138 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



consolidate to form fruit buds. But if we cut back 

 these strong shoots in winter, when there are no 

 leaves and all is at rest, the roots when they wake 

 in the spring try to make up the balance of the 

 foliage by strong luxuriant growth equal to that 

 which has been cut off. 



So it is with our standard briars. If we cut off 

 any shoots in summer, we hinder the roots from 

 attaining their full development. But if we cut 

 them off in winter, when the roots have attained to 

 their maximum and are resting, their full strength 

 can be devoted to the buds in the spring. 



But some of the advocates for the removal of 

 those branches which are not to be budded have 

 given their reasons for the advice. They say the 

 object is to divert the entire strength of the plant 

 into the selected shoots before they are budded. 

 This is not quite correct : the full strength of the 

 plant will be lost, for the check to the roots will be 

 considerable. Yet it is true that the selected shoots 

 will grow more vigorously, for the plant will try to 

 make up the balance in both ways, in lessened root 

 power and also increased growth in such branches 

 as remain. But, in the first place, we do not want 

 such extra stout branches to bud on ; if big enough, 

 the union will be better than on a very large shoot, 

 because a small one will have to swell and increase 

 with the strong growth rising from it. And, in the 

 second place, what we do want especially is as 

 much extension and strength in the roots as we can 

 get for the support of the maiden growth of the 

 Eose. 



It is naturally much easier to bud upon standard 

 stocks where some of the shoots have been removed 



