188 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
February 2S, 1895. 
Rose Show Fixtures for 1895. 
June 27th (Thursday) —Gloucester (N.R.S.) and Canterbury. 
„ 23th (Friday).—Exeter. 
,, 29Lh (Saturday).—Windsor. 
July 3rd (Wednesday).—Croydon, Ealing, and Sutton. 
„ 4th (Thursday).—Eltham and Norwich. 
„ Gth (Saturday).—Crystal Palace (N.R S.). 
„ 9th (Tuesday).—Wolverhampton *. 
„ 10th (Wednesday).—Chelmsford and Hitchin. 
„ 11th (Thursday).—Helensburgh and Worksop. 
„ 17th (Wednesday).—Derby (N.R.S.). 
„ 18th (Thursday) —Halifax, 
„ 24th (Wednesday).—Chesterfield. 
„ 25th (Thursday).—Trentham. 
* A show lasting three days. 
I shall be glad to receive the dates of other Rose shows than those 
named above for publication in future lists.— Edward Mawley, 
Rosebanli, Berbliaimted, Herts. 
Pruning Roses for Exhibition Blooms. 
In a few weeks’ time we shall be in the thick of this all-important 
business, and perhaps a few notes at the present time will not be out 
of place. The remarks are mainly intended for beginners and growers 
of limited numbers, as I know that our leviathan growers cannot bestow 
the necessary time that I think pruning requires, and have consequently 
to leave to others that which they should do themselves. 
I remember once calling unexpectedly on a brother rosarian during 
the height of the pruning season. The grower in question is well known 
as a successful exhibitor and authority on the Rose. I was thoroughly 
disgusted at what I saw ; the whole job seemed to consist in cutting 
the plants without any discrimination to a certain level. Mr. Amateur 
was leisurely slashing at the standards, and his gardener, who did not 
seem to know much about it, was simply cutting down the dwarfs. 
This, to my mind, is pruning made easy with a vengeance. 
My friend admitted that he was not taking a very active part in the 
work himself, as experience had taught him that pruning Roses for 
exhibition purposes was a matter requiring very little consideration, and 
the great thing was to get it over as soon as possible. He went to zero 
in my estimation, as judging him by his writings, I had every right to 
consider him a practical man, but his actions proved him to be the 
reverse. His Roses that year were a failure. I refer to this little 
episode as a warning against carelessness, and I would especially caution 
beginners against any personal relaxation in leaving to others the all- 
important work of pruning. 
Pruning is a science which can only be really learnt by practice and 
close observation. By observation, I mean not only a careful study of 
the wood at the time of pruning, but also an intelligent and attentive 
watching of the after effect, as the result should be carefully noted with 
a view to future operations. 
From the first I have always pruned my Roses myself, and I very 
strongly advise amateurs to allow no one but themselves to use the knife. 
A practical rosarian must learn this lesson if he is to make a study of 
his hobby. I cannot go into detail as to which Roses should be pruned 
severely and which vice versa, but the general rule that weak growers 
require very close pruning may be followed. 
To the ordinary amateur exhibitor I would recommend somewhat 
moderate pruning, as results from such treatment are moj'e consistent 
than the severe pruning which is often advocated. Large growers can, by 
reason of the number grown, afford to adopt a drastic treatment that 
unquestionably does frequently produce very fine blooms. But the same 
result can often be obtained by a course of severe disbudding after the 
plants have commenced to grow, and with a greater degree of certainty, 
as there are then buds to fall back on in case of accidents, which is not 
always so when short pruning is adopted. The latter also sometimes 
produces nothing but wood. Choose three to five shoots with the wood 
well matured, and if possible, well placed; but as fine blooms are 
required the shape of the tree is of secondary consideration. Then cut 
away all rank sappy growth which is plainly useless. Sometimes these, 
unfortunately, have to be taken, as no other wood is available. On eaeh 
shoot leave three to six eyes, and it is well to prune to a bud pointing 
outwards so as not to have a crowded centre, but as this bud is the first 
to break the object is often defeated by a late frost or the “ worm i’ the 
bud.’’ 
In May superfluous shoots may be cut off, leaving from three to 
eight blooms according to the strength of the plant. No hard and fast 
rule can be laid down, as the after-treatment in the amount of feeding 
has to be taken into consideration. When I commenced grow ing Roses the 
shape of the tree was an all-important matter, and I still like a shapely 
plant, but blooms being the desideratum it is often impossible to study 
both. All old wood should be cleared away, and the centre must be 
fairly open, so that light and air can get to all the shoots. 
We sometimes find new wood that has the appearance of old being 
quite hard, with no pith ; this should be retained, as it is sure to produce 
the best blooms. Such wood might be cut away in mistake by a casual 
workman, but the amateur who has previously pruned his plants will of 
course recognise it at once, and secure it, even if badly placed. I like 
to take a good survey of the plant to be pruned, even to the extent if 
necessary of going down on my knees to critically examine the condition 
of the wood ; the time this little extra trouble takes is well spent. 
