xI EXHIBITING 207 
be said that there is a ‘‘ fancy”’ in Roses, and that 
the very term “‘ show-Rose’’ proves it, we must see 
what are the desirable and useful properties in 
Roses, and whether the system of exhibitions 
favours or hinders them. 
Beauty and fragrance are the charms of the Rose. 
It may be said beauty is a matter of taste, but, as 
tastes differ, for the purposes of competition ideals 
must be agreed upon and rules laid down. In this 
matter I think the show system of the National 
Rose Society has laid down fairly correct canons of 
beauty. Unhappily, fragrance cannot be accounted 
for in competition at Rose shows. It is plain that 
among such a number it could not be tested, and 
that rules for estimating the amount and quality of 
fragrance in each bloom could not be satisfactorily 
framed. Individual taste will also differ much in 
the appreciation of it, the scent of Maréchal Niel, 
for instance, so highly esteemed by some, being not 
a pleasant one to my senses. 
In fact, the judging of fragrance would have to be 
a matter for experts, properly trained, as tea-tasters 
are, for the part. Such persons, who have made the 
matter a special study, tell us that there is no scent 
of tea among what we call Tea Roses, but that some 
of them, like Maréchal Niel and Madame Bravy have 
a fruity scent resembling the raspberry, that Safrano 
has the odour of pinks, the Macartney Rose of 
apricots, and the Dog-Rose of mignonette. They 
even say that some Roses have a disgusting scent, 
the flowers of certain varieties of the Sweet Briar 
(of all Roses !) developing a mixed odour of coriander 
and a certain horrid parasite which shall be name- 
less! I gather these and a few other items as to 
