32 THE BOOK OF ROSES. 



year, the action of the wind or of a bird perch- 

 ing upon it, is liable to discompose the graft. 



In March of the following spring, the scion 

 itself may be submitted to the pruning knife. 

 The stock is first cleared, taking care to leave 

 no knobs, and covering the wounds with grafting 

 wax. The scion, or scions, are next cut down, 

 leaving two buds to each ; and all other shoots 

 or sucKers are carefully cleared away. Hence- 

 forward the stock is to be trimmed and attended, 

 like any other rose-tree, and it will produce 

 flowers in the course of the summer. 



OF PRUNING AND TRIMMING. Some gar- 

 deners prepare their rose-trees for spring-prun- 

 ing by a preparatory one in the autumn ; which 

 is superfluous, except for the sake of neatness. 



The tree should be subjected to the pruning 

 knife early in the month of March ; and all 

 dead, sickly, or unsightly branches carefully 

 removed. The shoots of the preceding years 

 should be trimmed down to the second eye, in 

 order to secure fine flowers. A few species, 

 however, require to have longer branches 

 allowed ; while others need only be trimmed of 

 their sprays to produce an abundance of flowers. 

 On this point, experience is the only guide ; for 

 the extent of pruning and trimming depends, 

 not only upon the species of rose, but upon" 

 the situation, soil, and even the temperature of 

 the season. 



