Exhibiting Roses. 



for six blossoms ought to be ift. long, a box for twelve, 2ft., 

 for eighteen, 2ft. yin., and for twenty-four, 3ft. 6in. They 

 should be of a uniform width and depth, as nothing is more 

 puzzling to the managers of shows than to have boxes of 

 various widths to arrange; and. moreover, experience has 

 shown that these sizes are the ones in which flowers are 

 displayed best. They should be i8in. wide, and 4in. deep in 

 front and 6in. at back, with a lid made to slide off, so that 

 there is no shaking of the flowers on removing it. 



Cutting the Blossoms. 



A great deal has been said upon this subject, and, as in 

 many other things, people differ. It has been often said, 

 n What great advantages the grower near home must have 

 over those who come from a distance, because he can cut his 

 flowers the same morning!' 1 but, as a matter of fact, he 

 rarely does so. We have known experienced Rosarians who 

 advocate cutting them in the middle of the day before the 

 show ; but this is going to the other extreme. The evening 

 of that day is, perhaps, time enough, but before the dew 

 falls, for experience will show the exhibitor that there is 

 nothing save rain which is so apt to cause the colour to 

 fl fly." Of course, where the Roses are shaded, they will 

 escape this ; but we believe that most Rosarians prefer the 

 evening. Where, however, it is possible, and where Roses 

 are protected, the amateur will, most probably, defer a 

 good deal of his cutting till the morning; but let not the 

 amateur who is obliged to cut the evening before imagine 

 he fights at long odds. Over and over again have we seen 

 one from a distance who has, perforce, cut his Roses the 

 evening before, and travelled with them all night, beat, on 

 his own ground, an amateur of like standing. 



There is no point on which the young and inexperienced 

 amateur makes a greater mistake than this. He goes into 

 his garden the day before the show ; he sees a magnificent 



