Round the Year in the Garden 



the soil, the slit portion being pegged down firmly and 

 covered with sandy compost. The branch may be suffi- 

 ciently rooted for lifting by March, though it is really 

 better to leave it undisturbed until the following autumn. 



Pruning Climbing Roses. Most climbing Roses bear 

 the finest flowers upon shoots of the previous summer's 

 growth, and the gardener's object should be to cut out 

 the older stems that have already flowered, to make room 

 for the fresh ones. This work ought to be undertaken late 

 in July or early in August. It is not possible to treat all 

 climbing Roses alike. Some varieties produce fresh stems 

 so freely that all the old ones may be cut out ; this is the 

 case with many of the Dorothy Perkins type of Rose. 

 When fresh stems from the base are few in number, discrim- 

 ination as to which, if any, shall be cut out is essential. 

 It often happens that only the upper part of an old stem 

 can be removed, because a new shoot originates, not at its 

 base, but some distance above. If, however, the object is 

 kept in view to cut out the old and make way for the 

 new, the work will be found simple. The best way of 

 carrying out summer pruning is to detach all stems and 

 place them on the ground; the useless stems are then 

 easily removed. An opportunity is thus given to destroy 

 old ties, which often harbour insects, and to replace them 

 with fresh ones, while the posts can be renewed if this is 

 necessary. Only in this way can the work be carried out 

 really satisfactorily. It is not, however, always possible, 

 owing perhaps to the large size of the Rose, or for other 

 reasons. 



Endeavour should be made to prolong the beauty of 

 the Roses, and to ensure a good display again in late 

 summer and autumn. The surface of the beds must be 

 hoed once or twice a week, and weekly applications of 

 guano or some other quick-acting fertiliser are beneficial. 

 When a bloom has faded the stem ought to be shortened 

 by about one-third ; the result is to force the development 

 of other sturdy growths that will in due course bear 



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