296 THE GARDENER. [July 



tant help, and -wlio was tbe best man I ever saw in the practical 

 arrangements of a flower-sliow, was first, soon after daybreak, on the 

 scene. He found the hall crowded with chairs and benches, just as it 

 was left after a concert the night before. Early as it was, he had his 

 staff with him — carpenters and others ; and when I arrived with my 

 Roses, after a journey of 120 miles, at 5.30 a.m., the long tables were 

 almost ready for the baize. Then came the covered vans w^hich had 

 travelled through the summer night from the grand gardens of Hert- 

 fordshire, and tlie "four-wheelers," with green boxes piled upon their 

 roofs, from all the railway stations. And then the usual confusion 

 which attends the operation of "staging" — exhibitors preferring their 

 " own selection " to the places duly assigned to them, running against 

 each other, or j^ressing round Mr Edwards with their boxes, as though 

 they had something to sell — vociferating like the porters at Boulogne, 

 who, having seized your portmanteau, insist on taking your body to 

 their hotel. He, however, was quite master of the situation, and upon 

 his directions, clearly and firmly given, there followed order and peace. 

 And there followed a scene, beautiful exceedingly. I feel no shame 

 in confessing that when the hall was cleared, and I looked from the 

 gallery upon the three long tables, and the platform beneath the great 

 organ, glowing with the choicest Roses of the world, the cisterns of 

 my heart o'erfiowed — 



" A flood of thoughts caipe rushing, and filled mine eyes with tears." 



" Half the nurseries of England," as Dr Lindley wrote, " poured their 

 treasures into St James's Hall." There were twenty boxes from Saw- 

 bridgeworth alone. There were glorious collections, large and lovely, 

 from Cheshunt and Colchester, Hertfordshire and Hereford, Exeter 

 and Slough. But I had brief time, as secretary and supervisor, that day 

 for "idle tears," or other private emotions ; for, had I been editor of 

 'Notes and Queries,' the 'Field,' and the 'Queen' conjointly, I could 

 not have had more questions put to me. Had I possessed the hun- 

 dred hands of Briareus, not one would have been unemployed. Then 

 the censors reported their verdicts ; the prize-cards were placed by the 

 prize Roses ; and then came 



The momentous question, "Would the public indorse our experi- 

 ment 1 Would the public appreciate our show 1 There was a de- 

 ficiency of £100 in our funds, for the expenses of the exhibition 

 were £300 ; and as a matter both of feeling and finance, I stood by the 

 entrance as the clock struck two, anxiously to watch the issue. 



No long solicitude. More than fifty shillings — I humbly apologise 

 — more than fifty intelligent and good-looking individuals were waiting 

 for admission ; and these were followed by continuous comers, until 



