Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-22

/ Now is the appointed time to cut back
the rosebushes. Not the climbers, of
course; to touch them would be to trim
| on the new growth of last year, upon
which this seasons flowers will bloom.
Pruning should be done at this time,
or In Marcn, upon such typical bush
roses as Radiance and Red Radiance
and all their kind.
Observation by even an amateur
rosarian, in whose exalted ranks the
writer counts himself, shows beyond
doubt the great necessity for annual
pruning.
1t is not so much that smaller flowers
are secured when one does not cut back
the roses as that the bushes themselves
take on scraggly and 6nsymmetrical
Every rosebush we have ever seen
needs every bit of beauty it possesses,
because the bush is not much to brag
about.
The roseflower is what makes the
roSebuSh, but that is no reason why
grower should not attempt to de-
velop as shapely bushes as possible, so
that they may fit into the general gar
den picture with as little shock as pos
sible.
The habit of most rose growth is to
| develop certain amount of stem be-
fore side shoots are sent out. If bush
is permitted to remain untrimmed Tor
several years, say five or six, the entire
structure tends to lengthen out.
There will be longer shoots. and more
| OF them, but the old parent branches,
getting larger each year, also will grow
longer.
Then the bush becomes "leggy," as
the growers say-that is, the place
where the branching begins becomes
higher and higher from the ground
each year-until after five or six years
have passed the bush is up in the air, .
in physical sense.
AT the best, few rosebushes are pref
ty, as bushes. They need all the SYM
metry a grower can induce them to take
on, and this at the best is not very
much. Such husky bushes as Radiance.
planted comparatively close together
VIII give an appearance of compact
ness and neatneSs, largely because the
leaves of bushes to the rear help hide
the defects OF those closer to the spec
tator.
BY cutting back the main branches
/ and denuding what is left of a great
many OF the side shoots, the former are
| induced to keep their first laterals as
low to the ground as possible
Just what to cut and what not to
cut Is often puzzle, even to the ex-
perienced roSarian. Pruning is an art
which one learns only by experience
Perhaps the best way is not to become
too afraid of it. but to whack loose at a
bush, rather than give the matter up in
| despair.
After all Nature is generous to her
| children. The very fact that an intrud-
er In the shape of human being dares
to lop on some of her precious limbs
makes her all the more determined 10
grow them back on again.
1t Is this stimulating effect which Is
what pruning Is done for, after all, how
ever much one may accent the neces-
sity for trimness of outline in a shrub.
Yet this secondary effect desired must
never be forgotten. The best way to
prune for future effect is to stand of
and take good look at the bush be-
lore one begins.
Try to see the foliage and blooms
upon 1t, always remembering that some
OF those shoots will go straight up into
the air, and that these will always grow
the fastest, and become the largest
around.
Getting as good a picture of the flu
ture bush, based on memories of last
year. as ones imagination can con-
struct in thin air, out of some facts
ana large dreams, step forward deter
mlnedly, and put the shippers to work
ABOVE all, never fear to cut them back
too low. We recall a bush which was
or feet high, which was cut back