I am not a faddist, but I believe the great secret of all success is 
hard work and attention to detail. It is advisable to have at least two 
sharp pruning knives, and the hone should be carried about, as the 
blades cannot be too sharp ; a small blade is also a necessity, as all weak 
growth must be removed. I have always used a small thin saw, known 
in the trade as a keyhole saw, with great advantage, it being easy of 
manipulation in crowded growth that cannot be removed with the 
knife. Owing to the present severity of the weather pruning operations 
are likely to be deferred until a later date than usual this year, and 
the middle of March will be quite early enough to make a start, unless 
very warm weather comes before that date. 
The above remarks apply in the main to H.P.’s, but Teas can be 
treated in the same way, although the frost has generally taken most of 
the work out of our hands. This year I am afraid many Teas will 
have been killed outright by the frost; but where only hard hit they 
should be cut well back at as late a date as possible.—R. M. D. 
[We have heard of great destruction among Roses, and but of one 
lucky escape. Mr. George Paul had several thousands of Teas “ laid 
in ” before the frost; over these were laid some fiat evergreen branches, 
which in turn were covered by a fortunate fall of snow. This saved the 
Roses, while those unprotected were killed down to the snow line. 
What is the result of the late zero weather in other districts ?] 
TOMATO HOUSES IN WINTER. 
Re “Perplexed One.” Fig. 22, page 136, of February 14th issue of 
“ dear old Journal ” speaks volumes. If material is handy, well managed 
beds of Mushrooms between October and March should beat the Tomato 
crop in a money point. 1 have found valuable hints in “ Mushrooms 
for the Million,” by J. Wright, and can now quite dispense with the 
dry heated Mushroom house. 
Seakale, Asparagus, and Rhubarb, growing your own roots for 
lifting, are remunerative when forced. Saladings, Green Mint, Tarragon, 
with the above vegetables, always find ready sale at hotels. I have 
known a fortune made out of forced Rhubarb grown under plant stages, 
the secret being well prepared roots in the open, principally fed with 
night soil forked into the ground during the winter. All these could be 
grown in conjunction with Mushrooms. 
Daffodils in all stages are much called for. Having both beauty and 
fashion to recommend them, I question if these ever get overdone. 
Such varieties as Horsfieldi, Countess of Annesley, Empress, Emperor, 
Sir Watkin, and other Narcissi. The same rule applies to the se as the 
above vegetables—grow your own stock. They increase rapidly. 
Snowdrops, too, form a feature in this list, and are eagerly sought after 
at Christmas. How easily they open with gentle forcing I (I noticed a 
few bulbs potted and placed in a warm kitchen fiowered for Christmas). 
Pot all bulbs early, plunge in cocoa fibre refuse till housed ; very gentle 
heat brings them in flower for Christmas and onwards. Daffodils are 
potted two bulbs in 4-inch pots, long toms, standing in saucers, which 
are kept filled with weak stimulants, never watering over the top. 
Gladiolus The Bride, planted thickly in 48’8, fed from saucers, are 
putting up flowers ; anyone can water a house of plants by this method 
without injury—yea, to the plants’ benefit—as they flower strongly and 
look remarkably healthy. Lilium Harris!, by potting first importations, 
may be flowered in February. The plants are now showing strong buds, 
averaging five from a bulb ; these are grown singly in large 48’s with 
fertilised moss wrapped round their stems, all fed from saucers. 
Imantophyllums are easily grown, and afford a mass of grand heads of 
flower with a little warmth. 
Going back to the overdone Chrysanthemum, the golden flowers of 
W. H. Lincoln in January, and later still the gorgeous E. G. Hill, 
should find a host of admirers. Then, what is more useful, more 
prolific than a house of the old Marguerite, C. frutescens 1 You may 
cut and come again, and the flowers stand for weeks in water in a cool 
room. Plants raised in the spring, planted out and lifted in October, 
form bushes naturally 4 feet through. They are carefully taken up and 
potted when in full flower, and afforded a few days’ shade. They never 
cease flowering with good treatment in a little warmth. Hosts of other 
plants might be named, for instance old plants of Deutzia gracilis, 
never repotted for twelve years, are now laden with sprays of flower that 
are a wreath at once. Most of these simple plants are loved by both peer 
and peasant, and the stock on hand is always saleable.— George Bolas. 
In answer to “ Perplexed One ” I take it the houses are built 
especially for Tomatoes, and that he wants something for about four 
months in the winter to grow to pay, so that the houses will be ready 
not later than February or March for Tomatoes again. It seems to me 
that permanent plants, such as Arum Lilies, Carnations, Orchids, 
Bouvardias, and others are out of the question, as they would be in the 
way of starting the Tomatoes early. If the undermentioned are well 
grown he would have a fair return for his outlay. Chrysanthemums 
are not overdone if grown in the right season, that is, December and 
