EXHIBITING. 131 



ran be and what it is ; if you do not know the variety, 

 then judgfe it as a Rose of colour and shade, and any 

 other point, such as freshness and staging. I fear 

 tny brethren will think me disloyal to the N.R.S., but 

 I refuse to accept the pointing of blooms as a sure 

 guide as to the best collection. 



A careful inspection will soon show which is first, 

 second and third ; and in the case of a tie, which is 

 most unlikely, minor points, such as staging, should 

 count. There is always some militating factor, such 

 as over-dressing, a split bloom, a flower that is not 

 quite fresh, one that is undersized or off colour, that 

 can turn the scale. The pointing of blooms depends 

 entirely upon your knowledge of all of the flowers to 

 be judged, and if you are growers of them all there 

 will be no need to point. I have often smiled when I 

 have seen brother amateur judges attempting to point 

 up exhibits of Alex Dickson, of Ireland, This famous 

 grower nearly always includes in his collections most 

 of his latest novelties, and I have knowm for a fact 

 that many of the Roses shown were quite unknown 

 to the judges who were attempting to point them up 

 according to N.R.S. rules. A careful study of all 

 exhibits at a show will soon teach you more than my 

 Rose book can in a chapter devoted to exhibiting. 



Experience is everything in Rose growing aod 

 showing, and I owe my first introduction to the ex- 

 hibiting world to the King's Acre Nurseries, Here- 

 ford, who first fathered my early efforts l^he show 

 tent for me is now a dream of the past, but it is one 

 full of my most pleasant memories, and my greatest 

 wish is, that the day will come again when once more 

 I shall challenge my old friends, and exhibit and judge 

 with the best of them. 



