33 2 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
May, 1915 
Mary Loveli, one of the new varieties of white climbing 
roses, is a sturdy plant, with a profusion of bloom 
in a light, warm 
soil. An excellent 
soil for Hybrid 
Perpetuals may 
be obtained by 
taking the top soil 
from an old pas¬ 
ture and chopping 
the grass roots 
very fine. This 
same soil, mixed 
with about one- 
quarter of its bulk 
of sand and leaf 
mould, will make 
it sufficiently light 
for Teas and 
Hybrid Teas. Be 
sure that the up¬ 
per third of the 
bed does not con¬ 
tain any recently 
added manure, as 
it is apt to burn 
the roots of new 
plants and make all your work valueless. 
In selecting stock beware of alluring offers of 
two dozen first-class roses for the usual price 
charged by reliable dealers for one. Good roses 
are worth paying for; poor ones are not worth 
the time spent in caring for them. The import¬ 
ance of first-class stock cannot be overestimated. 
There is a great deal of discussion as to 
whether roses are best grown on their own roots 
or when grown on sturdier stock, such as Manett'i 
for Hybrid Perpetuals and brier for Hybrid Teas. 
While there is much to be said on both sides, as 
a general thing roses on their own roots will 
prove more satisfactory for the general run of 
planters than budded stock. On own-rooted 
stock the suckers or shoots from below the sur¬ 
face of the soil will be of the same kind, whereas 
with budded roses there is danger of the stock 
starting into growth and, not being discovered, 
outgrowing the bud, taking possession and finally 
killing out the weaker growth. Still, if the plants 
are set deep enough to prevent adventitious buds 
of the stock from starting and the growth is 
alert, this difficulty is reduced to a minimum. There is no ques¬ 
tion but that finer roses may be grown from plants on their own 
roots, withstanding the heat of the American summer, if the 
grower takes the proper precautions. 
Before setting out the plants examine each carefully and cut 
off the broken roots with a sharp knife, as well as all eyes that 
may appear on the root stock, in order to forestall suckers. It 
is not possible to set the plants permanently as soon as they are 
received from the nurseryman ; heel them in to prevent drying out. 
If they seem dry, it may be well to puddle the roots in thin, rich 
mud just before setting. Make the hole large enough to accom¬ 
modate all of the plant’s roots without crowding, when setting out 
your roses, remembering—if budded stock is used to put the 
budding point not less or more than two inches below the surface. 
Spread the roots out nearly horizontally, but see that they incline 
downward towards their ends without crossing one another. See 
that the plants are firmly set in, using the balls of the feet to 
accomplish this. Then loosen the soil by raking over the whole 
surface. After a hard rain loosen the soil as soon as it is dry 
enough to work, or the sun will draw up the moisture very rapidly. 
Almost equally important with the preparation of the soil and 
the planting of the bushes is the care and cultivation of them. 
At the time of planting all roses should be cut back—unless you 
buy stock that has been pruned before it left the nursery. In 
this case your dealer will so inform you. If the bushes are already 
established they should be pruned during the first spring month. 
Cut out weak and decayed parts and such growth as crowds the 
plant and prevents light and air from having free access. A safe 
rule is to prune weak-growing, delicate plants severely, and to 
shorten the branches of strong plants but little, but thin them 
out well. Prune for shapeliness of plant and promotion of 
bloom buds. 
If one is pruning Hybrid Perpetual roses in spring, cut the 
canes back to fresh wood, leaving perhaps four or five good buds 
on each cane. From these buds the flowering canes of the year 
are to come. If fewer and larger flowers are desired, fewer canes 
may be left and only two or three new shoots be allowed to spring 
from each one the next spring. 
Always prune a cane about a quarter of an inch above an out¬ 
side bud, unless the cane is very far from vertical, when an inside 
one should be left for the terminal shoot. It is quite important 
to have sharp pruning shears for the operation, to prevent the 
tearing and bruising of the wood. 
Immediately after the June bloom of Hybrid 
Perpetuals is past, cut back all very vigorous 
canes perhaps one-half their length, in order to 
produce new, strong shoots for fall flowering, 
and also to make good bottoms for the next year’s 
bloom. Too severe summer pruning, however, 
is likely to produce too much leafy growth. 
The pruning of Hybrid Teas and Teas had 
better be postponed until the first signs of life 
appear. The bark becomes greener and the dor¬ 
mant buds begin to swell. Dead or dying wood 
will then readily be noticeable and, it may be, re¬ 
moved. These two latter classes do not need such 
severe pruning as do the Hybrid Perpetuals. 
Some pruning during the summer is also useful 
in encouraging growth and flowers. The stronger 
branches that have flowered may be cut back one- 
half or more. 
Stir the soil 
about the roots 
of the roses fre¬ 
quently, and do 
not plant annuals 
To do their best, 
the plants should have all the 
nourishment the soil can furnish. 
Avoid an excessive blooming dur¬ 
ing the first year of the plant; 
rather let them take strength into 
the root and stem for the second 
season, when results will be much 
more satisfactory. During the 
summer make an application of a 
light straw manure. This will 
prevent the soil from drying out 
too rapidly, and at the same time 
the rains will wash its nutriment 
to the roots of the plants. 
All roses, whenever planted, will 
have grown greatly by fall. When 
the leaves have finally gone and 
The budding point, as indicated 
above, should be set exactly two 
inches below the surface 
among them. 
A cluster of buds will result in a 
cluster of small flowers 
