Marcli  23,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
2:^7 
Pruxin^  and  Manuring  Roses. 
The  season  of  planting  is  practically  over,  and  pruning  now  demands 
attention.  Recently  planted  bushes  may  be  pruned  at  once.  Tlieywill 
not  be  very  rapid  in  commencing  growth,  and  it  is  best  when  they 
do  begin  that  the  wood  formed  should  bo  permanent.  I  usually 
shorten  the  branches  to  within  four  or  five  eyes  from  the  bottom  of 
each.  Plants  put  in  last  year  or  in  former  seasons  should  be  pruned 
according  to  their  habit.  Shy-growing  varieties  must  never  be  hard 
pruned,  as  there  is  a  possiVility  of  crippling  them;  but  robust  growers 
are  benefited  by  a  rather  severe  pruning.  Early  pruning  is  a  great 
mistake,  as  it  induces  the  lower  buds  to  start  into  growth  jirema- 
turely,  and  they  frequently  suflfer  for  it  in  being  overtaken  by  frost. 
Plants  which  have  formed  a  number  of  small  growths  and  a  few 
very  strong  long  ones  should  have  the  small  ones  closely  cut  in,  and 
the  strong  shoots  relied  on  for  a  supply  of  bloom.  About  G  inches 
of  growth  at  most  is  sufficient.  What  I  have  noted  might  be  described 
as  the  short-spur  system  of  pruning,  but  it  is  not  the  only  mode  of 
dealing  successfully  with  Roses. 
Pruning  Dwarf  Roses. 
When  dwarf  bu^es  form  growths  in  the  autumn  from  5  to  8  feet 
in  length  it  seems  a  pity  to  cut  them  all  otf  at  pruning  lime  in  the 
spring,  and  where  there  are  many  plants  grown  I  would  strongly 
advise  that  a  number  of  these  growths  be  left  uncut  and  be  pegged 
down.  They  will  not,  if  very  strong,  bend  to  touch  the  ground, 
as  some  may  think  of  trying  to  root  them;  but  this  is  not  the  object, 
the  principle  being  to  bend  the  shoots  and  peg  them  about  1  foot  or 
so  from  the  ground,  allowing  them  to  remain  full  length,  and  every 
bud  along  the  stem  will  soon  send  up  a  shoot,  and  these  pegged-down 
stems  will  bloom  very  profusely.  For  profuse  blooming  no  jdan  will 
equal  this,  and  it  is  rather  surprising  that  ])egcing  is  not  oftener- 
liractised.  Anyone  wishing  to  possess  a  mass  of  Roses,  growing  and 
blossoming  in  semi-wild  profusion,  could  not  do  belter  than  ])eg  down 
*ihe  shoots  over  some  beds. 
To  secure  very  early  Rose  blooms  thee  is  no  better  plan  than  not 
to  jirune.  In  many  cases  now  the  shoots  0.1  unpruned  branches  of 
last  year  will  be  a  few  inches  in  length,  especially  near  the  top  ;  but 
if  tho-e  shoots  were  cut  back  in  pruning  all  the  e.irly  growths  would 
be  gone,  and  it  would  be  some  time  before  the  lower  buds  would  be 
so  tar  advanced  in  growth.  For  this  reason  I  always  allow  a  few  of 
ihe  earliest  bushes  to  remain  unpruned,  and  they  supply  me  with 
blooms  some  weeks  in  advance  of  the  pruned  ones;  but  as  a  matter  of 
course  the  very  early  ones  are  not  so  fine  as  the  late  ones,  and  would 
never  do  fur  exhibition.  The  pegged-down  shoots  generally  bloom 
earlier  than  those  cut  back,  and  for  that  reason  this  mnde  of  culture  is 
not  recommended  where  exhibition  blooms  are  required. 
The  Use  of  Manure. 
Plants  growing  in  well-prepared  quarters  do  not  require  the  roots 
disturbed  animally  by  digging  in  large  quantities  of  manure  amongst 
them,  but  judiciously  applied  top-dressings  are  of  the  utmost  advantaue. 
