444 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



then I shorten the branches left to two eyes above the ordinary 

 pruning, which should be from 10 to 15 centimetres in length for the 

 strong-growing varieties, such as ' La Heine,' 1 Lion des Combats,' 

 1 Baronne Prevost,' Sec. I would remark that one ought to regulate one's 

 pruning according to the state of growth of one's Roses. At this time of 

 year, the sap being still moving, the eyes at the extremity will form 

 themselves into little buds, which by the time that growth has entirely 

 stopped will have become large eyes. In the spring, when growth starts 

 again, these eyes will only grow to the length of 20 to 25 centimetres, and 

 will produce flowers, whereas if the plants had been pruned in January, as is 

 commonly done, they would have made shoots from 40 to 50 centimetres 

 in length ; but whilst these shoots would have been growing 20 centimetres 

 longer, the others will have already produced flowers. The branches 

 should be cut directly they have flowered, and the plant left pruned as 

 desired. 



For Bourbons the pruning is different. The dry wood and any 

 branches that are in the way are cut out as soon as the last flowers are 

 over, but they are not pruned until growth recommences, so as to see 

 which eyes are the strongest. If Bourbons are pruned too soon they will 

 not produce flowers, or at any rate they will not come till late in the 

 season. Teas should be treated the same way as Bourbons. There are 

 some varieties amongst the Bourbons and also amongst the Noisettes, such 

 as ' La Biche,' ' Solfatare,' &c, the branches of which should only be 

 tipped ; because these varieties grow so tremendously vigorously that 

 they would have no blossoms at all if pruned short. It is a good plan to 

 bend their branches over by tying them down to the stem. 



I have already quoted several authors some of whom have interested 

 themselves in the question of Rose-pruning, and some of them able men 

 in Rose cultivation ; amongst these latter some pass lightly over the 

 pruning, for them a subject of no interest. One such work, of 200 pages 

 Hvo., only devotes one page to the subject ! What can one say, worth 

 saying, in one page ? It is not for me to boast, but I have bought many 

 books on the Rose — books large and books small, 4to., 8vo., lGmo., and 

 82mo., pamphlets, leaflets, &c. — yet in all these treatises, great and small, it 

 is chiefly the poetry which runs in full flow. Loiseleur, for instance, who 

 was a good botanist, in a work on the Rose, devotes 127 pages to the 

 history of this flower, 87 pages to poetry, but almost forgets to mention 

 the pruning. J. Bel, in his chapter on Pruning and Training Roses, 

 assigns to the subject of pruning seventeen lines ! 



E. Forney and B. Verlot are, as far as 1 know, the only authors 

 wi iting on Roses, who give to pruning the importance which it deserves. 

 The former may be consulted with advantage by those who really wish 

 to understand the subject. He says : — 



The pruning of the Rose consists : 



1. In removing those parts which are dying back or awkwardly placed, 

 p.o as to assist the perfect development of the useful portions which ought 



to be preserved. 



% 1. To thin out the superfluous growth, as the Rose produces many 

 more shoots every year than its sap can bring to perfection. 



