Jana 17, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
485 
peculiarities of each variety is necessary before any beginner can 
succeed satisfactorily. As a general rule plants which are grown by 
the method of what is termed the “ large bloom ” style show three 
buds during the season of growth ; what is known as the first break, 
as represented by fig. 89, is formed from the middle of May to the 
same time in June. Some varieties which show the first bud 
among the earliest will send forth a second bud during July, but 
this cannot be considered other than a freak, owing possibly to the 
early maturation of the first break. In all cases buds formed at 
this time must be considered useless and should be removed. 
Taking the plants in a general way, the second, or what is known to 
growers as the crown bud, which fig. 90 faithfully represents, is 
formed at the points of the growing shoots in almost the same way 
as the first break. When this bud shows at the correct time for each 
variety and is “ taken,” then, all other things considered, it will 
develope into a perfect flower. The third break, which is caused by 
removing the flower bud from the “ crown ” break and allowing the 
branches to extend, produces what is known as the terminal bud. It 
ts so named because it is the apex of growth, no other growths start¬ 
ing after the bud is formed. This is the best bud to select for the 
production of good flowers of some varieties, particularly in the 
south of England. 
As before stated, the time at which the crown bud forms is the 
all-important point to study. If it forms too early the flowers are 
coarse in the petals, which much oftener reflex than incurve in the 
case of incurved varieties. The flowers then are loose and flabby, 
more like inverted saucers than globe-shaped, which many varieties 
ought to be. They cover space enough, but are devoid of depth 
and solidity, the two most essential points in a good flower ; and 
the dark varieties are not nearly so high-coloured as they ought 
to be. Let me impress upon beginners, then, the mistake which is 
often made in taking the buds too early. Disappointment is sure to 
follow, when quality is considered, if the buds are “ taken” at too 
late a stage. This is again a fault, which results in flowers of a 
neat character, but much too small for high-class company. Some 
varieties under this treatment do not exhibit their true character 
when they are small. The locality in which the grower is placed 
has to be considered, as there is quite a fortnight, and in some cases 
a month, difference between the seasons of the buds showing in the 
south and north of England. Crown buds ought to be “ taken ” 
earlier in the northern counties than they can be with safety in the 
south. 
Having given my reasons why the flower buds should not be 
taken too early nor yet too late, I will now endeavour to make 
it as clear as I can which is the proper time to select them. The 
bulk of the Japanese varieties require a longer period to develope 
from the bud stage to the flower than do the incurved, therefore 
due thought must be given to this point. For instance, buds 
“ taken on the 6th of August will not be fully in bloom sooner 
than some of which buds were selected, say, the 10th of September. 
Watchfulness and comparison one year with another can only 
perfect the ambitious cultivator in this point. As a general rule 
around and south of London crown buds which are set from the 
18th of August to the 1st of September are the most likely to 
produce desirable flowers. Those persons situated farther north 
will have the buds showing a little later, some perhaps at the same 
time ; while in the extreme north many will not set their buds till 
quite a month later. There are some varieties—Japanese princi¬ 
pally—which require their buds earlier than the date named. 
I append a list of the sorts requiring early bud selection :— 
Buds “ set ” about August 10th. —Boule d’Or, Meg Merrilees, 
Grandiflora, Golden Dragon. 
Buds taken about ls£ September. —King of Crimsons, Golden 
Christine, Pink Christine, Peach Christine, Phidias, Queen of 
England, Golden Empress, Alfred Salter, Sir Stafford Carey, 
Empress of India, Hero of Stoke Newington, Princess Teck, 
Madame C. Audiguier, Thunberg. 
Again, the flowers of some would be useless if the buds were 
set earlier than 1st September. These I purpose to class together. 
Where any particular variety is not named it is intended that the 
buds of these should be taken during what I propose to call the 
general time—-viz., from the 18th of August to September 1st, and 
north of London all sorts should be “ taken ” not later than the 
time stated if possible. Fig. 90 represents a crown bud just 
formed. The growth shoots clustering around it should be cut off 
as denoted by the dotted lines across the shoots, and any other 
branches forming below those indicated must also be removed 
when it can be determined that the bud is perfect in form. The 
best time for this operation is in the early morning, or in the 
evening when the dew is upon the plants ; the shoots at that time 
are quite brittle. If the stem is held secure in the left hand, and 
the young growths which are intended for removal be bent suddenly 
down one at a time, they snap off. After a little practice this 
method of taking off superfluous shoots is more expeditious than 
cutting them off with a knife ; but if the operation is effected 
during the middle of the day, when hot and dry, the shoots are 
quite tough, and the risk of damaging the flower bud is much 
increased. When the growths are removed the whole energy of 
the plant is concentrated in the flower bud. As a safeguard against 
accident in the manipulation of the buds and shoots some growers 
retain one shoot at the point for a time, until it is seen that the 
bud is safely swelling to a good size ; but this, I think, is wrong, as 
the growth is divided between the bud and the shoot retained, and 
the latter must to some extent rob the flower bud of its due 
amount of sap, but if care is used to perform the removal of the 
growths no danger need be apprehended. If a doubt exist in the 
mind that the bud has received injury from insects or otherwise, a 
day or two is sufficient to determine this. If so, it is useless to 
retain such a bud as those deformed, as such buds cannot develope 
into perfect blossoms. Retention of a growth shoot near the bud 
in this case is advisable ; by so doing the number of flowers on 
each plant is not reduced by the loss sustained by the crown bud. 
In the south of England, if the summer be exceptionally hot 
and dry, the buds must not be “ taken ” quite so early as the times 
stated, as some are likely to be deformed in consequence of then- 
early development. In such cases it is much better to take out 
the bud and continue the leading shoot, which in due time will 
produce another flower bud. Let it be understood it is only in 
extreme cases of a very hot summer that this slight deviation of 
bud-selection should be made, and that not amongst growers north 
of London.—E. Molyneux. 
sha.de for vines. 
Do we not often err in adhering too rigidly to the old notion that 
Grape Vines and fruit trees under glass should have all the sunshine 
possible, nothing in the shape of shading being afforded them ? I 
think we do, and have long thought so. When the houses were con¬ 
structed on a very different principle to those now built—that is to 
say, with a maximum amount of wood in the shape of rafters and 
sashes to fit on these, with double the number of sashbars now thought 
necessary—there was no need to shade the Vines, quite the reverse 
indeed. Now, however, the case is very different, as glass is in the 
ascendant, too much so I think, and our houses now get extremely 
hot in the summer and very much colder in the winter, this arising 
from the glass being a greater conductor of heat than wood. Asa 
consequence on very hot days we have to ventilate very freely, or 
