20 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



mens of medium merit, and some failures. Among the latter | 

 I cannot forget a small and sickly exposition of Paul Ricaut, : 

 who, by some happy coincidence, which warmed my whole 

 body with laughter, was appropriately placed in a large i 

 medicine-bottle, with a label, requesting that the wretched 

 invalid might be well rubbed every night and morning. 

 Poor Paul ! a gentle touch would have sent him to pot- 

 pourri ! 



When the prizes were awarded we left the show-room, 

 grave and important as two examiners coming out of the 

 schools at Oxford ; and when the undergraduates — I mean 

 the stockingers — had rushed to see who had taken honours 

 and who -wQve: plucked, I went with some of them to inspect 

 their gardens. These are tiny allotments on sunny slopes, 

 just out of the town of Nottingham,* separated by hedges 

 or boards, in size about three to the rood — such an extent 

 as a country squire in Lilliput might be expected to devote 



* "No town in England displays the gardening spirit more manifestly than 

 'old Nottingham.' Independently of gardens attached to residences, there | 

 are, we believe, nearly 10,000 allotments within a short distance of the town ; ' 

 and as many of these are divided, and in some cases subdivided, it is not too 

 much to affirm that from 20,000 to 30,000 of the inhabitants, or nearly one- 

 half, take an active interest in the garden. And where will you see such Roses \ 

 as are produced upon the Hungar Hills by these amateurs — such cabbage and 

 lettuce, rhubarb and celery?" — Nottinghamshire Giiardia?i, March 8, 1867. 



