NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 137 



midday sun. As soon as new roots are formed, give them 

 plenty of air, and draw off the lights every fine dry day. 

 Water must be plentifully supplied during the growing 

 season, saturating the pots at each watering. Use liquid 

 manure once a week. The tea roses must, however, be 

 watered less abundantly, as they are impatient of water at 

 their roots. The tender kinds would pass the winter more 

 securely in the pit, but the hardy ones should be removed 

 -out of it, and plunged in a bed of coal ashes, there to remain 

 till the time arrives to start them into growth. 



On the Pruning of Roses. As regards the time for 

 pruning, some recommend Autumn or Winter, while others 

 advise its being done in August and September. We like 

 the latter season best. By Winter pruning the buds break in 

 the latter part of the Winter, and are almost sure to be cut 

 off by frosts in September and October. Pruning effects 

 two objects : it makes compact, handsome trees, free from 

 weak shoots and dead wood, and it increases the amount ei 

 floral beauty throughout the Summer and Autumn. It is 

 susceptible of three divisions first, long : second, moderate; 

 and third, close pruning. 



Long Pruning is employed for all strong, vigorous, free- 

 growing kinds. The consequence of a vigorous growing 

 rose being closer pruned is that it will make a quantity of 

 strong shoots, generally springing from the crown close to 

 the stock, and very likely no flower during the whole year 

 at all events, not until late in Autumn. The proper plan is 

 to leave from five to eight strong shoots, placed as regularly 

 .as possible, to cut them back, so as to leave four or five buds 

 of last year's wood, and then carefully to prune away all 

 weak and dead branches. Roses do not flower well in the 

 centre of the bush, and, therefore, that part should be well 

 thinned out, leaving the branches as free of each other as 

 possible. As a general rule, it is not right to cut into the 

 bush below the preceding year's wood ; but when the trees 

 become old it is necessary now and then to cut away a 

 portion of the old wood, which becomes clubbed, and this 

 applies more or less to all rose trees. It should be removed 

 -with a saw, of small size and the wounds afterwards 



