October 5, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



761 



PEGGING DOWN ROSES. 



The subject of j^riining roses is one that 

 is too often insutticientiy considered. It 

 mav seem a simple matter to cut off certain 

 parts, often a considerable portion^ of the 

 vigorous young shoots of rose trees, but is 

 this always necessary or desirable P For 

 exhibition purposes it is necessary to encou- 

 rage the production of a few good blooms. 

 In the pruning of rose trees^ liowever^ which 

 are grown for garden decoration, or to pro- 

 vide flowers for cutting, quantity, wuthin 

 certain limits, rather than quality, should 

 receive consideration. Having watched the 

 development of a vigorous growth, some five 

 feet to six feet high, on that beautiful 

 5iiow-white rose Frau Karl Uruschki, for 

 instance, the gardener w^ould cut off three 

 parts of such a shoot with feelings of i^egret. 



"While for the majority of varieties it is 

 necessary to follow the orthotlox methods of 

 pruning, there are a considerable number 

 of vigorous growing sorts, particularly in 

 the hybrid tea section, w hicli when planted 

 in suitable positions produce a very much 

 greater number of blossoms when grown 

 on what is known, for want of a better 

 term, as the " Pegging down system. In- 

 stead of considerably shortening the long 

 growths of the vigorous varieties, they are 

 retained practical^ their full length, 

 merely removing an inch or more of the 

 unripened tips. All thin growths and old 

 wood is cut out, and the vigoi'ous growths 

 bent doAvn to within some two feet to two 

 and a half feet of the ground. The most 

 simple means of holding the shoots down in 

 position is with hooked sticks, either placing 

 tlie shoots under the hooks, or tyii _ 

 in position with tarred string. Failing a 

 sufficient number of hooked sticks, ordinary 

 straight stakes, with notches cut in them 

 to hold the string, w^ill answ^er the purpose. 

 A more permanent method is to fix a few 

 iron stakes in the ground, and by connect- 

 ing them with fairly thick wire, construct 

 a light framework some two feet high over 

 the bed or border. This has the advan- 

 tages of permanence. W'hile w^ooden stakes 

 will not last more than one, or possibly 

 two, years. For preference, Iiowever, I 

 should choose wood, for when manuring or 

 forking over tlie ground, and cutting out 

 old wood and surplus growths in spring, the 

 iron supports and wire connections impede 

 the rapid completion of such work con- 

 siderably. 



These vigorous-growing roses are also 

 among the best subjects" for clothing low 

 wire fences two feet to three feet in height. 

 It is a very good aiid convenient plan to 

 commence the pruning of rose trees in 

 March by starting with those which are 

 grown on the ''pegging down " system. To 

 commence with, prol^ably two-thirds of the 

 shoot bent down the previous year will re- 

 quire removal, as most of the vigorous 

 growths to be retained will start from 

 within one and a half fret to two and a lialf 

 feet of the basf^ Also i'*'inov(^ all old woo'A 

 with no vio-orons yoiin^ growths on it, and 

 thin onl weak gr4)wtli. 



The following twelve vai-ietics are soUv tetl 

 as very good examples i!i habit, growtli, and 

 flowering qualities to cultivate on the sys- 

 tem descril>ed and illustrated. 



Fran Kai-l Druschki. — A MUierb rost^ Avith 

 snow-white blossoms, larn;e. full, atul well 

 formed. Though classed as a hybrid per- 

 petual varit^ty, it ]>ossesses in a marked 

 degree the continuous and free-flowering 

 propensities of thehvbrid tea varieties. Its 

 •^ne failino- is lack of frao;ranre. The illus- 

 mtion of a large bed of this variety at 

 Kew i,s sufficient evidence of its value when 

 tne shoots are l>ent down instead of con- 

 J^iderably shortened. 



(^^ustave Regis. - This is a very vigorous 

 variety. The buds are nankeen vellow. 



changing as they expand to creamy-white or 



light yellow. The open flowers are large 



and semi-double, displaying the stamens. 



The flowers are fragrant, and almost, if not 



quite, as freely pro<luced in September as 

 J alv. 



rose of great beauty. The large clusters of 

 scarlet -crimson blossoms are prettily set off 

 by the red tint of the foliage. It is one of 

 the best autumn roses. 



Billiard et Barre.- -This 



IS a vigorous 



varietv of the tea section. intrcKluctxl bv 



Gloire de Dijon.-— It hardly seems neces- Pernet-Ducher in 1899. The flowers are 



apricot-yellow, suggesting those of the well- 

 known varietv William AlUm Richards<m. 



sary to do more than mention the name of 

 this lovely rose. Though introduced some 

 sixty years ago, it is as popular as ever. 

