THE GARDEN AT HOME 



The pruning of newly planted roses is simplicity itself. 

 All growths should be cut to within 3 inches or 4 inches 

 of the base, leaving the more vigorous shoots the greater 

 length. When the roses are established nicer discrimina- 

 tion is needed. But in dealing with bush or dwarf roses 

 it is, I find, better to prune severely. The plants give 

 better blossoms in summer and more of them in autumn, 

 and live longer than when the pruning is light. The 

 strongest growths may be shortened to six or eight buds, 

 and the weaker ones should be cut back so that only 

 two buds are left. Is it necessary to point out that all 

 weak shoots and soft growths, and those that grow across 

 the centre of the bush, should be first cut out, and to 

 say how important it is to cut to a bud that points in 

 an outward direction ? 



The third week in March is the best time for pruning 

 roses generally, though the Teas, being more tender, 

 are usually left until the first or second week in April. 



Some roses commonly grown as bushes make ex- 

 ceptionally vigorous growth, and the best method of 

 dealing with them is to peg down the shoots that is, 

 to attach the end to a peg in the soil, so that they are 

 bent in semicircular form. They will then yield far more 

 blossom than if hard pruned. 



The chief pruning of climbing roses should take place 

 in late summer, when the flowers are past, and should 

 take the form of cutting out a few of the older growths 

 to make room for the fresh ones springing from the base 



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