78 AROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN 



larger flowers; while for the largest and finest individual 

 blossoms the plants should be very severely pruned. 



Beginning with the hybrid perpetuals, which are the 

 hardiest and most robust in growth among the garden 

 roses, cut out clear to the ground all but four to eight canes, 

 and cut these back from a third to a half. For large flowers, 

 cut these remaining canes back to four to eight eyes or buds 

 from the ground. The hybrid teas, many of which are 

 comparatively weak growing, will need more severe pruning, 

 but they can be cut back until the garden looks like a collec- 

 tion of stubs without in any way injuring the quality, and 

 not greatly lessening the quantity, of their flowers. Leave 

 canes placed as evenly as possible and as spreading as pos- 

 sible so that the bush will have an open center. Always cut 

 about a quarter of an inch above an outside eye, so the new 

 branch will grow outward. 



Occasionally a rose bush will throw up a very strong- 

 growing cane looking quite different from the others and 

 bearing very few or no buds. Such a growth should be cut 

 out. If each leaflet has seven parts instead of five you may 

 know that the cane springs from below the collar or graft of 

 a budded rose, and unless it is destroyed it will be likely to 

 kill all the upper part of the plant. 



The rambler roses are of an entirely different type and 

 should not be pruned early in spring further than to cut out 

 any very old, diseased or broken wood, or to cut the plant 

 into more shapely form. In this case all the live wood that 

 is cut away does sacrifice flowers. The rugosas or Japanese 

 roses, which are very hardy, require little pruning except 

 to cut the old canes clear to the ground when they become 

 too thick. The same is true of roses belonging to the Bour- 

 bon, China and polyantha classes the latter including 

 most of the dwarf and baby roses. 



Roses may be bought as dormant roots or as potted plants 

 in active growth. The dormant roots should be planted as 

 early as it is possible to work the soil. Growing plants 

 should not be set out until after danger from frost. The 

 bed should be dug out to a depth of two or three feet, and 