 One of the hardiest roses grown, it is very 

 vigorous, the first to flower, and only 

 checked by frosts in late autumn. In fact, 

 in sheltered positions, during a mild spell 

 of weather, it is sometimes possible to cut 

 good flowers at Christmas. The butt-yellow 

 blooms wdth the co])per or salmon-shadtMl 

 centres, are very fragrant. The varieties 

 Belle Lyonnaise and Bouquet d'Or lielong to 

 the same type, and are very similar in 

 growth and colour. 



Clio. — -This is a very vigorous hybrid ])er- 

 petual, introduced by Messrs. W. Paid and 

 Son in 1894", A bed of this variety at Kew. 

 some 20 feet across, grown on the system 

 recommended, I have se-en with fully 2.000 

 flowers open at one time ; on one shoot 



They are freely and continuously produced, 



being particularly pleasing when half ex- 

 pande<i. 



Lady Waterlow.— There is much to ad- 

 mire in this distinct and pleasing hybrid ttvi 

 rose. The i)ale salmon-pink blooms are 

 semi-double; in the hud state, or half ex- 

 panded, the petals are prettily t dginl with 

 rose. 



En«:land's CJlorv.- -It is onlv when the 

 vigoi'ous young growths of this variety are 

 retaine<l their full length, and bent down, 



. The 



that the value of the variety is s 



eral shades 



<leep flesh-))ink )!lo.ssoins are ^ 

 <lee]>er in the centre than are the outer 

 petals. 



LTdeal. — A very distinct and pretty rose, 

 particidarly in tin* hud, ano notable for its 



A FINE BED OF ROSE FRAU KARL DRUSCHKI AT KEW. 



Illustiating the advantages of tlie Pegging Down system in the cnltivation of strong 



growing varieties. 



alone 1 counted 50 blooms, all in good con- 

 dition. The flowers i 



flesh colour, shaded 

 with pink, large and gh)bular in form. The 



growths are very spiny. 



" William Allen Bichards<m. The deef 

 orange-yellow colour of the buds of this ro-o 

 i)lace it'at once in the front rank for garden 

 decoration and cutting- Ft is often grown 

 a climber on walls an<l fences. Ben<iing 

 down the vigonuis long growths induces tin- 

 production of quantitn>s ot blonnis. winch 

 would not be possible were thi^ ])lants sub- 

 jected to much pruning- 



Soleil d'Or.— AVhcn introduced by Perntd- 

 Ducher in the vear 190O. the distmct <'olour 

 of this hvbrid briar rose a^ once attractec 

 attention. Subjc^cted to the usual har<l 

 pruning comparatively few blooms are 

 produced, and its true value is only 

 seen when the vigorous young growths 

 are retained their full length ami bent 

 down. Tlie bl()(mis are (uange-yt^llow. 

 shaded with gokl and revl. 



Oruss an Teplitz.^ This distinct and free- 

 flowering hvbrid tea variety is a garden 



strong fragranee. The colour is a m<^tallic 

 red, shaded with yellow. 



Juliet.- As thi> -^aiiety was nu\y intro- 

 duced by William Paul aiui Son in IDIO. it 

 setun> raihei' (^arly tn talk of its value \\ hen 

 tlir \i.ii;ei-()iis growths ar*^ pegginl down in- 

 stead ("t .shurtt^mMl. Experiments made this 

 year. lui\v('\er-. lea<l one to the conclusion 

 that Juliet will he a usi4*nl variety f<n' the 

 ]^ur|)(>^t^ It l)i4ongs to the hybrid briar 

 section, and has large old-rose blooms, the 

 outer petals ])rettily shaded with gchl. 



ly^^V^ A. OSHOKNE. 



Schijsanthuses.— In your Lssue for 



September U (page 707) an interesting article 

 on " Schizanthuses appeared from the pen 

 of Mr. E. (\ Pooley. May I add one more 

 to his list .)f varieties, viz.\ S. retusus Rosa- 

 mouder This is a most lovely variety, the 

 colour being a pretty >]iade of pink; once 

 grown I think this will he always grown, 

 it has a fine strong habit, and with us re- 

 quires no stake. A batch of this in fhe 

 conservatorv la>t >priug was a most beautiful 

 sight.— K. 11. Lkgg, Melksham Hall Gardens. 



