132 JULY 



October we cut in the head of wild brier to a 

 moderate extent, not entirely removing it ; and 

 even in March, when the tree is finally trimmed, 

 one bud of the wild branch is left above the in- 

 serted bud. This is called the sap bud, and it 

 draws the sap upward and helps the scion to push 

 into a head. If this wild bud were not left the sap 

 might not easily flow into the inserted scion, and 

 the brier would throw up side-shoots all down the 

 stem instead of concentrating its powers on the new 

 bud. 



With the pruning of the spray . in March comes 

 the cutting in of the brier top, which was probably 

 a few inches taller than the branch on which the 

 bud was entered. This top is cut down in a slightly 

 slanting direction so closely to the base of the 

 budded shoot that hardly more than the eighth of 

 an inch shall remain above it. The wound is 

 covered with clay paint to prevent the loss of 

 sap. 



Presently the sap bud begins to grow vigorously, 

 and when it has shown perhaps three pair of 

 leaves it is stopped by nipping off the top. This 

 will induce the inserted bud to take the lead, and 

 it should now grow away merrily, the sap bud being 

 reduced, if necessary, by degrees to smaller dimen- 

 sions, and finally about midsummer cut away alto- 

 gether. By this time the wild growth will be 

 entirely superseded by the rose, which should be 

 a good tree, carrying the best flowers it will ever 

 bear, for from these maiden plants come the finest 

 blooms which adorn the tables at the rose shows. 



Carnations should be layered while yet the plants 



