March.'] ORNAMENTAL FLOWERING SHRUBS. 53 
semi-double, and single ; the colours are pink, red, purple, 
white, yellow, and striped, with almost every shade and mix- 
ture; the odour universally grateful. This plant is cultivat- 
ed in every garden, from the humblest cottager to the loftiest 
prince, and by commercial gardeners in Europe extensively, 
for distilling rose-water, and making the essential oil of roses. 
They delight in a rich loamy soil, and require plenty of 
moisture while in a growing state. Those sorts which throw 
up numerous suckers should be lifted every three or four 
years, reduced, and then transplanted. When thus removing 
them, avoid, as much as possible, exposing their roots ; and 
when newly planted, mulching is of considerable advantage ; 
that is, putting half-rotten stable-manure on the surface of 
the ground round their roots, which prevents evaporation, 
and keeps up a constant moisture. If this were done in 
general to our roses in dry seasons, it would greatly improve 
their flowering. For Chinese and other roses, see next month. 
CLIMBING ROSES. 
This is the best time to prune ever-blooming climbing 
roses, such as Chamjmcy, Noisette, &c. Many of these, 
when allowed to grow year after year without pruning, be- 
come unsightly ; they never bear flowers on the old wood, 
that is, wood of three or four years. Having a tendency to 
throw out young shoots from the bottom of the stem, the old 
wood should be cut out, thus encouraging the young wood, 
which the second year bears the most and finest flowers. 
In severe winters, the extremities of the shoots are frequent- 
ly killed, and we have often seen all the wood black or brown, 
and apparently dead. When that is the case, it is best to 
leave it until they begin to grow, which will show what is 
dead or alive, when they can be pruned to better advantage. 
DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL FLOWERING SHRUBS. 
The earlier the planting of these shrubs is attended to in 
this month, the more will their growth and flowering be pro- 
moted, having all finished before the buds begin to expand. 
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