Pruning Neglected Roses. 105 



growth may not be misplaced here. Such are often met with. Usually the fault has 

 been the fear of pruning too much ; the branches have consequently become strag- 

 gling and the tree unsightly. To deal with these the best plan is to cut back some 

 of the branches almost close to the base of the head, either main branches or yearling 

 shoots, one here and there in different places. These will produce shoots near home, 

 and by pruning such close the following year and removing some of the older shoots 

 the head is brought into a more compact form. 



We have here a plant (Fig. 27), the form of which, we think, none will be bold 

 enough to advocate. The flowers are produced just at the top of the branches, and 

 numerous naked, weak, unsightly branches appear near the base of the head. We 

 must remodel this tree, and in attempting this we first cut the main branches off 



Fig. 27. ATTEMPT TO RECOVER AN OLD PLANT THAT HAS SUFFERED FROM NEGLECT, OR Too LITTLE PRUNING. 



at a a. But, says the tyro, there are no buds left visible on the stumps. True ; but 

 the practised hand knows well that they exist there although not visible. It is our 

 business to develop them. If we shorten in the surrounding branches tolerably close, 

 leaving only that part of the tree which is shown by the dark shading, we shall succeed 

 in doing this ; the eyes, too, will most likely shoot forth with uncommon vigour. We 

 view this as we should a young tree ; our first aim is to form it aright. This we may 

 often do in one year by the help of disbudding, without it two years will be required. 



Trees that have become weakly are generally much improved by close pruning, so 

 are those small-growing kinds which flower so constantly that it is rare to see a shoot 

 not terminated with flowers at whatever season it may be developed. Of these we 

 may give Boule de Neige and Duke of Wellington as examples, and be it remarked 

 that a rich soil is found as indispensable a condition for their well-doing as close 

 pruning. 



