136 



The Rose Garden. 



full sunlight. From the earliest period of growth it is necessary to look them over occa- 

 sionally, with the design of encouraging such shoots as maintain the best position, 

 and checking those whose tendency is to exclude others from a fair rate of growth 

 and destroy the symmetry of the plants. Weak shoots should be cut out, and dis- 

 budding practised freely. If two or three eyes burst from the same point, threatening 

 to crowd or cross each other, the least promising should be at once removed. 



Most of the plants shifted into 48 or 32-sized pots in spring will, if they flourish 

 well, require a second shift in July, when 24 and i6-sized pots may be made use of 



Fig. 35. POT ROSE, two years old. 



and the same soil as before. When re-potting, the crock may be removed from the 

 bottom of the ball, and the surface soil, which is apt to become sour, rubbed carefully 

 away, so far as can be done without disturbing the roots. 



A nice judgment is required in shifting the Chinese and Tea-scented Roses, as they 

 are very liable to suffer from over-potting. As a guide on this point turn them care- 

 fully out of the pots once or twice a year to examine the roots ; if found protruding 

 from the ball of earth in great abundance, place the plants in larger pots ; if it be 

 otherwise put them back in the same. The hardy and robust growers may, however, 

 be cultivated on the one-shift system, that is, changed at once from small to large 

 pots ; but this treatment will not suit the small and delicate growers. 



Above (Fig. 35) is shown a plant two years' old, having been grown the first 

 year in a smaller pot. It is now autumn, and it is losing its leaves. It needs no 

 thinning, as it has been disbudded during spring and summer, on the principles 



