144 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS 



from this, which is a matter of taste, there is an advantage in the fact 

 that a well-kept, thrifty standard is likely to give single blooms or 

 clusters of them which are in size and substance superior to those 

 found on bush roses. Sometimes this is due to the fact that, in budding, 

 some roses are given stronger roots than those which naturally belong 

 to them 'and this is the chief reason for the standard, except in formal 

 gardening where their form is essential to the effect desired. But 

 aside from these considerations, it is a fact that one is apt to get better 

 roses on a well kept tree-form than on a well-kept bush-form, sumply 

 because there are fewer flowers for the root to minister to and it can 

 therefore force them to fullness. But there are fewer flowers and 

 therefore the mass-effect in less and one will get less satisfaction in 

 cutting flowers from a standard generally than from a bush. It is 

 also true, probably, that standard roses are shorter-lived. Though the 

 head may be renewed by pruning for new wood, the stem is not, and 

 when tied to a stake -and with the top constantly checked from ex- 

 pansion, the bark sunburned and hardened, the growth reduced in 

 thrift by bark-binding, decrepitude follows. And yet, own-root stand- 

 ards, given rather more fredom in top growth than formal require- 

 ments permit, are certainly long-lived, probably in part because they 

 shade their own trunks more or less, but mainly because the plants 

 are naturally strong and vigorous. 



Developing An Own-Root Standard. The fundamental proposition 

 in developing an own-root standard is securing of a good stem of de- 

 sirable height and that is the product of a strong root, and root 

 strength is in part due to leaf-action. Therefore to get a shoot of satis- 

 factory size, one usually has to encourage growth in bush form and 

 to give the little plant advantage of all the leaf growth on the small 

 shoots it makes at first and wait for the appearance of the strong 

 sucker-like shoot which it will usually make in the second year after 

 planting, if it is naturally a strong grower and becomes well estab- 

 lished. Let this shoot grow unchecked and blossom. Then cut back 

 to whatever bud below the bloom-'head is nearest to the height you 

 prefer as the top of your main stem. Laterals will begin to grow from 

 several buds just below this point and of these reserve three or four 

 which are properly placed to secure symmetrical branching, and pinch 

 out the others. This will usually be done in the fall or winter pruning 

 and then all the growth except the single stem is to be removed and 

 the stem itself tied to a stake for support and protection. All rejected 

 shoots should not be merely cut at the ground surface: remove the soil 

 and cut them away cleanly close to the root and thus remove the 

 dormant buds which are usually numerous at their bases. This causes 

 the root to throw all its force into the single shoot which you have 

 chosen for the standard and the growth of its laterals is thus made 



