116 
If dormant roots have been used, go over them now with 
the pruning shears and cut back each cane to three or four 
eyes or buds, being careful to cut about a quarter of an inch 
above an outside bud, that the plant may develop with an 
open center. (See the ac- 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
late in the Fall. 
the lower buds, but to shed off any surplus water, which, if 
it accumulates and freezes around the base of the plant, in- 
variably leads to doing great damage. 
36-0" ——s 
April, 1912 
This serves not only to thoroughly protect 
The Winter mulch 
should be left on until after 
companying illustration.) 
After planting, the bed 
should be carefully finished 
off with a steel rake, so that 
the surface is left fine and 
even. If the bed has been 
thoroughly prepared and the 
planting carefully done, the 
battle is practically won, but 
some care is necessary 
through the entire Summer. 
ROSE-CULTURE HINTS 
First of all, the beds 
should be frequently gone G - 4 HYBRID AUSTRIAN BRIER 
POO - ARBOR OVER ENTRANCE 
over—every two weeks or 
oftener in dry weather—to 
maintain a soil mulch to preserve all the moisture possible. 
This surface cultivation should always be given immediately 
afterahardrain. If this is kept up, watering will not be neces- 
sary except in extreme drouth. ‘These cultivations should 
be shallow—not more than about two inches deep—and a 
flat-tined fork or prong hoe is the best tool to use. Secondly, 
keep the flowers cut! Take the opening buds in the morn- 
ing, every day or every other day. If they are wanted on 
the bushes, cut off all faded blooms every day or two. In 
cutting, always take the stems a little above an outside bud. 
The stems may be cut as long as desired, and at least two 
eyes should be taken with the flower. During the blooming 
period the plants will be greatly helped by additional fertili- 
zation. ‘This may be given in the formula mentioned above, 
or in the immediate acting form of liquid manure. ‘To pre- 
pare this get a tight barrel—a heavy, strong “pork” barrel 
can be had of the grocer or the butcher for about thirty- 
five cents. Put this in a convenient place—a good way is 
to sink it a third to half its depth into the ground—and put 
into it about half a bushel of manure, preferably from cows. 
Renew from time to time and keep the barrel full of water. 
Do not apply the dry soil without giving it a watering with 
the hose is a needed reminder. 
PROTECTION 
After the first blooming season is over a ‘‘mulch”’ may be 
used instead of the shallow cultivation, if desired. ‘This 
should be of fine old manure, which will not bake or form 
hard lumps, put on three or four inches thick. Do not 
continue the extra feeding in the Fall, as the canes should 
be allowed to “ripen” as much as possible before cold 
weather, especially those of the ever-blooming classes. 
Hybrid Teas and other sorts not as hardy as the Hybrid 
Perpetuals and Climbers should be given Winter protection 
north of Philadelphia. The idea that this protection is to 
keep frost away from the plants should be at once discarded ; 
it is to keep them from alternate freezing and thawing, 
from starting too early in the Spring, and to keep off cold 
north minds during mid-Winter. 
Either dry manure or leaves may be used for this pur- 
pose. One of the neatest, best and easiest mulches to use 
is dry leaves, held in place by a twelve or eighteen-inch strip 
of chicken wire run around the outside of the bed and sup- 
ported by small stakes. If necessary, a few pine boughs 
may be placed over the top to keep them from blowing. 
This protection should be put on after the first hard frost— 
you see, the idea is not to prevent the roots from freezing, 
but to keep them frozen. In colder climates, north of 
New York, a very good plan with the Hybrid Teas and 
Teas is to draw dry earth up around the base of each plant 
@- POSTS 
42! 3-0"-x—.—- IEG} — Sa 4 0k —— T0720" 
O- 12 HARDY CLIMBERS — ABOUT 4 FEET APART 
@- 24 HYBRID PERPETUALS AND HYBRID TEAS 
+- 16 "BABY" RAMBLERS AND POLYANTHUS 
Diagram plan of a small Rose garden 
the severe frosts of Spring, 
and then, beginning about 
April rst, remove gradually. 
Any old manure or leaves 
that are too rotted to be 
picked up readily may be dug 
into the soil with the new 
dressing of manure, which 
should be dug into the soil 
every Spring after the Spring 
pruning. 
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PRUNING 
The matter of pruning is 
one of the most important 
and least’ understood of all 
Rose operations. -We have 
already spoken of pruning dormant stock after planting. 
After blooming Hybrid Perpetuals and Hybrid Teas should 
be cut back a third to one half. Sometimes the bush Roses 
will send up thick, pithy, rapidly-grown stalks, resémbling 
Raspberry’ canes, late in the Fall, and these are usually 
worthless and best cut off. Any canes that are top-heavy or 
so long as to be likely to whip in the wind should also be 
shortened back. The main pruning for all bush Roses, how- 
ever, should be given in the Spring. Begin with the hardiest 
sorts in March. All dead wood and weak shoots should be 
cut out first. The degree to which the remaining shoots 
should be cut back will depend on whether you prefer extra 
quality to abundance of bloom or not. If you do, cut them 
all back to within three or four eyes of the main stem. 
Otherwise, cut back to six to ten eyes. Where a tall bush 
is wanted, or one to grow against a walk, for instance, leave’ 
three or four feet tall. As a rule, strong-growing plants 
should not be cut down so severely as the least robust sorts. 
In April, as their covering is removed and as soon as the 
buds begin to swell, prune the Hybrid Teas and other ten- 
derer sorts. Cut out all dead or weak wood, as with the 
Hybrid Perpetuals. Twice the number of eyes may be left 
that would be proper for the hardy sorts. The Hardy 
Climbers are best given their severest pruning just after the 
flowering period, cutting out most of the wood that is three 
years old. The object in doing it at this time is to conserve 
the strength of the plant for developing the newer growth 
for next year’s blossoms. (In this the Climbers differ from 
the bush Roses, which do their prettiest on new wood of 
the present season’s growth.) Any weak, broken or Winter- 
killed shoots should be cut out in the Spring. 
INSECT PESTS 
The well-cared-for Rose garden is not likely to be both- 
ered by insect or disease enemies. If any trouble is experi- 
enced, spray frequently with Bordeaux Arsenate of Lead 
mixture, which protects against both classes of enemies. If 
the green fly (aphis) becomes troublesome, use aphine or 
some form of tobacco. 
VARIETIES 
The varieties of Roses are so numerous that lack of space 
makes it impossible to attempt any lengthy description here. 
I name below a few of the best in each class. In making 
your selections, get two or three of the best catalogues and 
go over them carefully, keeping in mind that size and color 
of bloom are not the only qualities required in a satisfac- 
tory garden Rose. If your selections are made from the 
list below, you may know that you are getting sorts that 
have given excellent general satisfaction. This list compris- 
ing some fifty sorts, is meant to serve merely as a guide. 
