ROSES FOR EXHIBITION. 233 



nearly as good as Mrs Pollock; for one specimen stove- 

 plant, and for half a specimen Orchid. Allow £8 for your 

 Roses, and £1, 15s. for your Briers, and ye shall 'siller ha'e 

 to spare' from your ;^io note." When Briers are abundant, 

 6s. per TOO for dwarfs and 7s. 6d. for tall standards is a 

 usual tariff; but you should remember that it is rough 

 work, and that if you cull the best you should be liberal. 



Give your order — and any labourer will soon learn to 

 bring you what you want — towards the end of October. I 

 have myself a peculiar but unfailing intimation when it is 

 time to get in my Briers — ;;y/ Brier-man comes to chureh. 

 He comes to morning service on the Sunday. If I make 

 no sign during the week, he appears next Sunday at the 

 evening also. If I remain mute, he comes on week-days. 

 I know then that the case is urgent, and that we must 

 come to terms. Were I to fancy the Manetti instead of the 

 Brier, my impression is that he would go over to Rome. 



Having made timely arrangements to secure your supply 

 of stocks before the severities of winter are likely to pre- 

 vent you from planting (should sharp frost surprise you 

 during the process of removal, you must " lay in " your 

 Briers securely, digging a hole for them, placing them in 

 a bundle therein, covering the roots well with earth, and 



