174 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



removal of the old wood. It will also leave less wood 

 and briers to collect and hold dead leaves and grass 

 during winter, which must be taken out, at the ex- 

 pense of bleeding fingers, in the spring. Bushes which 

 grow upright with little wood at the base are more 

 easily cared for. Only strong, new growths should 

 be left, which will break freely and give firm new 

 wood, producing fine flowers. Breaking means the 

 starting of young leaf-buds at the axils of each leaf, 

 which sprout and form new branches. It is the new 

 wood that bears the flowers, so that its growth should 

 be encouraged. The fewer shoots allowed to grow 

 the finer will be the flowers. 



Cultivate thoroughly in spring and fall and give 

 a heavy mulch of lawn clippings during summer. 

 Mulch heavily with coarse manure in the fall, digging 

 in the best of it in the spring. It is not necessary to 

 give winter protection, though it is best to wrap the 

 tops with straw when exposed to cold winds. 



Hardy climbers should have all weak shoots re- 

 moved, and branches that are too long shortened. 

 Thin out a part of the canes to give room for air and 

 growth, and remove all wood that has grown too hard 

 to break, as it will produce no new wood and is only 

 an incumbrance. 



For the summer rose-bed nothing equals the Hy- 

 brid Teas, which bloom from June until frost. If 

 young plants are purchased in the spring they may be 

 bedded out at once, if sent by express with the ball of 



