142 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



shoots are so forced by high culture and thinning 

 that the buds begin to grow out all up the stems 

 before the flowers open, and a more natural state of 

 things later on must be waited for. A fully developed 

 plump bud is desirable, but this is of less importance 

 than the condition of the shoot, which should not be 

 more than half-ripe, with the sap still flowing freely 

 so that the wood parts easily from the bark. Pro- 

 fessionals will often use a shoot for budding, where 

 some amateurs would say that there were no buds, 

 as none are visible. There is always a bud under 

 every leaf-stalk, and it is far better to use those in 

 this undeveloped condition when the wood will come 

 out satisfactorily than older and more attractive- 

 looking buds which cannot be properly prepared. 



As a rule, buds should always be taken from a shoot 

 which has, or has had, a good bloom on it. Some 

 sorts, like Fran9ois Michelon, often have long strong 

 flowerless shoots, with plenty of good wood buds on 

 them. If these buds be used there is a strong 

 probability of no flowers being produced the first 

 year. In Tea Boses, the buds next to the bloom are 

 generally flattish and pointed instead of round and 

 plump. These should not be used, as they will often 

 produce, if they take, just a poor little bloom upon 

 an inch or two of stalk perhaps with no leaves at all, 

 and soon die. It is safest in all cases not to use the 

 next bud to the bloom. 



The chosen shoots should be cut off with scissors, 

 and all the leaves immediately snipped off, leaving 

 about an inch of footstalk to each. This is not only 

 for convenience, since it must be done before the 

 buds are used, but also because evaporation takes 

 place through the leaves, and the whole shoot will 



