THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 195 



Those roaarlans who had an opportunity of inspecting the beautiful 

 display of flowers, and the magnificent array of silver cups, some 

 thirty-six in number, which were awarded to the most successful 

 competitors, will not readily forget the eiFect it produced upon 

 their minds at the time. The second National Rose Show was held 

 in Hanover Square Rooms, on June 23, 1859 ; but the roses did not 

 appear to such advantage as in St. James's Hall tiie previous year, 

 and generally it was not such a decided success. The third National 

 Show was held at the Crystal Palace on July 12, 1860, when it 

 was attended by such an immense concourse of visitors that the 

 directorate determined henceforth to hold an exhibition of their own, 

 and the Crystal Palace Rose Show has, for the past fifteen years, 

 been invested with special interest to rosarians, because it is usually 

 held in advance of all the other exhibitions of a similar character, 

 and consequently afl"ords the first opportuoity for arriving at con- 

 clusions respecting the quality of the roses throughout the country. 

 The fourth National was held in the gardens of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society at South Kensington, on July 10, 1861 ; and since 

 that year an exhibition of roses has been held annually, under the 

 auspices of the Society. 



It would occupy too much space to speak in detail of the various 

 exhibitions now held annually in the United Kingdom, and it will 

 suffice to say that the more important exhibitions in the provinces 

 are those held at Hereford, Exeter, and Birmingham. The latter, 

 which has long been considered one of the most important of the 

 provincial gatherings, has, since 1872, been held in connection with- 

 the horticultural exhibitions held in the Lower Grounds, Aston Park,, 

 of which it has invariably formed an important feature. There is 

 this year to be an exhibition of roses in the Nottingham Arboretum^ 

 from the 8th to the 10th of July ; and as the prizes offered amount to 

 no less than £250, it will probably be the best show of the season. 

 There has also been a capital show of roses at the Aiexandia Palace^ 

 Muswell Hill, and under the able management of Mr. McKenzie, 

 the superintendent of the horticultural department, it proved 

 successful throughout. 



Tlie amount of money offered annually in the form of prizes for 

 roses is, at first sight, quite astounding. There is some difficulty iu 

 arriving at an approximate estimate, but it cannot be less than 

 £2000, for, in addition to the sums offered in the schedules of the rose 

 shows, the metropolitan and several of the most important provincial 

 societies offer liberal sums for pot roses, and the majority of the 

 provincial societies that hold their exhibitions in June and July, 

 offer large amounts for roses, with a view to induce some of the prin- 

 cipal trade growers to add to the attractions of their exliibitions. 



AVhcn we consider how high is the estimation in which the rose 

 is held by all classes of the community, and the liberal encourage- 

 ment it receives, it will not be found difficult to believe that the 

 trade in roses has now become of vast importance. In several of 

 the nurseries may be found as many as 100,000 standards ready for 

 sale, and, in addition, thousands of dwarf's on their own roots and 

 on the manetti. It is practically impossible to say,, within some 



July. 



