112 COMMERCIAL ROSE CULTURE 



set closer, but should never be planted so close together as to 

 interfere with cultivating or with their proper development. 

 As early in the Spring as the ground can be worked is the 

 best time to plant, although the plants may be set out up to 

 the first of June with fair success. I once saw a lot of imported 

 stock delayed in shipment, planted out the last week in May 

 which, thanks to a cold June, did remarkably well. 



For late planting plants from pots or benches can be relied 

 upon for good results, or plants may be set out in the Fall. 



Roses on their own roots may be planted just below the 

 surface of the ground, but grafted stock should be set out two 

 or three inches below the graft. Hybrid Teas from under glass 

 may be planted out at any time in the Summer. These delight 

 in a warm, dry soil, unlike the heavier and moister soil required 

 for Hybrid Perpetuals. If the stock taken from the benches is 

 cut down halfway, or even lower, it will break strongly and 

 give good flowers during the Summer. Never allow any stock 

 to lie around so that the roots become dry before being planted ; 

 if at all dry, soak the roots and prune off any broken ones before 

 planting. Tread down firmly, after planting, and cultivate to 

 keep the ground from caking on the top. The spring work 

 will consist of, first 



PRUNING 



This is generally done in the Spring in latitudes where the 

 plants are dormant all Winter. The weak growing varieties 

 should be pruned to three or four eyes from the ground, but 

 the strong growing kinds may be left twice that length. The 

 harder they are cut back the more vigorous will be the new 

 wood and the larger the flowers on the Hybrid Perpetuals. 



Varieties like the Banksia, Crimson Rambler, and others 

 which flower from the shoots produced the previous year, re- 

 quire little pruning. They may require to be shortened back 

 a little, but, if cut down, they will produce an abundance of 



