196 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



two huge slugs each as big as my thumb came 

 attracted by the damp, and concealed themselves either 

 in the moss or underneath the trays. It was either in 

 the night journey or during the very early hours of 

 rest at the Crystal Palace that one of these brutes 

 crawled out and ate away just the top of my very best 

 H.P., a large specimen of Her Majesty. 



Boxes and all are ready — to-morrow is the day of 

 the show — when shall we cut the blooms ? The 

 distance and the convenience of trains will almost 

 answer the question, for a start at three or four o'clock in 

 the afternoon is by no means unusual for those who live 

 at a distance from main lines, and want to show on the 

 other side of the country. 



It used to be always laid down that the morning of 

 the show is the time to cut, and that those who are 

 near enough at hand to do this are at an advantage. 

 Modern instances, and especially I think the superior 

 staying power of modern Roses, have considerably 

 modified this view. If the show is within driving 

 distance one would naturally cut in the morning, but 

 very small advantage, if any, must be expected over 

 those who have come from a distance and had to cut 

 over-night. 



I used often to get up to cut very early in the morning, 

 an hour or more before the mowers made their appear- 

 ance in the neighbouring ha}^eld, but have long ago 

 come to the conclusion that unless one can cut after 

 six o'clock in the morning it is even better to do it the 

 evening before. 



I soon noticed that about six o'clock a change came 

 over the Roses, every one taking, so to speak, his day's 

 step forward, and that many fine lasting blooms altered 

 and aged as much in half-an-hour about that time, 



