THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



will thus be " clamped," in just the same maimer as 

 mangold heaps are protected in the fields. If the plants 

 are grown as " dwarfs " on the briar cutting or seedling, 

 care must be taken to train the strong young shoots low 

 and horizontally while they are yet soft, or it will be 

 difficult to peg them down without their breaking. 

 They should be uncovered and raised earlier than the 

 other Teas if in a warm position, as the buds are very 

 susceptible to the first heat of the sun. 



When briars have been budded with Teas, the tiny 

 bud, on which so much depends, is of course in danger 

 in hard frost. An old piece of advice from Mr. Rivers 

 was to paint it with two or three coats of collodion, 

 which forms a white skin : I tried this for two years but 

 cannot credit it with protection of much value. I 

 strongly recommend for the protection of these Tea buds 

 the little straw covers or cases in which wine-merchants 

 send out their bottles ; there can be little difficulty in 

 obtaining these in quantity, as I believe they have no 

 value, except for lighting fires. It should be seen that 

 the ties are secure, especially that the one at the top is 

 tight and sound, and then they form capital nightcaps, 

 which are, I believe, as good protection as could be 

 wished. In the case of dwarfs the wild briar shoots are 

 cut close back, but the whole head not removed till the 

 spring, as the projections hold the nightcap in position; 

 and in the same way the budded lateral on standards is 

 cut back only just short enough to allow the cap to pass 

 over, when it is held quite sufficiently against the wind. 

 The bud is thus actually thatched, and provided with 

 what is practically a waterproof as well as a warm 

 covering, though not impervious to air. The cases can 

 be very readily taken off or replaced if necessary, and 



