166 



The Rose Garden. 



like roots, about the thickness of one's little finger, almost destitute of fibre, and which 

 have been burying themselves deeper and deeper in the earth every succeeding year. 

 Thus they become placed farther and farther from the reach of nourishment, while the 

 tree, increasing in size, requires a greater supply. The consequence is, the tree 

 dwindles and becomes debilitated. This is especially the case when deep planting 

 has been practised. When this state of things is visible the plants should either be 

 root-pruned, or, which is better, taken up altogether and replanted. Let this be done 

 early in the Autumn ; and when the plants are out of the ground cut off all the suckers, 

 and shorten the roots moderately close, which will induce an abundant emission of 



Fig. 52. PYRAMID ROSE IN BLOOM MADAME PLAN-TIER. 



fibres. Prune the heads closely in Spring ; never mind sacrificing the flowers ; the 

 removal of trees of this age, and the shortening of the roots, would alone prevent a 

 perfect flowering the first season : look only to the formation of the tree. It is, 

 perhaps, not advisable to remove the whole at once, let a few be thus treated every 

 year ; for the second year after replanting, having regained their vigour, they may be 

 expected to flower as beautifully as ever. 



Every Rose-tree should be named. Wooden labels answer very well. They should 

 be three-quarters of an inch wide, three inches long, and about the eighth of an inch in 

 thickness. In one end of these a hole may be pierced with an awl, and copper wire 

 passed through, by which they are fastened on the branches. Wooden labels are 



