JUNE. 167 



it was desirable or not to " lift " or " remove " their plants. I have 

 bought 500 Roses, including the novelties of 1858 and 1859, and 

 have caused to be bought over 200 more, with a view to distinguish 

 Dorsetshire at the National ; and, great is my disappointment at the 

 clashing of show days. Nevertheless, I have done what I could to 

 obtain lady patronesses, in accordance with the wishes of our reverend 

 and indefatigable honorary secretary. Her Grace the Duchess of 

 Beaufort, Lady Charlotte Sturt, Lady Rivers, and the Countesses of 

 Granville and Digby, have kindly, at my request, allowed their names 

 to be put down as lady patronesses. I have also received authority 

 to-day to add the names of Viscountess Curzon, Lady Burghersh, and 

 the Lady Augusta Sturt, to the distinguished list ; and I hope that 

 others will follow the example of these bright specimens. If, however, 

 I am prevented going, or taking any Roses for the above reasons, I do 

 not see why I should not do something which may be of benefit to 

 exhibitors. I will, therefore, give a few hints that may be available, 

 and I will throw aside that unworthy selfishness, too prevalent, which 

 withholds information which ought to be made public, and contents 

 itself with writing learned articles, which no one can understand or 

 avail themselves of. 



The first hint I will give is, mind and put a strap round your show 

 box. The following anecdote will illustrate its necessity : — Last year, 

 in travelling to the National, all went well with me till I got to 

 Kingston, when about 4 o'clock, a thin-faced looking costermonger, 

 with an upturned nose, like Mappin's pruning knife reversed, and his 

 son, a " shrubby Calceolaria," shoved in their bundles, and got in. 

 The thrusts unhinged the cover of my box, which goes on slides ; and 

 before we had gone a few hundred yards, Mr. Spooner, my surgeon, 

 of Blandford, who got into a second-class carriage (never, except on 

 show days, will I get into a second class on the narrow gauge ; alas ! 

 my skin and bones) for company with me, exclaimed " Why, here are 

 your Roses all over the place ; " this I did not see, as the box was 

 under my feet. I looked, and, alas ! Madame Zoutman, Countess 

 Lacepede, Blanchefleur, Brennus, Kean, and other glories, were 

 scattered over the place. I said, " Sir, you have ruined me," to which 

 he growled, " Not much harm after all," and said no more. I had 

 not courage to test his accuracy, and, having slided on the cover, I 

 waited till I got to London (half an hour), and then I found the 

 immense damage done ; for, out of 39, I could but just make up 24, 

 with a small inferior M. Fremion. Moreover, the delicate colours, 

 so indispensable in showing 24, were gone. Mind, therefore, the 

 strap, and always take more Roses than you mean to show. The 

 vibration of a second class will unloose hasps alone. 



Before, however, you come to the strap, there is much to be done. 

 You ought to have five trees of every show sort, to be sure of the day, 

 and each tree ought to have five buds (the corollaries being taken off 

 as soon as you see the main bud safe), and these buds should be of 

 different sizes, so that you will have twenty-five chances, provided 

 the trees are planted in different situations, and cut back wholly, or by 

 instalments at different times. I have for instance, 30 Geant des 



