THE EOSE AND ITS CULTURE. 



11 



The object of pinching is to break up and dis- 

 tribute growing force, so that instead of one channel 

 or shoot, there shall be several, or many. Such 

 changes of form in the development of Koses im- 

 prove their form and enhance their usefulness. 

 Were Roses grown for their wood, their vital force 

 could hardly be too much concentrated. The one- 

 shoot system would be the perfection of culture. 

 But as they are grown for bloom, and also in a 

 secondary sense for their form, their growths should 

 be moulded towards these objects from the first. 

 Possibly, as the art of pruning is better understood, 

 the practice of it, so far as 

 that consists in the mere lop- 

 ping off of wood, will almost 

 cease. The pinching and 

 stopping of growing shoots is 

 the first step towards this 

 desirable end. Pinch in time, 

 and intelligently, and but 

 little more or different wood 

 will be made than is needed 

 for the rosarian's purposes. 

 Most of our prunings are but 

 clumsy efforts to rectify pre- 

 vious mistakes. Each useful 

 shoot removed represents a 

 waste of intelligence as well as 

 a waste of force. But we have 

 not yet arrived at that perfect 

 knowledge of Rose-life and 

 ways, as will enable us to quite 

 dispense with pruning, and 

 practise pinching in its stead. 

 On the contrary, perhaps no 

 plant is subjected to more 

 pruning than the Rose. The 

 tendency, however, is to prr^ne 

 less, and with more discrimina- 

 tion ; though the art of a pinch in time to save nine, 

 or any number of cuts afterwards, is as yet in its 

 infancy. 



The Pinching of T^'ewly- worked Plants. 



— This is often resorted to for other reasons than those 

 already advanced. It prevents the most promising 

 shoots of buds and grafts from being wrenched out 

 or off by the wind. Means of preventing this by 

 the use of supports have been already pointed out, 

 but the best means is to pinch the strong shoot back 

 within three or four or more buds of its base. The 

 wind is thus deprived of its purchase, and, better 

 stiU, the vital force is forced back or concentrated 

 in the base of the shoot. It then performs dual 

 functions of the utmost moment to the future wel- 

 fare of the Rose. The embryo buds are filled up, 



Fig. 31.— Eose-shoot, 

 pincaed oi* stopped 

 at different lengths. 



developed, forced into shoots in an incredibly short 

 time, and the shoot itself is fixed on or into the 

 stem with far greater tenacity and strength. Hence, 

 in consequence of the compound benefit of pinching, 

 these secondary shoots are seldom or never blown 

 out or wrenched off. 



Another great advantage arises from the close 

 pinching back of newly-worked plants. Rose-buds^ 

 like Peach and several other buds, are mostly 

 produced in threes. True, one bud only, as a rule, 

 is developed ; but, nevertheless, that one is flanked 

 on either side by a smaller one, which, under 

 ordinary circumstances, are seldom developed into 

 shoots. But stop the central shoot hard back 

 towards its base, and these two lateral buds are 

 developed, and three Rose-shoots spring forth from 

 the one bud instead of one, and these independently 

 of the shoots that may also break forth from the 

 base -buds of the central or chief eye or shoot. 

 Thus, the material of a Rose-tree is produced at 

 once, and is forced back to grip the stock or stem 

 with a firmness and tenacity that mostly proves 

 wind-proof. 



Root-pruning. — This of necessity has always 

 been more or less practised. Unless Roses were 

 sown or budded in their permanent quarters, it 

 is obvious that they could not be placed there 

 without more or less root-pruning. The hedge- 

 row briars, too, have their roots roughly enough 

 slashed about with mattock and spade in lifting, and 

 they are further pruned on the block, with axe, bill- 

 hook, saw, or secateur; and as if that were not 

 enough, their lacerated root-stocks are not unfre- 

 quently tossed about and exposed to sun, frost, 

 and biting winds as if they were lifeless things, 

 and so not a few of them are before they get back 

 to earth. 



Some such cuttings and carvings of roots may be 

 unavoidable, but the fewer and the less of these the 

 better, as these are not what are here meant by 

 root-pruning, nor is transplantation, though that 

 often necessitates root-pruning in its severest form. 

 Suckers should be removed, bruised roots cut off 

 with a sharp knife, leaving a short clean cut; but 

 all good healthy roots should be left intact. The 

 detachment of the roots from the soil will prove a 

 sufficient check to growth wdthout reducing their 

 numbers, though as a fact they are greatly reduced 

 in the process. 



But all this is compulsory. By root-pruning 

 here is meant special and voluntary pruning for 

 specific purposes. The first of these is to prevent 

 the need of so much top-pruning. A Rose-piant 

 runs to wood chiefly. The old remedy was to cut 

 the wood back severely. The result was mostly 



