PRUNING 



more perfect than the average flowers. However, 

 they do not surpass the average bloom recommended 

 to any marked degree, and they cut down the num- 

 ber of flowers so greatly that they are not worth the 

 sacrifice they entail except for exhibition purposes. 



The bush should be carefully and thoroughly 

 pruned according to the rules given above, an 

 additional and very necessary point being that the 

 cut ought to be made not less than one-quarter of 

 an inch above the bud and not more than one-half 

 of an inch from it. The cut should not be straight 

 across, that is, parallel with the ground, but should 

 be slanting. This will keep the water from rotting 

 out the wood too quickly before the bud starts 

 and the shoots are established. In other words, 

 one might say that the cut would drain off water 

 like a roof on a miniature house. The cut should 

 be clean. An ordinary pair of gardening pruning 

 shears is the best implement for this work. These 

 shears must be kept sharp, otherwise they leave rough 

 edges and bruise the bark, which then will not heal. 



The most comfortable way in which to prune is 

 to have a heavy square of carpet placed on the 

 ground on which one may either sit or kneel. It is 

 impossible to do any great amount of pruning unless 

 some such method is used; to keep the dampness 

 from coming through the carpet should be doubled 



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