68 JENERAL HINTS. 



the more you leave on, the better for that purpose. In this case, the 

 new wood made is but short, because there is so much of it. If, on 

 the contrary, you desire large blooms, cut away all the strong wood, 

 of the year previous, down to two eyes at the most, and cut all the 

 weak wood out altogether. Indeed, you may go further; for you 

 may cut away half the strong snoots, and lessen the number of eyes 

 still more. 



Again, roses in poor soil will grow and bloom ; their flowers will be 

 smaller, but not less healthy ; their wood will be weaker and shorter, 

 but still sound. The principal danger when a Rose is starved is, that 

 it may come less double ; and this is so serious a fault, that it has 

 occasioned many to be thrown away that did not deserve it, and 

 caused many others to be considered wrong varieties, when they 

 wanted nothing but g6"bd growth to make them right ones. On the 

 other hand, rich soils will cause a Rose to grow enormously ; and all 

 intermediate growths between the strongest and the weakest may be 

 secured according to the soil they are put in to grow. Generally, 

 people fancy that dung is the only thing required ; this is a mistake, 

 loam is required to grow the Rose in perfection ; and if the ground is 

 poor and light, a spadeful of loam and a spadeful of dung will be far 

 better than two spadefuls of dung. This ought to be always mixed 

 with the soil a little, and the Rose planted in it. 



Roses are sadly injured by the wind, and the blooms require fasten- 

 ing to something or other, to prevent their being frayed. The stakes 

 of roses should always be made fast to the Rose, or the roses made fast 

 to the stakes with leaden or copper wire ; because bass matting, or 

 other perishable stuff, will give way when high wind takes them, and 

 they receive a good deal of mischief before they are observed and 

 fastened again. 



Of the roses at present in cultivation, very few which are not semi- 

 double will open out boldly ; and those which are semi-double, are 

 not fit to show as single flowers. There are, however, some which 

 will bear the test of stand-showing, and they not of the dearest or 

 newest. Those, therefore, who desire to grow none but perfect 

 flowers, should state to the dealer, of whom they mean to buy, that 

 their object is to have none but such as will expand and show a good 

 face when fully bloomed, as they purpose growing none others. The 



