JULY 



IRISH GARDENING. 



107 



and the pips will be very pale, anil have a pale-coloured 

 bloom on them. 



Medford Champion. — Procure larg-e fruits, which is 

 easy done in this case, but it is more difficult to procure 

 good fruits, the majority of the large ones being un- 

 shapely. The colour should be a deep scarlet, and the 

 pips should stand well up in the flesh. 



Great care should be taken to see that all the fruits 

 are free from blemish of every sort, such as decay, 

 bruises, or insect marks. They should be exhibited 

 with their stalks attached, perfectly ripe, and, if at all 

 possible, should not be gathered until the morning of 

 the show. Cover the plate with some nice, clean straw- 

 berry leaves, and lay the fruits gently on the leaves. 



Twenty fruits constitute a "dish," and they should 

 be, as near as possible, all equal in size, shape, and 

 colour. 



Each dish should be correctly named. 



Marks are awarded for ripeness, freshness, and bright 

 colour, rich flavour, handsome shape and size. 



In a collection of fruit, an excellent dish o( straw- 

 berries will receive six points. 



W. S. I. 



VI. — Exhibiting Roses. 



By ODci.NKi, Browne M.D. 



THOSE readers who intend exhibiting cut blooms 

 at the coming local shows throughout Ireland 

 during this and the next month must see that all 

 things are prepared in due time. No good can come 

 from things done in a spurt. The usual classes at our 

 local shows are for either six or twelve blooms, and so 

 you must provide yourself with a tray or belter a box 

 and tray, the latter pierced with holes five inches apart 

 for tubes to hold both water and flower, commonly 

 known as Foster's tubes, these tubes can be got from 

 Foster, .\shford, Kent, for 5s. 6d. per dozen, or from any 

 seedsman. With the tubes are wires to carry the 

 flower. Labels of the approved style can be bought 

 either plain or with any roses name on il for 2S. per 100 

 from Messrs. Blake & MacKenzie, School Lane, Liver- 

 pool. Proper moss must be procured, velvety in texture, 

 and should be set out in some shady spot, and kept well 

 watered. Some rose shades to shade blooms from 

 rain, sun, and dew are absolutely necessary if a perfect 

 bloom is required, paying special heed to dark reds, 

 yellows and pinks. Some fairly thick wool for tying up 

 the centres of blooms will be also required. Two days 

 before a show, a careful survey should be made of all 

 roses, and any promising bud which will about hit the 

 show should be selected and shaded. When the outer 

 petals have sufficiently opened a piece of wool about six 

 inches long should be taken, and one end should be 

 lapped twice round the other. This loop thus formed 

 should then be passed around the centre of the yet 

 unexpanded flower and helped into place by a camel's- 

 hair brush, and sufficiently tightened to only prevent 

 slipping. Then a shade, taking care that wind does not 

 rub shade and bloom together, should be put over the 

 flower. Now your box and tray should be cleared, 

 the tray mossed over nicely and evenly and left in 

 a cool place. When cutting time comes fill ALL the 

 tubes with rain water and give the moss a syringing. 



I will presume that my readers only intend show- 

 ing at a local show, if they intend travelling any 

 distance by train they must make their preparations 

 beforehand. There is much diversity of opinion as to 

 when blooms should be cut — say on evening prior to or 

 morning of show. I always think it wiser to cut in late 

 evening prior to day, as blooms keep better and are 

 drier when so cut than those cut very early in morning. 

 Never cut or tie a bloom when wet, for when it dries it 

 will spot and burn. Cut your roses with stems about six 

 inches long — the choicest and best first — and let them be 

 put into water quickly. Repair to your staging place and 

 take a wire of Foster's tube in your right hand, and hold- 

 ing the stalk of flower in your left hand, get the rounded 

 top of the wire snugly round the base of the bloom, 

 give the stalk a slight pull to make the rose sit lightly, 

 and wire round stalk and holder. Cut your stalk as 

 long as the wire support, and put your flower into the 

 tube and label it. Repeat with them all, and leave a 

 little of lid open for night. Now for every bloom wired, 

 as meant to be shown, there should be a spare (if possible 

 a younger) bloom taken in another box ; these 

 should also be wired and labelled. Press all the tubes 

 when leaving home fully down, lock or strap the box, 

 and keep your eye on that box until the place of show 

 is reached. When you reach the show (get there early) 

 put your box on the staging (this is imperative in Lon- 

 don, and quite right), lift your lid, replace any leaky 

 tube or spilled water and rest yourself. When staging 

 time comes commence by raising all your tubes to the 

 one uniform height. A little manipulating is nece.s.sary 

 to help an unopened bloom to open, by pressing back 

 the outer petals with a camel's-hair brush. Untie the 

 flower ; if it holds and does not " fly " or become too much 

 open, well and good, re-tie that flower and go on to the 

 next. Any flower that " flies " must be replaced, and 

 mind aboiit dulpicates. When all are ready get a pot or 

 brick and prop up the back of your box to an angle of forty- 

 five degrees or so and replace \'Our lid. When told to do 

 so remove your lids, but leave your ties as long as you can. 

 Don't forget any when you leave, as a tied bloom should 

 be counted nil. Try and arrange that the largest 

 flowers are at the back and keep colours well scattered — 

 i.e., do not put two reds side by side. Have a couple of 

 spares ready in case any rose looks " groggy " (there is 

 no better word) at the final moment. It is this jockeying 

 and manoeuvering that makes rose showing so entranc- 

 ing, be not too greedy or try for too much, dividing 

 forces is a bad game ; experience alone can guide us. 

 Just let me give you a few hints before I close : If you are 

 going to show use the right sized box and set your box 

 up early. If you find you are late and have no room, 

 ask the steward to request the owners of boxes to kindly 

 make room for you (do not do as a person did to me i:i 

 Dublin last season who came late and gave my box a push 

 and sent all flying) and there will remain harmony. 

 You will find that all or nearly all rose growers are a very 

 amiable lot of people and treat them accordingly. 

 Lastly, remember what the late Dean Hole said : — 



Who misses or who wins the prize, 

 Go lose or conquer as you can ; 

 But if you fail or if you rise. 

 Be each, pray God, a gentleman. 



