1873.] GARDEN LITERATUEE. 



a light and dark red side by side ; then a white, a yellow, or a purple ; again a 

 dark and a light rose-colour, and so on, thus working two shades of red or rose 

 (the superabounding colours) to one white, yellow, or purple. Supposing this to 

 be done in the back row, the same principle may be followed in the front — only it 

 must be contrived that the flowers in the front row should be as distinct in shade or 

 colour as possible from those immediately behind them ; and thus, although we 

 cannot always avoid opposing red to red, we may yet contrive variety by placing 

 in juxtaposition distinct shades of that colour. The beauty of a stand of roses is 

 greatly enhanced by the judicious working in of a few leaves, but they should be 

 leaves of the variety they are attached to, and sometimes prize schedules do not 

 allow even these. A few small buds pushing out here and there are also highly 

 effective, but neither buds nor leaves should be so numerous as to crowd or 

 obscure the flowers ; they are to the flowers what hair is to the human head — 

 the absence in either case leaves a baldness scarcely to be coveted. 



It is well, especially if the flowers have to travel by railway, to press a little clean 

 moss into the tubes after the flowers are packed, in order to hold them tightly in 

 their places, and to keep the water from jumping out. The arrangement then is 

 finished, and we are free to ponder over the progress of our labour. It may or 

 may not please us, but further alterations may safely be left till the morning of 

 the show. Keep the flowers cool, exposed, if convenient, to the night dews, and 

 do not close the lids till the last possible moment. The boxes may be fastened 

 with lock and key, with hooks and eyes, or with cords. If travelling by railway, 

 accompany them yourself, and never lose sight of them. Arrived at their desti- 

 nation, open the lids of the boxes, fill the tubes with water, make any alterations 

 you please, and close the lids again till the time arrives for leaving the room or 

 tent. Of course the exhibitor will carry with him a box or boxes of spare 

 flowers, to provide against contingencies. 



These remarks, read over in a few minutes, are the results of years' experience, 

 and have been thought out little by little. If followed, a fair measure of success 

 may be looked for. With flowers so packed, I have driven 20 miles by road, and 

 afterwards travelled 400 miles by railway, and have not found a flower misplaced 

 or a petal fallen on arrival. — William Paul, Waltham Cross, Herts. 



GAEDEN LITERATURE. 



JldJNDER the title of Handbook of Hardy Trees, Shrubs, etc.,* Mr. 

 J4£f Hemsley has recently enriched our Garden Literature with a book which 



fwill be extremely useful to a large section of horticulturists, both amateur 

 and professional, since it does something to bridge over the chasm which 

 has so long existed between the scientific and the practical departments of our 

 art. Mr. Hemsley's training has no doubt led him to give somewhat the greater 



* Handbook of Trees, Sfiriibs, and Herbaceous Plants; containing Descriptions, Native Countries &a 

 Based on ttie French work of MM. Decaisne and Naudin, entitled " Manuel de I'Amateur des Jardins " and 

 includmg the Original Woodcuts by Riooreux and Leblanc. By W. B. Hemsley, formerly Assistant at the 

 Herbarium of the Royal Gardens, Kew. London : Longmans, Green, and Go. 1873. 8vo, pp. 687. 



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