108 THE ROSE. 
hands, and it is finally discarded as worthless; 
or it may be, the sort in question proves to 
be a kind that gives a few good blooms in 
June and plenty of shoots and leaves the rest 
of the year, but nothing else. Wrong im- 
pressions are doubtless often received at 
these exhibits, for to gain by observation a 
correct impression of the general qualities of 
any variety it must be seen at different times, 
growing in the garden or nursery row in 
quantity. On the other hand, these exhibi- 
tions certainly make prominent the more 
beautiful roses, and as we are first attracted 
to a rose by the richness or delicacy of its 
color, and the symmetry of its form, we have 
placed before us for easy comparison the 
highest types of beauty to be found in the 
rose family; and although from seeing in- 
dividual flowers we learn nothing of the 
character of varieties, as respects profusion 
and continuity of bloom, or vigor and health- 
fulness of growth, we, nevertheless, can be 
assured that those kinds which appear /re- 
quently and in great perfection in different 
boxes are kinds which will certainly be useful 
ones for general cultivation. Varieties, 
particularly those not of recent origin, which 
now and then sparsely appear in great beauty, 
are not to be trusted on prima-facie evidence. 
