INTRODUCTION. 3 



declared that the book is British, and the writer, 

 although quite cognisant of the debt we owe to rose 

 growers throughout the world, feels very strongly 

 upon the support that should be accorded to our own 

 nurserymen. 



A glance at the dictionary of roses at the end of 

 the book will show the reader what has been done by 

 continental rosarians towards the development of the 

 Queen of Flowers, and he would indeed be a churl who 

 did not welcome the efforts of a horticukural brother ; 

 but even the foreign trader will agree that it is only right 

 to support home industries first and then to take your 

 favours abroad. 



Nearly all rose growers are in touch with the 

 markets, and they soon procure a new variety that 

 is worth propagating; if, then, a foreign introduction 

 is of any value, the amateur can rest assured that it 

 will not be long before it is found in our own nur- 

 series. All firms mentioned in this book are firms of 

 standing and can be relied upon to advise and supply 

 only goods of honest market value. It is a most 

 surprising thing to me how few amateurs ever visit 

 our large nurseries, where they can see plants and 

 trees growing in quantity and can best judge as to 

 their wants, their likes and dislikes. The show tent 

 for many seems to be the only media for selection, and 

 yet the show tent has its limitations, even if it has 

 its advantages. In any case, it serves for a gathering 

 of the clans, and much useful information is exchanged 

 first-hand. The Horticultural Trade of this country 

 is one of its greatest mainstays; how great, few of us 

 realise, until we carefully consider all the various in- 

 dustries that are involved in its interests. Fruit, 

 flowers, vegetables, plants, trees, shrubs, seeds, roots, 

 tubers— think of the scope ! But when you go further 

 and treat of garden sundries, this list is legion and 

 involves anything from a greenhouse to a label, from 

 a mowing machine to a pair of scissors, or a garden 

 ornament to a paving stone. The gardens of the 

 British Isles have been for centuries the wonder of 

 the world, and this is due entirely to our British nur- 

 leries and to our Horticultural Traders. These are 



