GENERAL HINTS. 71 



As to blooming, it should not be allowed until the growth is vigor- 

 ous, for it comes miserably poor, if at all. The second year, it is more 

 reconciled to its place, and the thiM may be considered a fair trial. 

 Take the very best Rose we have, and grow it badly, the result wUl 

 be bad flowers ; but, if this be the case with well-known varieties, 

 how cautious ought we to be of condemning a candidate for our favors 

 when we have no evidence of its real character. ^ Rose growers say 

 it is impossible to tell, after a^removal, v?Bat 'a So'sS"^ught to be by 

 what it is; that it ought to be tried three Reasons before condemna- 

 tion, and not be discarded under an idea that it is useless, merely 

 because it flowers badly, which is not always the case. A Rose wiU 

 sometimes be for several years only middling, when, if it Jiked the 

 ground, it would be excellent. 



When you have a Rose, first you should cut away all bruised parts 

 of the root, and see that all the broken ends of the shoots in the 

 ground, or root shoots, are smooth ; then plant it the first year in 

 good strong fresh loam, from a pasture. If rotten dung be at the 

 bottom, so much the better, but do not let the dung touch the roots. 

 Out nothing back of the head or bud shoot, or if it be an established 

 head, cut nothing back until you see the buds swelling, so as to enable 

 you to calculate what portion is aUve, and what has died back. As 

 soon as this is indicated by the growing of the buds, cut away clean 

 to the tree all the branches which may have perished. When these 

 are removed, you see what head you have to depend on, and how 

 much you may cut back without losing an opportunity of forming or 

 improving a head for the next season. For instance, all the branches 

 but one will often die back, and be forced to be removed by the knife. 

 Had the pruning at first been close, and each branch cut back to two 

 eyes, there would be but two, of course, left on the only Uving one, 

 and but two shoots could be had from them ; having, however, dis- 

 covered that but one branch is left, this has to be preserved somewhat 

 longer, and therefore should be pruned to four or five, instead of two 

 eyes. These may be managed to form branches all round the tree, or 

 rather at such distance as prudence dictates, due regard being had to 

 the strength of the plant. If the tree takes off vigorously, and the 

 wood grows Very strong, the bloom is pretty sure to be inferior, as 

 indeed is the case when almost any plant runs to wood ; so that it is 