Bone  manure  is  applied  by  taking  a  little  of  the  surface  soil  from 
around  the  stem,  and  shaking  a  handful  or  two  over  the  routs,  and 
then  leturn  the  soil.  The  finest  Rose  growths  and  blooms  I  ever 
produced  were  secured  in  this  way.  Many  per.sous  think  their  Roses  will 
degenerate  if  the  whole  of  the  surface  near  them  is  not  deeply  forked 
or  dug,  and  much  naluial  manure  adled  everv  spring,  but  nothing  is 
gained  by  disturbing  the  roots  very  much.  Roses  properly  planted  by 
ilie  beginning  of  March,  rightly  pruned  and  top-dressed  are  sure 
to  give  their  owners  satisfaction  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
the  flowering  season;  and  after  cultivation  will  be  conducted  with 
little  or  no  expense. 
Treatment  of  Tea  Roses. 
These  remarks  apply  to  an  extensive  collection  of  Hybrid  Per- 
pctuals  grown  exclusively  to  supply  a  large  number  of  blooms, 
but  the  treatment  of  Tea  Roses  against  walls,  and  grown  in 
various  ways  both  in  the  0|  on  and  under  glass,  does  not  differ  much 
fiom  the  above  as  rega<ds  soil  and  top-dressings.  Pruning  is  done  at 
about  the  same  time,  but  not  so  extensively,  as  my  Tea  Roses  are 
never  much  pruned,  thinning  out  the  small  useless  shoots  to  give 
more  space  to  the  strong  ones  being  the  main  object  in  cutting.  Very 
strong  shoots  formed  la-t  year  and  thoroughly  ripened'  in  the  autumn 
will  produce  much  finer  blooms  than  small  or  intermediate  growths, 
although  these  generally  prodi  ce  the  greatest  number  of  budi?.  'I'he 
first  blooms  of  the  season  on  Tea  Roses  are  not  as  a  rule  so  fine  as 
those  which  follow,  and  these  will  have  the  full  benefit  of  any  top- 
dressings  given  to  the  {ilants  now. — Rosauian. 
Single  Roses. 
The  usual  monthly  dinner  and  conversazione  of  the  II0rticultur.1l 
Club  took  plficeon  Toesdav,  14th  inst.,at  the  Hotel  indsor.  The  chair 
w.as  occupied  by  Mr.  R.  Gofton  S.ilmond.  The  subject  for  discussion 
was  the  “  Planting  .and  Pinning  of  Single  Roses,”  aud  was  opened  by 
Mr.  Geo.  Paul,  V.M.H.,  who  said  that  a  different  sys'em  must  be 
adopted  in  their  planting  from  that  which  was  pursued  in  the  case  ot 
Hybrid  Perpetuals,  Teas,  and  Hybrid  Teas.  There  were  three  waj’s 
in  which  he  said  they  might  be  advantageously  used — trained  hori¬ 
zontally,  so  a<  to  form  a  fence  or  hedge,  and  for  this  purpose  he 
advocated  hurdles  (on  which  the  Roses  might  be  trained),  supported 
by  five-baired  iion  fences;  as  single  specimens  on  lawns,  suppoited 
by  a  Larch  pole;  or  as  single  olants  iu  shrubberies,  amongst  other 
flowering  shrubs. 
With  regard  to  planting,  it  must  be  remembered  that  as  they  are 
to  remain  permanently  they  shouM  have  more  space  given  to  th  m 
than  the  ordinary  dwarf  H.P.  or  Tetis,  and  liberal  provision  should 
be  made  for  their  future  welfare.  A  hole  about  3  feet  in  diameter 
must  be  made,  aud  filled  with  good  Ro.»e  compost.  With  regard  to 
pruning,  it  was  necessary  to  be.ar  in  mind  that  they  should  be  treated 
very  differently  from  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals  and  Teas,  only  requiring  the 
three-year-old  wood  to  be  cut  away,  the  two-year-old  wood  to  be  laid 
in,  and  one-year-old  shoots  very  slightly  shortened. 
An  interesting  discussion  followed  the  paper,  in  which  all  prcserit 
joined,  and  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Paul  for  bis 
most  interesting  paper. 
New  Seedling  Pedigree  Rcses. 
In  looking  over  the  thousands  of  new  seedling  pedigree  Roses  at 
Messrs.  Alex.  Dickson  &  Sons,  Royal  Nurseries,  Newtownards,  Co. 
