110 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



mended afterwards with putty. I use my tiny stock 

 axe almost exclusively for digging round the roots, and 

 all of any size are then severed neatly and cleanly in 

 the ground with the Grecian saw. The secateurs will 

 clear the way a bit, and lop off the head, and the 

 pruning-knife will cut off and shorten all bruised roots, 

 and make the edges smooth where the saw has done its 

 work. The result will be far better stocks than 

 those gathered by professionals, for even Mr. William 

 Paul recommends trimming the roots of standard 

 stocks before planting with a bill ! 



The greatest number of stocks, and the finest to look 

 at, will be found on heavy land, but, as a rule not with- 

 out exceptions, those on lighter land will have more 

 numerous and fibrous roots. The stocks will be either 

 rooted suckers from the main stool, or the actual plant 

 itself with the stout principal root of the seedling briar. 

 In either case, as little as possible should be reserved 

 of the underground stem or main root, consistent with 

 the preservation of some fibres ; for it is these latter, 

 with many others which form in the spring, that 

 will support the new growth of the plant : the thick 

 main roots and underground stems will only throw up 

 suckers if they live, and if they die are likely to 

 harbour fungus which is hurtful to the living fibres. 



In many localities the hedgebanks are the only 

 available places, where the stocks are difficult to get at, 

 and naturally have roots only on one side, and often 

 fantastically curled about. Briars growing in the open 

 undergrowth of a wood, or in any rough half-unculti- 

 vated level space, are much easier to get at, and 

 probably have a more even spread of roots. When 

 going along hedgerows, I lay the stocks out as I get 

 them on the edge of the ditch with the roots covered 



