PRUNING, TRAINING, AND BEDDING. 



97 



liage, all the thin, small shoots should be cut out every 

 year, and the strongest buds only allowed to remain, 

 which, forming strong branches, will set closely to the 

 wall and preserve a neat appearance. 



The |)roduction of roses out of season, by forcing, was, 

 as we have shown, w^ell known to the ancient Romans, 

 and from them has been handed down to the present time. 

 But the retarding of roses by means of a regular process 

 of pruning owes its origin to a comparatively modern 

 date. This process is mentioned both by Lord Bacon and 

 Sir Robert Boyle. The latter says : It is delivered by 

 the Lord Verulam^ and other naturalists, that if a rose 

 bush be carefully cut as soon as it is done bearing in the 

 summer, it will again bear roses in the autumn. Of this, 

 many have made unsuccessful trials, and thereupon report 

 the affirmation to be false; yet I am very apt to think 

 that my lord was encouraged by experience to write as 

 he v'^ij. For, having been particularly solicitous about 

 the experiment, I find by the relation, both of my own 

 and other experienced gardeners, that this way of j^rocur- 

 ing autumnal roses will, in most rose bushes, commonly 

 fail, but succeed in some that are good bearers ; and, ac- 

 cordingly, having this summer made trial of it, I find that 

 of a row of bushes cut in June, by far the greater imm- 

 ber promise no autumnal roses; but one that hath mani- 

 fested itself to be of a vigorous and prolific nature is, at 

 this present, indifferently w^ell stored with those of the 

 damask kind. There may, also, be a mistake in the species 

 of roses ; for experienced gardeners inform me that the 

 Musk Rose will, if it be a lusty plant, bear flowers in au- 

 tumn without cutting; and, therefore, that may unjustly 

 be ascribed to art, which is the bare production of na- 

 ture." Thus, in quaint and ancient style, discourses the 

 wise and pious philosopher on our favorite flower, and 

 also mentions the fact, that a red rose becomes white on 

 being exposed to the fumes of sulphur. This, however^ 

 5 



