1869.] 



THE ROSE. 



385 



A wee story about Moss, and we leave it. I remember an exhibitor, 

 of whom it was said that he was never known to pay a compliment, 

 or to praise anything which did not belong to himself, except upon one 

 occasion. Having won the first prize for Roses, he went in the joy of 

 his heart to his chief rival, and, surveying his collection, deliberately 

 and frankly said, " Well, John, I must acknowledge you certainly beat 

 us — in Moss." As well might some victorious jockey compliment the 

 rider of a distanced horse upon the plaiting of that horse's mane. It 

 was a panygeric as glorious as that which Artemus Ward paid to his 

 company, composed exclusively of commanders-in-chief, "What we 

 particly excel in is resting muskits — we can rest muskits with any- 

 body." 



The Roses are placed in tubes of zinc 4J inches in length, 2 inches 

 wide at the top, gradually tapering until they become 1 inch in width 

 at the centre ; the tops being moveable, 

 as shown herewith. This top is taken 

 off, and the stalk of the flower being 

 brought through until the Rose is held 

 securely, it is replaced upon the tubes, 

 previously filled with pure rain-water. 

 These tubes not only facilitate the 

 arrangement of the flower, but they re- 

 tain the water when rough railway port- 

 ers forget their gradients. They may be 

 had from the brazier and tinman every 

 where, and they cost l^d. apiece. 



The carelessness of porters reminds me to add, that exhibitors who 

 cannot accompany their Roses — a terrible separation to the true lover, 

 and one which I have never known — will do well to have painted in 

 white letters upon the dark-green lids of their boxes, " Flowers in 

 water — keep level." 



The amateur must now have the cards in readiness, on which he has 

 written with his best pen the names of his show-Roses. These are cut 

 from the ordinary cardboard, and must be of the regulation size — 3 inches 

 in length by 1 in width. They should be kept in a box, divided into 

 compartments and lettered, so that they may be quickly found when 

 wanted. They are placed sometimes on the moss in front of the Rose, 

 but they have a more neat and uniform appearance if inserted on sticks 

 about 5 inches long (I use osier-twigs painted green), cleft at the top 

 to receive them, and pointed at the bottom to penetrate the Moss more 

 easily. 



The young knight will not be armed cap-a-pie until he has supplied 

 himself with a couple of helmets. If the weather is showery, or the 



