142 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS 



vigorous and ready to take on a new growth for fall blooming. With 

 its roots well protected by a mulch, or by deeply pulverized surface 

 soil and its top thinned to admit sunshine and air, it becomes far less 

 subject to parasitic insect or fungus. Such a rosebush shows its mas- 

 ter's care and repays it as only a lovely, fragrant rose can do. 



Of course the writer does not intend to convey the idea that the 

 rose should be kept always blooming. Read the hints for July and 

 August in Chapter XII on that point. The rose is better after a degree 

 of dormancy in summer, but that does not mean distress. It should 

 have moisture enough in the soil to escape that. The leaves do not 

 need to fall nor the newer growth to shrivel. If the soil is properly 

 retentive and is protected by cultivation or mulching, the rose can do 

 without water for a time. One should give the plants a rest, but be 

 reasonable about it. The grower must soon learn by observation that 

 all classes of roses do not rest alike. Some of them sleep with one 

 eye open; others close both eyes and snore. Let each rest in its own 

 way, but remember that resting does not mean drying up. 



PRUNING THE ROSE. 



Some phases of pruning have already been anticipated in the dis- 

 cussions of planting and summer care of the rose in this chapter, and 

 some of the general principles which one must observe are suggested 

 in Chapter XI, and timely practices are outlined for monthly work in 

 Chapter XII. 



It must always be borne in mind that the rose blooms upon new 

 shoots; that large roses, according to the size-habit of the variety, are 

 borne upon strong new shoots; that strong shoots come from older 

 wood of good diameter, according to the growth-habit of the variety, 

 and that shoots will be stronger if the root has not too many of them 

 to provide for. Pruning is, therefore a process of forcing the root to 

 produce, not only new shoots but strong new shoots. 



For these reasons, the secret of having fine roses, after the moisture 

 and fertilizer are looked after, is to regulate the amount of blooming 

 wood the plant is to carry and to be sure that it is all new and strong, 

 and not too much of it. This means that there should be continual 

 pruning out of old wood which can only yield weak bloom shoots and 

 the clearing out of weak shoots when they come even from good 

 leaders. 



It may be reasonably contended that if one grows his roses in tree- 

 form, it will be easier to discern these characters and to secure them 

 by pruning, and this is one of the arguments for growing standards or 

 small rose-trees, because the grower has constantly before his eye 

 the conception of a small tree form to be maintained. It is expected, 

 of course, that he will not attempt to maintain this form with the 

 hedge shears, but will maintain it by shortening in and by choice of 



