64 PRUNING. 



spurs or phortened branches left on, clear away a bit by cutting them 

 off. Always remember that Standard Roses for appearance should not 

 be too closely pruned ; but for showing, when the individual blooms 

 are shown, a multiplicity of flowers is against size. We can hardly 

 recommend too strongly the necessity of what we shall call spring 

 pruning, which is, in fact, nipping the mischief in the bud, watching 

 the development of the newly coming branches, and removing all but 

 the number there is good room for ; and as this has not been treated 

 of at any length, if at all, we may fairly request attention to it. 



The three cuts which are in illustration of this article, though not 

 very accurate, show the first year's growth of two buds placed in a 

 stock, with dotted Unes at the place we should cut them ; the second 

 year's growth after such cutting, with dotted lines where we should 

 cut them again; and the third year's growth is indicated by lines 

 which give some idea of it. But neither of these cuts is exactly what 

 we like ; first, because our pen and ink sketches were imperfect, we 

 being unable to draw exactly what we wanted ; and secondly, because 

 the artist, who could have drawn it, did not know what we wanted. 

 There is enough, however, done to assist in om- lesson on Pruning 

 Standards, though not to the extent we wished. 



Pruning and Training Pillar Roses. 



Although we have touched on the pruning of bushes, and upon the 

 pruning of climbers when first planted, it only related to the mere 

 operation of pruning them for growth, in the position they were to 

 remain ; and here, for the sake of the poor roses themselves, and the 

 pillars they are to ornament, we will suppose they are cut down to the 

 ground, or nearly so, and have made a fresh growth, or rather are 

 making fresh growth. Pillars for roses ought to be a foot in diameter, 

 and are best made of trellis work or rods of iron, or, if it must be so, 

 of wood; but they ought to be one foot through. As the leading 

 shoots come, they ought to be wound spirally round the pillar, at such 

 distance from each other as will enable them to fiU up the space be- 

 tween with foUage ; their leading shoots then constitute the tree, and 

 all the side shoots bear their blooms, and form a, pillar of roses. We 

 do not mean that this is all done in a year, though some kinds go a 



