CONCERNING ROSE-SHOWS. 21/ 



Returning to realities — at the close of the exhibition it 

 was my happy privilege to distribute the thirty-six silver 

 cups which had been specially designed for the occasion, 

 and were, as I need hardly say, prettily and profusely en- 

 graved with Roses. The winners were — (of nurserymen) 

 Messrs Paul of Cheshunt, Mr Cranston of Hereford, Mr 

 Cant of Colchester, Mr Francis of Hertford, Mr Turner of 

 Slough, and Mr Hollamby of Tunbridge Wells : and (of 

 amateurs) Mr Giles Puller of Youngsbury, Captain Maunsell 

 and Rev. G. Maunsell, Thorpe Malsor; Mr R. Fellowes and 

 Rev. R. Fellowes, Shottesham; Mr Worthington, Cavendish 

 Priory; Rev. H. Helyar, Yeovil; Mr Mallett, Nottingham ; 

 Mr Sladden, Ash; Mr Fryer, Chatteris; Mr Walker, Ox- 

 ford ; Mr Hewitt, and Mr Blake of Ware. Two cups were 

 awarded to my own Roses, the process of presentation 

 being " gratifying, but embarrassing," as Mrs Nickleby re- 

 marked when her eccentric lover would carve her name on 

 his pew. 



So ended the first National Rose-Show.* It was, as one 

 of its best supporters, and one of our best Rosarians, the 



the cheeks of Aphrodite, and the poor goddess went back to her gardens, and 

 the pocket-handkerchiefs went back also to the noses of the unhappy Naiades. 



* A local show, which consisted almost exclusively of Roses, was held in the 

 Athenaeum at Birmingham in July 1843. 



