PRUNING 



not easy to regulate by actual rule but if the principle 

 is understood the proper cutting of roses is a very 

 easy matter. In this, as in spring pruning, the 

 method to be employed depends entirely upon what 

 is desired. Cutting off the blooms insures more. 

 If they are not cut new growth will not start so 

 quickly. For this reason it is advisable to pinch off 

 any blooms which may have been left on the plants. 

 This should be particularly noted with all bedding 

 varieties which are kept for garden decoration and 

 are not usually cut. If a stem is left and the seed 

 pod forms it takes the greater part of the nourish- 

 ment on any shoot, the sap going to the top as has 

 been previously noted. Nature thus provides for 

 the greatest amount of sustenance going to the 

 seed pod. By autumn, if blooms are not cut but 

 pinched, you will have a very much larger plant 

 than if the blooms had been cut, and the plant has 

 perhaps somewhat better foliage. But with us the 

 cutting of flowers is a great pleasure and we like 

 to have them in the house as well as to see them 

 on the bushes, so that the great majority of our 

 blooms are cut and, after the method of pruning 

 which we have advocated, mostly with long stems. 

 If this is what you want you must be a little careful 

 in the cutting of your stems to leave enough buds 

 below the cut on the shoot from which you are 



