THE EOSE AND ITS CULTUEE. 



113 



by the suppression of the leader by prompt stepping 

 several times during the growing season. It should 

 seldom or never, however, be headed down closer 

 than within a foot or so of its base. But in practice 

 this suppression for the mere moulding of pyramidal 

 Eoses into shape is seldom necessary, though it is 

 often practised to gain most of the solid advantages 

 of two full growths and crops of forming branches 

 within the year. 



Second Pruning of Pyramidal Roses 



The second pruning consists in the shortening back 

 of the leader, and the three or more branches under 



and as a fair sample of what a pyramidal Rose 

 ^.hould grow into (Fig. 44). 



Further Treatment.— This consists in the 

 close pruning of such Eoses every winter and spring. 

 The hardier and later had better be pruned in 

 November, as such Eoses cannot afford to lose the 

 vital and growing force of breaking their buds 

 before pruning, which smaller standards or dwai'fs 

 may bear with more or less impunity. Pyramidal 

 Eoses, chiefly from their size and the nimiber of 

 Eoses they produce, seldom yield blooms of the 

 highest excellency ; but they make up in numbers 



Ptramidal Eose-pruning. 



it (Fig. 41). During the next summer the Eose 

 will have advanced another and a long step towards 

 its final and complete form. The three rudimentary 

 branches of the first year will have multiplied into 

 the compound or more complex branches shown at 

 the base of the embryo pjnramid (Fig. 42). On the 

 top of these, climbing above, and still rather closely 

 hugging them, three or more other side-shoots will 

 be found, while the leader itself has advanced at least 

 a foot or more, as may be desired. 



Further Development.— Figs. 42 and 43 illus- 

 trate and explain these points, and the repetition of 

 these processes year after year results in the forma- 

 tion of pyramidal Eoses of any size desired. It is 

 not necessary to follow the pruning as a means of 

 forming them further ; but, as in the case of stan- 

 dard Eoses, it may be satisfactory to present a fair 

 sample of a pyramid — alike as an inspiring and 

 teaching model to be kept in yiew by every reader, 

 32 



what they lack in perfection or size of individual 

 blossoms, while no object within the whole range of 

 nature or the rich domain of art could prove more 

 attractive than a single plant, several, a group, a 

 line, or avenue by the sides of a main walk or road, 

 of pyramidal Eoses of perfect form, and smothered 

 with bloom from base to summit. 



Weeping Roses. — These do not differ greatly 

 in principle from those ah-eady explained and illus- 

 trated. The great thing in the formation of weeping 

 Eoses is to start with a stem sufficiently tall to make 

 them effective. From seven to fifteen feet high will 

 make good weeping Eoses. The name explains the 

 form. Ha\ang started at a sufficient elevation, one, 

 two, or three hoops of different sizes are useful, 

 and indeed almost indispensable, as a framework on 

 which to fix and arrange the shoots of the Eoses. 

 Sometimes half - spherical or umbrella trellises 

 (Fig. 45) are fixed to the top of a very stout central 



