.^62 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



flowering wood should be cut back to an eye of the old wood, 

 and the worn-out growths removed altogether. Garry a elliptica 

 should be pruned in early spring, the object being to encourage 

 vigorous growths, "which, if properly ripened, will flower freely. 

 Of Honeysuckles, Lonicera fragra?7tissima and Z. Standishii should 

 have their old wood thinned out in March. The Winter Jasmine 

 {Jasminum nudifloruiJi) should be attended to about the same time, 

 and if the plant be growing against a wall the main shoots should 

 be secured thereto, and the smaller growths allowed freedom : 

 its effect when in blossom is much prettier than when all the 

 shoots are nailed to the wall. 



Portugal Laurels are best pruned in April, and the Holly 

 in March or August, as there is time for the wounds to heal 

 before growth ceases. With Forsythia suspensa the weak growths 

 should be cut away, and the strong shoots shortened as soon 

 as the blossoming period is over, as shoots 6ft. in length will 

 result, and carry flowers freely the following spring. The Ever- 

 green Cratocgus Py?'aca?2tha should have its weak growths thinned 

 out in early spring, and vigorous growths from the base laid in to 

 take the place of the old shoots. Clusters of berries will thus 

 be borne at the bottom, as well as at the top of the plant. In 

 the early summer the overcrowded shoots of Olearia Haastii 

 should be thinned out, and Mahonias (Barberries) may be treated 

 in the same way at the same time. Rhododendrons do not as 

 a rule require much pruning beyond a thinning out of the over- 

 crowded delicate shoots after flowering is over. The seed-pods 

 should always be removed unless seed is required. 



As the flowers of Cydonia japonica are borne on short spurs 

 along the old wood in March and April, pruning must be 

 done when necessary in the last-named month, and only the 

 very old wood should be taken away, as a too free use of the 

 knife with this early-flowering shrub robs it of much of its 

 beauty. Deutzias, Cytisus, Genistas, Spiraeas, Escallonias, Phila- 

 delphus, Ribes (Flowering Currants), Syringas, Loniceras, 

 Wistarias, Viburnums, &c., should have their vigorous shoots 

 shortened, and delicate growths removed after flowering. The 

 knife should be used sparingly with such things as Kalmias, 

 Pieris (Andromeda), Vacciniums, Azaleas, Ledums, &c. The 

 majority of the evergreen ornamental shrubs are best pruned in 

 summer. 



Clematises need special attention, as the flowers are produced 

 upon difl"erent kinds of wood. The herbaceous sorts, such as 



