394 MANUAL OF GARDENING 



Open-ground plants should be set about as deep as they stood 

 previously, excepting budded or grafted plants, which should be set 

 so that the union of the stock and graft will be 2 to 4 inches be- 

 low the surface of the ground. Plants from pots may also be set an 

 inch deeper than they stood in the pots. The soil should be in a fri- 

 able condition. Roses should have the soil compact immediately 

 about their roots; but we should distinguish between planting roses 

 and setting fence posts. The dryer the soil the more firmly it may be 

 pressed. 



As a general statement, it may be said that roses on their own roots 

 will prove more satisfactory for the general run of planters than budded 

 stock. On own-rooted stock, the suckers or shoots from below the 

 surface of the soil will be of the same kind, whereas with budded roses 

 there is danger of the stock (usually Manetti or dog rose) starting into 

 growth and, not being discovered, outgrowing the bud, taking posses- 

 sion, and finally killing out the weaker growth. Still, if the plants 

 are set deep enough to prevent adventitious buds of the stock from 

 starting and the grower is alert, this difficulty is reduced to a minimum. 

 There is no question but that finer roses may be grown than from plants 

 on their own roots, withstanding the heat of the American summer, if 

 the grower takes the proper precautions. 



Pruning roses. 



In pruning roses, determine whether they bloom on canes arising 

 each year from the ground or near the ground, or whether they make 

 perennial tops ; also form a clear idea whether an abundance of fiowers 

 is wanted for garden effects, or whether large specimen blooms are 

 desired. 



If one is pruning the hybrid perpetual or remontant roses (which are 

 now the common garden roses), he cuts back all very vigorous canes 

 perhaps one-half their length immediately after the June bloom is 

 past in order to produce new, strong shoots for fall flowering, and also 

 to make good bottoms for the next year's bloom. Very severe sum- 

 mer pruning, however, is likely to produce too much leafy growth. 

 In the fall, all canes may be shortened to 3 feet, four or five of the 

 best canes being left to each plant. In spring, these canes are again 

 cut back to fresh wood, leaving perhaps four or five good buds on 



