270 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



and spur last year's wood back to within a few eyes of the 

 old wood. In this way F. suspensa makes strong shoots 4 feet 

 to 5 feet long, which flower from base to summit. F. viridis- 

 sima and F. intermedia should be treated in the same way. 



Prunus. The method of pruning practised for the Plums 

 we use for the dessert and kitchen is suitable for most of the 

 ornamental species and varieties. There are, however, one or 

 two exceptions. P. japonica, flore pleno, is improved by an 

 occasional hard cutting back. This gets rid of old worn-out 

 flowering wood and encourages strong shoots, which flower 

 with great freedom. After flowering spur the shoots back, and 

 prune severely once in every five years. P. tribola, when 

 grown on a wall, should be spurred back after flowering, and 

 long strong shoots encouraged. 



Spiraea. In this family the chief point to attend to is 

 thinning. Most of the species grow naturally into dense 

 bushes, many of the inner shoots being unable to develop 

 through want of space and light. These shoots should be 

 removed to the ground line, leaving only sufficient to form a 

 well-balanced shrub. In the S.japonica group more pruning 

 is necessary. The flowers are borne in large heads on strong, 

 soft shoots of the current season's growth, consequently in 

 addition to well thinning-out the plants, the flowering shoots 

 of last year should be shortened to about half their length, as 

 by this means stronger shoots are made than if no shortening 

 is practised. Strong wood signifies also a greater wealth of 

 finer flowers. Those who possess v9. arguta should peg some 

 of the shoots to the ground when thinning out, as a more 

 effective display results. The double-flowered S. prunifolia 

 may be cut back after flowering to strong back shoots. 



Rubus. Whether grown for their flowers, fruit, or winter 

 effect given by the coloured stems of some species, all are 

 benefited by an annual removal of old wood as soon as flowers 

 and fruit are over. The effect of a group of the beautiful 

 R. deliciosus is quite spoiled when the old wood is left year 

 after year until it becomes a choked muddle of dead wood, 

 with here and there a patch of living growth. By pruning the 

 shrub is kept light and graceful, and it has a longer existence 

 through this timely attention. 



Pyrus. Many are the beautiful Apple trees for lawn and 

 pleasure grounds. The Dartmouth, Fairy, and Siberian and 

 other Crabs. All these need similar treatment to the Apple 

 tree of the orchard. 



Rose. Sufficient is written about Rose-pruning on pages 

 71-73 to satisfy the ordinary rosarian. 



