VI PRUNING 103 



the rule is nevertheless in strict accordance with the 

 law of nature— Darwin's survival of the fittest — and 

 the law of God, " Whosoever hath, to him shall be 

 given." I have elsewhere (p. 84) endeavoured to 

 show that the same rule applies in Eose-growing to 

 the application of liquid manure to strong and 

 weakly plants, and to the number of each variety 

 which should be grown by those who are not 

 exhibitors. 



A wise editor used to give as his advice to young 

 authors in whom he had confidence, " Don't argue — 

 lay down the law " ; and the counsel of a judge to 

 judges of all sorts to give their sentences without 

 their reasons is well known as pointing out the 

 most useful and prudent course to pursue. But the 

 reason for the above rule in pruning seems so clear 

 that I think it should be added. In proportion as a 

 plant is strong in growth, from the natural habit of 

 the variety or in a less degree from the condition of 

 . the individual, leave more buds, to perhaps six as a 

 maximum, on each shoot ; because the strong grower 

 has the capability of supplying several buds on each 

 shoot with a sufficiency of sap for good blooms, and 

 if a due number be not allowed, the shoots will 

 either run to wood without flower or produce coarse 

 and ill-shaped blooms. And in proportion as a 

 variety or plant is weakly in growth, fewer buds 

 should be left ; because the weak grower has only 

 sufficient strength to supply sap to one or two buds 

 on each shoot, and if more are left the power will 

 not be sufficiently concentrated to form good blooms. 

 The general habit of the variety should therefore be 

 well borne in mind in determining how many buds 

 to leave on each shoot; remembering always, with a 



