ROSES 73 



Again, if good quality blooms are desired rather than quantity, the 

 shoots must be cut rather harder. 



Hybrid Perpetuals. These vary considerably in growth ; some 

 sorts are much more vigorous than others. A good general rule to follow 

 is to cut back the less vigorous varieties to within 3 inches or 4 inches 

 of the old wood, varying this according to the habit of growth, leaving 

 in the case of the vigorous-growing sorts 9 inches to i foot of the previous 

 year's growth (see illustrations). 



Hybrid Teas. This group is by far the most useful for garden 

 decoration. This section does not require such hard pruning as the 

 Hybrid Perpetuals. If, however, good quality rather than quantity of 

 blooms is desired, cut back the strong-growing sorts to within 4 inches 

 or 5 inches of the old wood. Thinning out of weak shoots is very im- 

 portant to allow the strong shoots to develop. These can be left 12 inches 

 to 15 inches in length. If there is room to peg down the shoots the 

 entire length, blooms will be produced from every bud. The side growths 

 should be cut back to one or two buds. There are in this section a 

 number of weak-growing sorts Liberty and White Lady, for example 

 which are better if cut fairly hard back, say, to within 3 inches or 4 inches 

 of the old wood (see illustrations). 



Teas. The growths of the plants in this group suffer rather severely 

 from frost except where well protected. With many of the bushes all 

 that is necessary is to cut off the injured shoots and remove the pithy 

 and weakly growths. Where the plants have been protected, cut back 

 the weak growers to within about 3 inches, and the strong growers to 

 8 inches or 9 inches of the old wood (see illustrations). 



Standards. These are usually cut back on the same lines as advised 

 for bush Roses, but rather hard to keep the heads in shape, although 

 during recent years standards with large heads are becoming more 

 popular, while weeping standards of Wichuraiana Roses are very beauti- 

 ful. From the latter remove thin, weakly shoots, allowing those which 

 remain plenty of space. 



Climbing Roses. Broadly speaking, the chief point to be remem- 

 bered when pruning climbing and dwarf Roses is that while the latter 

 produce their flowers on the shoots that will grow during the coming 

 summer on the current year's shoots the blooms of the climbing Rose 

 come from older shoots and largely from those of the previous year. 

 Thus the pruning that suits the interests of one class would be ruinous 

 to those of the other. The best time to do the chief pruning among 

 climbing Roses is soon after the flowering season is over. If this is 

 carried out the only thing to do in spring the correct time to prune 

 bush and standard Roses is to cut off a few inches, 6 inches, 9 inches 

 or 12 inches, as may be necessary, from the ends of the shoots if the 

 wood there is green and soft, or as generally termed " unripened." Such 

 soft wood as this is of no value, and its buds would not burst into growth 

 of sufficient strength to produce flowers. Moreover, cutting off the 

 unripened end strengthens the remainder of the shoot and helps to 

 produce stronger flowering growths. The Rose grower should always 



