THE ROSE AS A 



from the beginning of summer to the closing 

 in of winter. 



In order to grow this class of Roses well, one 

 must understand something of their habits. They 

 send out strong branches from the base of the 

 plant, shortly after planting, and these branches 

 will generally bear from five to eight blossoms. 

 When all the buds on the branch have developed 

 into flowers, nothing more can be expected from 

 that branch in the way of bloom, unless it can 

 be coaxed to send out other branches. This it can 

 be prevailed on to do by close pruning. Cut 

 the old branch back to some point along its 

 length — preferably near its base — where there is 

 a strong " eye " or bud. If the soil is rich — and 

 it can hardly be too rich^ for these Roses, like 

 those of the kinds treated of in the foregoing 

 chapter, require strong food and a great deal of 

 it in order to do themselves justice — this bud 

 will soon develop into a vigorous branch which, 

 like the original one, will bear a cluster of 

 flowers. In order to keep a succession of bloom 

 it is absolutely necessary to keep the plant pro- 

 ducing new branches, as flowers are only borne 

 on new growth. It will be noticed that the treat- 

 ment required by these Roses is almost identical, 

 so far, with that advised for the Hybrid Per- 

 petuals. Indeed, the latter are summer ever- 



150 



