160 CULTURE OF THE ROSE. 



should be allowed. It will thus make fine growths, and can be 

 plunged in the open ground as soon as danger of frost has passed 

 in the spring. Here it can remain during the summer to ripen 

 its wood, and will require no care except a little watering in dry 

 weathei-j and an occasional taking up and examination that the 

 roots may not push through the hole of the pot and become fixed 

 in the ground, in which case the plants would make too strong 

 growths, and suffer on being removed from the new-made root. 

 In the tenth month (October) it can be placed in a pot one size 

 larger, pruned by thinning out all the weak branches and shorten- 

 ing the strong ones down to two eyes. It should then go through 

 the same process as before, carefully picking off all the flower-buds, 

 promoting its growth until completed, when let it be put in a 

 cold frame until all danger of frost is over, and then plunge it in 

 the ground to ripen its wood. As its vegetation was started a 

 month earlier the last year, it can now be taken up in the ninth 

 month re-potted and pruned as before, and then taken into the 

 green-house. The temperature should then be gradually raised 

 to about 55 until it has commenced growing, and then gradually 

 increased to 65 or 70, giving as much air as can be obtained 

 without lowering the temperature. 



All useless shoots should be kept down, and all the flower-buds 

 taken off that threaten to be abortive. In fumigating for the 

 green-fly, care should be taken not to do it too strongly, but re- 

 peated and gentle doses at night are better. We have known 

 many fine plants ruined by fumigation in the hands of an inex- 

 perienced person. A good bloom can be obtained the second year 

 by this mode, but if the amateur has the patience to wait until 

 a third, he will be rewarded by a thrifty and compact habit, rich 

 foliage, and beautiful bloom for two months before Christmas ; 

 and if there are a number of plants to be brought into the green- 

 house a week after each other, he can have them in bloom until 

 the late forced roses appear. At all periods subsequent to their 

 commencement, care should be taken to give them sufficient 

 moisture and as much air as is consistent with the state of growth 

 and the external temperature. Without water they will neither 



