482 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



that no hesitation need be felt in removing in spring any wood that 

 appears to have been injured by frost or moisture during winter. There 

 should be no stint of nourishment in the soil, as the strain on the plants 

 in the case of varieties so continually growing and flowering is very 

 great. The beds or borders should be mulched every November with 

 dch manure, which may be turned in with the soil in spring. In order 

 to develop and improve the autumn crop of flowers (although the greatest 

 success in this respect will always depend largely upon the choice of the 

 most suitable varieties), something mav be done to assist Nature bv 

 attention to the plants after the first flowering is finished in July. A 

 period of rest is highly beneficial, indeed necessary, after which a little 

 summer pruning and thinning is advisable, and the pinching back of any 

 gross shoots as they appear will tend to equalise the growth and strength 

 of the remainder of the plant, with corresponding advantage to the 

 coming crop of flowers. Especial attention should be given to any point 

 that will assist the second growth of the plants when it commences, as 

 it is upon the young shoots that the flowers are produced. Keeping the 

 ground well hoed, and giving the plants occasional waterings u'ith 

 manure water if the weather is dry from the middle to the end of August, 

 will be of assistance to them, and will improve the quality of the autumn 

 flowers. The system of culture for the Climbing Teas and the Noisette 

 Roses is similar to that recommended for the Chinese and dwarf Teas, 

 excepting that greater care should be taken in the protection of the wood 

 in winter, and pruning in spring should consist in leaving the best of the 

 strong shoots of the previous year as long as possible, as these produce 

 the best flowers. The Hybrid Perpetuals, the Bourbons, and the Rugosa 

 Roses will succeed in a stronger soil, and, being by nature hardier and 

 better able to resist frost, they will require little attention in winter, 

 although, should the weather be very severe, some slight protection may 

 be serviceable in the case of the two former groups. The pruning in 

 spring will be at the option of the cultivator, according to whether a 

 large number of moderately-sized flowers or a smaller quantity of larger 

 ones are desired for the first crop — long-pruning securing the former and 

 close-pruning the latter result. The summer treatment for the improve- 

 ment of the autumn flowers will be as recommended for the other 

 classes. Mulching with rich manure in early winter is very desirable. 

 The dwarf Polyantha Roses require the same treatment as the Chinese, 

 but as they are generally used for edgings, or other positions where a 

 dwarf habit is desired, pruning should be close. The best varieties of this 

 group are such free autumnal bloomers that they need no special care 

 or attention for the development of the second crop of flowers. 



Coming now to an enumeration of the best varieties of Roses of 

 different classes for autumn blooming, I think the most serviceable 

 way of dealing with this part of my subject will be to group them 

 according to their habits of growth, specifying in each group the best 

 varieties of each shade of colour. I would here take the opportunity of 

 strongly advocating, whenever possible, the system of planting Roses in 

 beds or masses — small or large, according to the space available — of a 

 single variety rather than mixing a number of varieties in one bed. 

 Although a Rose under any circumstances is an object of beauty, and it is 



