THE GARDEN WEEK BY WEEK 



Jan. Rosarians have greatly extended the season of their 

 16-31 favourite flower in the garden by raising a large number 

 of sorts that bloom continuously. But they have not 

 yet got to the point of having Roses in flower in March 

 without the aid of glass. It is a moot point whether we 

 can have Roses too long. 

 Many people would say : 

 "Yes, if getting them early 

 means sticking them into 

 men's buttonholes with a 

 wretched bit of Asparagus 

 or Maidenhair Fern." I 

 suppose it does mean that, 

 but I have not yet been able 

 to work myself into the 

 proper state of disgust at the 

 practice of wearing button- 

 hole flowers. There must be 

 some serious objection to it, 

 or people would not get so 

 angry about it. But really, 

 when I see young Mr. Hosiery make his first task on 

 emerging from the emporium that of buying a button- 

 hole flower, and reflect that a few years ago he would 

 have gone and had a drink instead, I do not feel as 

 strongly tempted as I ought to ask him what he means 

 by it. Do I not know quite well what he means ? And 

 do I not sympathise ? Miss Mantles (who emerges from 

 another door) is undeniably pretty. 



The nurseryman does not charge very much for pot 

 Roses, unless the varieties are new. The first obligation 

 which the grower is under is the unpleasant one of 

 cutting the plants hard back. The greater part of the 

 plants must go, nothing but stumps with a few buds 

 46 



Fig. 20.— Pruning Pot Rose. 



a. Branch to be cut away altogether. 



b. Branches to be cut back to good buds. 



