48 A BOOK ABOUT ROSES. 



til, the flower-show being crowded, the poHce have 

 requested me to move on. Not long ago I lost 

 half my dinner because my eyes would wander 

 from my plate to a Lycaste Skinneri some distance 

 up the table ; and I appreciate generally with a 

 fond delight the delicacy, the refinement, the bril- 

 liancy of this lovely class. It is the aristocracy, 

 but not the queen of the flowers. Regarding the 

 two collectively, there is never to be found in the 

 orchid house the simultaneous splendor of the 

 Rosary in July — the abundant glistening foliage, 

 the sweet perfume ; and comparing the individual 

 flowers, which would a lover take to his beloved 

 — which would his darling, herself — 



" A Rosebud set with little wilful thorns, 

 And sweet as English air can make her," 



osculate and pet the most ? 



And the stove, truly, is a gladness and refresh- 

 ment — gay, when all without is bleak and dismal, 

 with the golden Allamandas, the rosy Dipladenia, 

 so truthfully termed amabilis, the bridal Stephan- 

 otis, the brilliant Anthurium, the gorgeous Ama- 

 ryllids, the Bougainvilleas, Eucharis, Francisceas, 

 Gloxinias, and many more ; but what will you find 

 there like the Rose ? Place Marechal Niel by the 

 Allamanda, Francois Michelon by the Dipladenia, 



