208 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE CHAP. 
Rose scent from a pamphlet called Rhodologia, by 
Mr. J. Ch. Sawer, F.L.8., of Brighton, which will 
be found useful to those interested in the scent 
of Roses, especially from a commercial point of 
view. 
So it is a charge against shows that scentless 
Roses are encouraged, and fragrance, a chief part of 
the dowry of the Rose is ignored. But there are 
really not many scentless Roses, and I think frag- 
rance 1s sometimes over-estimated. Would Baroness 
Rothschild have attained no fame without Exhibi- 
tions ? or is it fragrance which lifts the Rose so high 
above the mignonette and the violet ? 
Another common complaint against exhibitions is 
that prizes are given for mere size, and not for 
beauty. This is not correct: size has its influence, 
all other things being equal, as it rightly should, a 
Rose which is good in all points and large being 
naturally better than one which is equally good but 
smaller. ‘‘ But,’ it may be said, ‘‘ we hear of so- 
and-so getting the first prize because his blooms 
were ‘heavier.’ Are Roses judged by weight like 
dead geese?’’ The answer to this is that ‘‘ heavier ”’ 
means greater thickness and solidity of petal; and it 
will not take long for a young Rosarian’s eye to 
become sufficiently educated to prefer the thick 
fleshy petalled and consequently lasting Rose to 
one that is formed of more flimsy material. 
Another complaint will probably be that show- 
Roses are all so formal and regular, and that négligée 
forms, often so truly artistic, are not appreciated. 
The answer to this will be, that Rose shows are 
held to test cultivation, as to who can grow the best 
Roses, rather than decorative powers, as to who can 
