124 



THE BOOK OF THE ROSE 



CHAP. 



hardly necessary to say that this should be as sharp as 

 possible, but a hone is not so often required as in 

 pruning, since no hard substances will require to be 

 cut. The curve at the end of the bone handle for turning 

 up the bark of the stock is made of different shapes, and 

 a young operator will soon find which is most convenient 

 for him. A bundle of ties of Raffia grass, split where 

 too thick, and shortened to ten inches or a foot each 

 (better too long than too short), should be fastened to 

 the waist so that one tie can be slipped out easily as 

 required. 



The buds chosen should be half ripe, and plump but 

 not grown out. Experience will soon teach the proper 

 condition : but, as a general rule, at the end of July 

 and beginning of August, buds in the proper condition 

 will be found on the shoot from which a bloom is then 

 cut ; before that time the shoot must mature more or 

 less after the flower is cut before the buds are ready : 

 after it the buds will be ready on the shoot before it has 

 bloomed, and in September only the latest shoots which 

 are still growing will be of use. Those who grow for 

 exhibition will generally have a difficulty in finding 

 early buds ; the shoots are so forced by high culture 

 and feeding that the buds begin to grow out all up the 

 stems before the flowers open, and a more natural state 

 of things later on must be waited for. A fully developed 

 plump bud is desirable, but this is of less importance 

 than the condition of the shoot, which should not be 

 more than half-ripe, with the sap still flowing freely so 

 that the wood parts easily from the bark. Professionals 

 will often use a shoot for budding, where some amateurs 

 would say that there were no buds, as none are visible. 

 There is always a bud under every leaf-stalk, and it is 

 far better to use those in this undeveloped condition 



