ON REARING PLOWERS. 



119 



attentiou, and will probably produce fiowers in tlie autumn. 

 With regard to pruning, it may be observed that the shoots 

 of China roses should never be shortened, except where 

 they are too strong and vigorous ; for, like the shoots of 

 most other shrubs which are of a soft pithy nature, those 

 which are pruned generally die, at least at their extremi- 

 ties. But, afcer the shoots have flowered two or three 

 years, they must be cut out, to make way for the young 

 ones which are annually produced, as the young shoots 

 always flower most abundantly. 



Scotch roses {R. spinosissima) differ from both the 

 descriptions of roses before named, and also require a 

 peculiar mode of treatment. They thrive best in a moist 

 loamy soil ; but it is an error to say that they delight in a 

 shady situation, for they will not produce their flowers in 

 perfection unless they are well exposed to light and air. 

 Xothing, likewise, can be more erroneous than to state 

 that they require extensive pruning, for, on the contrary, 

 they should never be pruned, except the rank and luxu- 

 riant suckers, which may be annually slightly headed 

 down, and all the other pruning that is requisite is to cut 

 out the old and decayed wood. As they produce their 

 flowers in almost unbounded profusion, they deserve to 

 be more extensively cultivated in small gardens. They 

 may be multiplied by suckers or layers. 



The sweet briar, one of the most delicious of garden 

 plants, will either do with or without pruning. But it is 

 apt to become too rambling if some of the stronger shoots 

 be not shortened. It makes a pretty but not a very per- 

 fect hedge. 



Having thus briefly sketched out a few plain directions 

 for cultivating one of the most beautiful and ornamental, 

 as well as favourite, tribes of plants that can be admitted 

 into small gardens, or indeed into any garden, it only 

 remains to state that roses should be pruned about the 

 month of March, and that all of them ^ill thrive best in 

 a cool moist soil, and will derive much benefit from 

 an annual manuring of well-rotted dung. There are a 

 variety of insects which infest roses, but, with the ex- 

 ception of the green-fly, which may be destroyed by fumi- 

 gating the plant with tobacco smoke, the best method of 



