APRIL. 
105 
in careful moving suffer damage. I had written a word of advice on 
this subject, but I prefer giving you the benefit of a letter, which I 
received from Mr. Tiley, in answer to my questions, viz., When am I 
to cut finally the established, and also the fall and spring-planted Roses 
for the National Show? I was induced to ask this, because the 
established Roses on the tips have already started. This is owing to 
the generally early cessation of autumnal Roses last year, and to their 
high cultivation. His letter I give verbatim, and, from what I have 
seen, I cordially agree with it in every respect:—“ The time to prune 
those that have been settled above a twelvemonth is, as soon after the 
15th of March as the weather will permit; and the Roses that have 
been moved this season, about the end of the month, or beginning of 
April, so as to allow the sap to draw first, or else there is great danger 
of killing them. It is always best to prune the young plants hard at 
first, as they always make better heads afterwards ; but the plants that 
have been established for a twelvemonth, or more, should have the 
strong shoots pruned back to about three or four eyes, and the strong 
and weak shoots cut out from the middle of the tree, so as to make the 
shape as much as you can similar to a parasol turned inside out, by 
which the trees grow much stronger, and bring much finer blooms. 
Some of the varieties bring very rank shoots in summer, which should 
be pruned back to about two or three eyes, so as to bloom in the fall, 
or produce moderate-sized wood for the next season’s pruning. The 
Bourbons, Teas, and Chinas require very little pruning—merely the 
weak and dead wood cut out, and strong shoots topped; frequently, 
when pruned hard, they die after it, or do not bloom at all. The 
Noisette Rose should be spurred back entirely, like a Vine, and the 
leaders only topped, so as to make them throw out side shoots, as they 
always bloom on the top of their young wood. If you want to make a 
specimen of the Noisette, it should be pruned very hard the first year, 
and afterwards the long shoots tied out at full length.” 
There is an universal rule, which is this, that whether the Rose is 
dwarf, standard, pole, or wall, when first planted, it must be cut hard. 
If the wood is dwarf, topping the ends, and cutting out the spray, is 
enough. In five years, with 200 Roses last year, and now 320 (not 
varieties, but from one to seven or eight of real good sorts), I have never 
known a Rose that did well, however good its wood was when sent, 
unless it was cut liberally when first planted. I learnt this universal 
maxim also from Richlieu’s treatise, and have purposely tested its 
truth. There is, however, a great difference between a Rose carefully 
moved by yourself, and one “ wrenched ’’ out by the foreman’s men. 
And lastly, I charge you with neglecting to manure and water your 
Roses, and also with omitting to use such means as are in your power 
to obviate the damages of its various enemies, or to quickly apply 
remedial measures when you first perceive the commencement of 
mischief. 
Before I conclude, I will observe that it is quite possible that dwarf 
habited Roses kill the stock by not taking up the full quantity of sap; 
hence the circulation is impeded. I have found the root quite good, but 
from the above reason I have known healthy stocks and their dwarf 
appendage to die. 
