10 



BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



PRUNING BUSH ROSES 



The left-hand figure shows how to prune a dwarf 

 Hybrid Perpetual, and the right-hand figure 

 how to prune a Hybrid Tea. Cross branches 

 should be cut hard back, as shown at A, 

 then the basal bud will grow strongly in the 

 direction shown by the dotted lines B, and 

 strengthen the tree. 



fresh shoots soon break from the short stumps left. Experts, 



however, differ as to whether climbing Roses should be cut back 



in the same way. Some advocate that 

 the long canes should be cut close 

 back to the ground in the spring, 

 and allowed to throw up entirely 

 new shoots from the base. Others 

 declare that this is not necessary. 

 As a rule, amateurs dislike cutting 

 Roses back, much less climbing Roses, 

 and are only too glad to be guided 

 by the expert who recommends non- 

 shortening. The present writers are 

 in favour of non-shortening where 

 the Roses are planted in rich, deep 

 soil ; but if they are to go into 



shallow soil, above gravel or chalk, 



cutting back must be practised. 

 As regards general pruning that 



is, the treatment of the plants in 



future years when well established 



growers may be advised to proceed 



on the following lines : (i) Dwarfs. 



Prune varieties which form summer 



shoots of about the thickness of 



lead-pencils back to within six buds 



of the base every spring, but allow 



varieties which form shoots as thick 



as the finger to extend two or three 



feet, and merely trim the tips, and 



the weak breast wood which forms 



on the main stems. (2) Standards. The great majority of the 



Roses which are grown as standards form summer shoots of 



PRUNING STANDARD AND CLIMBING ROSES 



Left-hand figure. In pruning a standard Rose the 

 branches should be cut back to the dark lines. 

 Right-hand figure. Pruning a climbing Rose. 

 A and B, weakly and cross branches cut out ; 

 C, unripe tips of other branches cut off. 



