178 A BOOK ABOUT THE GARDEN. 



one place, high and low, gathered together, with 

 goodwill to each other in their hearts. And we 

 gardeners, mind you, have much in our power, and 

 may do our part, with our spare seeds, and our spare 

 plants, and that better knowledge which our practice 

 brings. 



The best time for a flower-show in the country is 

 between the hay and corn harvests, about the 

 beginning of July. It's a little late for plants, and a 

 little early for fruit, but good prizes will bring both 

 in abundance. And it's the best time for roses. If 

 this date is inconvenient, the second week in 

 September, when the harvest is generally over, and 

 the squires are home among the partridges, is a 

 favourable time ; and you'll have foliage plants, ferns, 

 gladioli, hollyhocks, dahlias, asters, and any amount 

 of fruit. 



I've only one more hint to give about shows, before 

 I speak about showing. Let it be w T ell and widely 

 known that tickets which will be charged one shilling 

 on the day of the exhibition, may be purchased at 

 various places for sixpence any day before it. When a 

 treasurer has heard the night before the show that 

 several thousands have been sold, his behaviour next 

 morning under rain is beautiful. 



Is it a good thing for gardeners to show ? That's a 

 question as should have a cautious answer, about as 

 cautious as a speech which I once heard from a 

 shrewd old Spade to a bumptious young un, who 

 asked him how he grew his prize calceolarias ? The 

 question seemed to me a goodish bit cooler than 

 cucumbers, because he who put it had showed against 



