Pruning of Pillar Roses. 



99 



abundant flow of the sap furnishes them with means of free growth, and favours the 

 rise of the plant. The small lateral or side shoots are now cut back to three or four 

 eyes. If in any spot, as at /, the pillar is thin, we cut a shoot back to one or two 

 eyes, and thus get a strong shoot or two, by which we fill the vacuity the next season. 

 We do not reckon much on flowers the second year if desirous of perfecting the 

 pillars quickly ; but the third Spring after planting we find them of considerable 

 height, and in every condition to produce an abundant bloom. Another year, and 

 they blaze forth in full magnificence. 



Fig. 20. PILLAR or POLE ROSE, Stage i. 



Fig. 21. PILLAR or POLK ROSE, Stage 2. 



We continue to follow this method of procedure from time to time, tying up the 

 leading shoots till the pillar is covered the desired height, which perhaps should not 

 exceed twelve feet. The lateral shoots of short growth with well-ripened wood are 

 those which produce flowers with the greatest certainty : they may be shortened in, 

 to four or six eyes. 



Pillar Roses send up almost invariably strong shoots from the base of the plant 

 during Summer and Autumn. These, if not wanted, may be cut out as soon as 

 discovered : but it is well to leave one or two, as they may often be made use of to 

 keep the pillar in a vigorous state when perfected, or to renovate it when decaying ; 

 by keeping up a constant supply of young shoots the old hide-bound stems may be 

 removed as they exhibit symptoms of debility, without marring the beauty or deteriorating 



