case be cut back to the 

 bare, hard, and apparently budless main stems ; 

 and the hardly recognisable rings, which at present 

 look incapable of bursting into growth, will send 

 forth buds which will make good branches and 

 flower as soon as any others. Eugen Ftirst requires 

 very hard pruning, because it breaks so early in 

 the spring ; and with Jean Liabaud a sharp eye 

 should be kept on that portion of growth which 

 comes direct from the soil, for the stock is apt to 

 outgrow the scion unless care is taken. And so 

 with all the other roses in a garden, each has its 

 idiosyncrasy, and must be corrected in accordance 

 with it. The usual rule for pruning is to cut back 

 to a dormant bud with an outward tendency, and 

 this rule answers exceedingly well until the gardener 

 has gained experience of his own and is able to 

 modify it in conformity with this experience. 



Nearly all hardy annuals should be sown about 

 the end of March, for if this is not done until later 

 the sun's power may be so great that the seedlings 

 will not make sufficient root growth before they are 

 forced into bloom, and so their season will be a 

 short one. I have had for several years some 

 success with dahlias treated as hardy annuals. The 

 seed is gathered in the autumn and sown in March, 

 and if May frosts threaten a handful of bracken is 

 thrown over the young seedlings. They are thinned 

 to a few inches apart, and by the time the carefully 

 tended dahlias from indoors are flowering there is 



