XII MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 295 
and well-shaped—a perfect smooth cone—and swells 
slowly even in forcing weather, while the stem 
thickens and stiffens in proportion, it is a good sign. : 
On the other hand, a thick, strong, tall, fleshy shoot 
may open its bud almost at once and produce a 
comparatively poor bloom. It does decidedly best 
in every way as a short standard, but will also yield 
fairly fine flowers as a dwarf. (In speaking of 
standards, here and elsewhere, I would strongly 
advise the always asking for ‘‘ half-standards.” I 
know of no advantage, but of much disadvantage, 
in standard stems being more than two feet high.) 
The blooms sometimes come divided, but when 
good they are first-rate indeed in petal, fullness, and 
shape, and wonderful in size and lasting qualities. 
The colour is lovely, having many shades, and like 
many other Teas, is variable. Mr. Prince can show 
it as a yellow Rose, but this is generally when it is 
too much expanded and the point is gone, pink 
being much more predominant than yellow in my 
specimens. The plants are of pretty good constitu- 
tion, by which I mean that they will live and not 
deteriorate for years if well cultivated, and they 
will stand close pruning, but are tender and 
_ must be well protected from frosts. Though they 
are so dwarf they should not be put too close 
together, for the habit of growth is singularly 
lateral, and the principal shoots of old plants will 
often be horizontal. It is a free flowering sort for 
one of such dwarf habit, but is not of much use in 
the late autumn, unless the weather be very fine and 
dry. Its freedom of bloom is a nuisance to the pro- 
pagator, as it is often difficult to find a sufficiency of 
buds which have not started. 
