CHAPTER XI 



PRUNING AND TRAINING. 



N pruning roses at the time of transplanting, 

 the principal object to be attained is relief to 

 the plant by taking away all the wood and 

 branches which the diminished root may not 

 be able to support. The mode of pruning de- 

 pends very much upon the condition of the plant. 

 If it is very bushy, all the weaker branches 

 should be cut away, leaving not more than three or four of the 

 strongest shoots, and shortening even those down to a few eyes. 

 If it is desired that the plant should continue dwarf and bushy, 

 the new wood should be cut down to the last two eyes, and every 

 half grown or slender shoot cut out. These two eyes will each 

 throw out a branch ; then cut these branches down to the two 

 eyes and again their produce until a symmetrical habit is formed, 

 with close, thick foliage. There should not be sufficient wood 

 allowed to remain to make it crowded ; and if there should be 

 danger of this, some of the branches, instead of being cut down 

 to tw^o eyes should be cut out altogether. 



Climbing roses, when planted, should be cut down almost to 

 the ground, and also carefully thinned out. Only a few of the 

 strongest branches should be preserved, and the new wood of these 

 cut down to two eyes each. 



