1 May, 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 395 
Pruning, when judiciously done, will assist almost as much as manuring. 
Always, when cutting blooms, cut with a long stem, say 3 or 4 inches, which 
will save you a lot of pruning later on, and also increase the flowering powers 
of your plant. Then about the month of July (for Gympie) commence the 
pruning of your plant by taking out all superfluous wood, thinning well out 
the centre of bush to admit light and air, and prevent crowding. Cut out all 
sickly timber; cut them to an eye or shoot that points outward, so that the 
new shoots will not cross each other. I would nip off any such shoots that 
tend to cross each other any time during the year, whether the plant is at rest 
or not. Another mistake we amateurs make is in allowing the blooms to form 
seed pods, which are in some cases all over the plant, and allowed to remain 
until ripened; then a great deal of the wood dies back to the detriment of the 
plant. This should not be, as all plants'throw a considerable amount of strength 
in bringing seed to maturity. 
The rose when received from the nursery may be on its own root or 
budded or grafted; if either of the latter, place the grafted or budded part 2 
or 3 inches below the surface, and be very careful to watch for suckers, as 
these will grow far more vigorous than the original, and eventually you will 
lose the rose and have nothing but common stock or briar left, and then the 
blame will be thrown on the nurseryman, who is not in the least to blame in 
the matter. Some roses are preferable on grafted stocks; this I have proved 
by growing some of the best kinds from cuttings, and in some cases with very 
poor results; it is only by very careful watching and experimenting that you 
will be able to discover which is best. Again, try and remember every rose or 
plant by name that you have in your garden, which will help you to take a 
great pride in the science of horticulture, and prevent you from ordering plants 
that you may already have in your possession, or be like the squatter when he 
read about the benefits of the Eucalyptus. He immediately sent for a large 
supply at a great expense, and after they were growing some time discovered 
that they were gum-trees, of which he had hundreds of acres. 
The roses that give the best satisfaction are Teas, and the foregoing is for 
their treatment. The H.P. roses do not give much satisfaction here, but they 
are undoubtedly of splendid shades, shape, and perfume, and cannot be beaten, 
when they strike a good season, for exhibition purposes. The pruning of H.P. 
roses differs very considerably from Teas, as the H.P.’s throw up long canes. 
Some nurserymen advise cutting off all canes, leaving about 2 inches above the 
ground, others again say 12 inches for strong growth and good bloom. I 
consider the former preferable, and remove # cane any time after the bloom ~ 
has been removed, or even when you take off your bloom. 
I now conclude with the following quotation from Longfellow :— 
Spake full well in language quaint and olden, 
One who dwelleth by the castled Rhine, 
When he called the flowers, so blue and golden, 
Stars that in earth’s firmament do shine. 
An interesting discussion ensued, in the course of which many use!ul hints 
regarding the cultivation of roses were gleaned. 
PRESENTATION TO MR. AMBROSE. 
Mr. F..1. Power (one of the vice-presidents of the society) then presented, 
on behalf of some of the members, a handsome gold pendant to Mr. W. G. 
Ambrose, the late secretary, as a slight token of esteem for his services and 
the regard entertained for him. Mr. Power, in making the presentation, 
referred in terms of praise to the mannorin which Mr. Ambrose had performed 
his duties, and trusted he would long continue a member of the society, and 
further the useful work for which it had been promoted. 
Mr. Ambrose briefly responded, thanking the members for their gift, 
which he would always treasure as a memento. 
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