1881.] TRANSACTIONS. 11 



It is not my practice to prune my plants in the Autumn, 

 except of such kinds as make an excessive growth ; these I cut 

 back in a measure to prevent their being beaten or broken by 

 the wind ; in tlie Spring the plants are pruned thoroughly, tlie 

 moderate growers down to two or three eyes, and the crowded 

 shoots taken out ; the very robust-growing kinds should be left 

 longer, about eight or nine inches in length, the smaller slioots to 

 four or five inches. Endeavor to keep the plant in good shape in 

 trimming, leaving all parts exposed as much as possible to the 

 influence of the sun, and the judgment of the operator must be 

 the guide in producing this effect. Moss roses require a similar 

 treatment in pruning, as they are generally short jointed, mod- 

 erate growers, and the eyes have a particularly dormant or almost 

 dead appearance, and should be trimmed back to within tvvo or 

 three inches of the previous year's wood ; vigorous kinds like 

 Crested, Laneii, Baron de Wassenaer, can be left longer. It is 

 often desirable to prolong the blooming season of the plants, 

 which can be accomplished by trimming a portion ten days or a 

 fortnight after the first pruning. This is particularly applicable 

 to the Moss, which has a naturally brief season, unless it is pro- 

 longed by accelerating or retarding the blooms by this divided 

 method of pruning. It might be well to mention as an exception 

 the Persian Yellow, which should be pruned ever}'^ other year, 

 and blooms only on each intervening year, for although without 

 trimming at all, we could get some blooms every year, the plant 

 would become unhealthy and die ; so that to overcome this, and 

 preserve the Rose, we must on the intervening season, sacrifice 

 its beauty to the knife. By having two plants with this system 

 of pruning, we can secure one for blooming each year. All the 

 prunings from the Rose and other sources in the Spring are 

 gathered and burned and the ashes spread abi»ut the plants as a 

 fertilizer. 



There is evidently a great difference in the constitution of 

 hardy hybrid Roses, as has been proved by success or failure 

 under tlie varying influences of climate, soil or stock, and as 

 some results of my individual experience may prove suggestive, 

 I append a list of a few which have been successful under my 

 system of culture. 



Duke of Edinl)urgh, one of the strongest and most hardy; 

 color, brilliant scarlet crimson, very fine ; Monsieur Paul Neron, 

 vigorous and iiardy, pale rose, immensely large : Pierre Notting, 

 very hardy, good habit, strong grower, blackish crimson, beau- 

 tiful form, but alas ! how seldom do we find a fully developed 

 and perfect flower ! A bright sun apparently scorches the petals 

 in the bud. As a notable exception to this fatal defect, we can 