Down,  I  was  more  than  jdeased  at  the  great  care  .and  attention 
displayed  by  this  firm  in  so  important  a  work,  with  a  view  to  giving 
to  the  wcrld  other  new  varieties  equally  good  or  even  better  than 
those  that  have  taken  such  high  rank  in  the  past  few  yeai|a.  It  is 
somewhat  strange  that  while  so  many  lovely  light  varieties  have 
emanated  from  this  source,  the  dark  forms  have  been  almost  nil; 
but  I  have  little  hesitation  in  saying  that  ere  long  we  shall  see  some 
important  step  made  in  the  latter  class  if  one  must  judge  by  the 
appearance  of  several  finely  devehiped  flowers  which  were  noted. 
I  could  not  help  thinking  that  here  at  all  events,  for  many  years 
to  come,  we  can  look  with  safety  for  varieties  of  the  very  highest 
quality  to  make  their  appearance.  The  firm's  new  set,  which  will  be 
distributed  during  the  coming  May,  comprises  varieties  of  the 
miuit  only.  Many  varieties  were  carefully  criticised,  some  of  which 
I  will  refer  to  in  a  later  issue,  but  the  following  were  so  charming  at 
the  time  of  my  visit  as  to  merit  their  inclusion  into  any  gaiden 
where  cut  flowers  and  decorative  work  form  a  leading  itern. 
Beryl. — A  lovely  Tea  of  robust  growth  and  free  branching  habit, 
which  flowers  in  great  abundance  thioughout  tbe  entire  season.  The 
half-open  buds,  long,  and  of  perfect  shape,  are  highly  perfumed,  the 
colour  being  the  richest  of  golden  yellow — in  fact,  shades  deeper  than 
the  popular  W.  A  Richardson,  on  which  it  is  a  great  advance. 
Mtta. — This  is  at  once  a  superb  and  novel  variety  of  excellent 
hab  t  and  growth.  Here  again  the  half-expanded  buds  are  most 
beautiful;  but  although  several  shades  of  colour  were  noted  on  the 
plants,  the  predominating  one  seemed  to  be  of  a  crushed  Strawberry, 
with  saffron  suffusion.  Fragrance  is  another  s|  ecial  feature  in  this 
charming  Tea  variety.  The  above  are  handsome  for  buttonhole  work. 
Daisy.— A.  very  distinct  Hybrid  Tea  of  moderate  growth  is  this. 
The  blooms  are  largo,  full,  and  perfectly  formed ;  of  a  rosy  pink  colour 
suffused  with  silvery  pink,  and  very  fragrant.  It  ought  to  be  very 
serviceable  for  exhibit!  m  purposes.  _  r  u  i 
Killarney. — Here  we  have  another  charming  variety  ot  robust 
growth,  an  I  a  veritable  gem  for  garden  «ork  and  cut  flowers,  the 
blooms  being  produced  in  handsome  bunches,  d  ne  trusses  are  large, 
the  buds  befng  long  and  pointed ;  colour  flesl)  shaded  while  with  pink 
suffusion.  It  is  a  distinct  Rose  of  great  merit,  and  must  attract 
considerable  attention.  5111 
Ards  Hover.— hi  this  fine  variety  we  have  a  distinct  and  valuable 
addition  to  our  climbing  and  pillar  Roses.  The  foliage  is  large  and 
handsome  :  flowers  produced  in  bunches,  of  a  Giineral  Jacqueminot 
colour,  with  sweet-scented  flowers  as  perfectly  formed.  It  is  a  true 
H.P.  climber,  and  a  very  welcome  addition  in  the  matter  of  colour. 
A  Visitor.  _ _ 
Mr.  Robert  Sydenham’s  New  Premises.  Mr.  Sydenham  h^as 
lund  it  necessary  to  erect  new  premises  to  meet  the  requirements  ot  his 
Icpanding  trade.  ^  The  new  structure  is  bu.lt  of  best  Stntfbrdsh.re  bricks 
ith  freestone  dressings.  It  is  a  two-storied  budding  exclusive  ot  the 
aseraent  and  underground  stores.  The  various  store,  packing  rooms 
nd  offices  are  fitted  with  every  mod  rn  appliance,  including  the  e'ectr  c 
oht  and  a  commodious  fireproof  room  containing  a  large  arra^  o 
usiness  books.  It  was  an  interesting  sight  to  watch  ^  ® 
mployes  sorting,  packing,  and  making  up  seed  orders  in  ‘n® 
epartments  witl.  precision  and  care,  a  largo  uem  being  the  collection 
weet  Peas,  which  form  a  speciality  in  th  s establishment.— VifeirOR. 
