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CHAPTER XI. 



EXHIBITING. 



^* Then gather the Rose in its fresh morning- beauty — 

 Now, now, whilst 'tis youth, pluck the Roses of 

 love." — Tasso. 



Exhibition Roses ! What visions are conjured up 

 before the mind of an old exhibitor — memories of happy 

 days, although of strenuous labour ! But it does not 

 do to dwell too much upon the past, and few of us who 

 are interested in any particular subject care to be re- 

 galed with the reminiscences of others unless we are 

 iible to personally benefit from their experience. Now, 

 I have much to say on the subject of exhibitions and 

 exhibiting, that I trust will be not only of interest, but 

 also helpful to many a grower of exhibition Roses, 

 whether for the show tent to give pleasure to others or 

 to remain in his own garden, a joy to hirnself and to 

 his personal friends. But before proceeding to dis- 

 course upon the actual culture of the exhibition Rose, I 

 think it is necessary to deal with the selection of most 

 suitable varieties. 



Ah ! how selection makes one wish that he were 

 rich enough to grow them all, rich enough to maintain 

 a huge Rose garden with a bed devoted to 

 eadh variety. But what a stupendous task it 

 would be to collect and keep every known 

 var-ety going. I do not believe that any grower has 

 the smallest idea of how many varieties there are. Many 

 are now grown so seldom that it would be a very hard 

 matter to secure anything like all, although I venture 

 to think that someone ought to try and organise a 

 National Rose garden, where all varieties could be seen 

 to advantage. As I write I have before me a pile of 



