Evening star., 1933-06-06

1t may be that mankind respects
them, and values them all the more,
because they are not "ever- blooming"
1t is questionable whether our peonies
would be better, If they put forth bios
SONS every month.
There is a wonderful field for ex-
Fermentation here, and plant breeders
all over the world are looking into the
matter for us.
Perpetual flowers, in time, might be
evolved, who knows?
The long expanse Of fence Is Just
what such q sturdy climber as the DR..
Van Fleet needs.
Then it can extend itself, as 1t were
stretch its arms, do its best.
Practically every one who grows climb
ing roses knows that the blooms come
ON the new wood of last seasons
growth.
That Is, the flowers now in evidence
on our popular climbers are blooming
on wood grown last Spring and Summer.
II the canes had plenty Of room, they
stretched themselves out to great length,
and the flowers have appeared all along
the canes.
Pruning the climbers, then, should be
done only after the flowers have faded.
This means that pruning for practically
all of them will be in order now within
few weeks.
In order, that Is, II one wants to
prune.
On a fence, few of the climbers will
have to be cut back at all, aside from
nipping of the old faded blossoms and
some small portions of the stems on
which they grew.
The fence is the ideal place for
growing climbers, because 1t allows
them to get plenty of air from all sides,
something which house or other solid
surface does not permit.
Another feature of the fence Is that
such spraying as ought to be done may
be accomplished without getting stains
on anything. II Van Fleet, for in
stance, Is attacked by aphids, as some
times occurs in wet seasons, the best
remedy Is an application Of nicotine
solution. II the climber is on a house
painted white, the spray will leave
f1eckS Of brown. The result Is that
many owners refuse to spray.
On the fence no such fear need be
felt II spray is necessary, there is
no reason for not applying it, so that
the owner Is q great deal more likely
to give his roses the treatment they
need.
+ Il
Fifty to q hundred feet Of fence will
be completely covered by Van Fleets
within couple of years, If planted
about 10 feet apart to begin with. In
deed, If set 20 feet apart, they will do
the same thing, but the distance seems
very great in the beginning, and the
feelings Of the gardener, as well as the
plants. must be considered.
If planted in the Spring, as most
climbers are, they should be got in
early; some time in March, If possible.
The first year, of course, will not see
much bloom, all the growth going to-
ward next seasons blooms. The sec
ond Spring, however, will see scores
Of fine flowers. The third Spring, or
two years after planting, will see climb
ing roses in profusion, II the weather
Is at all propitious.
Some training of the canes will be
necessary on q fence, since many Of
them insist on growing straight up in
the air. These should be laid down
carefully on the top Of the fencing,
and along lower wires, in order to give
each cane as much room and air as
possible. The big idea, in growing
climbing roses on a fence, Is to per-
NIT the canes and the fencing to make
one structure, so that the fence Is as
much a part of the climbers as the
blossoms, and the flowers as much q
part Of the fence as the very posts.
When that effect Is secured, the
gardener has something.