THE ROSE 39 



weavers. And it has also been for centuries one 

 of the favourite names for the daughters of 

 England and all other nations. 



France and England have been rivals in Rose- 

 culture as in many other fields, and in the days 

 when Josephine formed her peerless garden at 

 Malmaisons this country was to some extent left 

 behind in the race. Since then, however, we have 

 more than regained the lost ground. 



During the last twenty years so rapid have been 

 the strides made by English raisers and growers that 

 it may be safely said that we are now well ahead 

 of any other nation in the world, both in the pro- 

 duction of new varieties and the perfection of their 

 culture. 



I have seen many of the great Rose shows in 

 France, but although their methods of showing them 

 are somewhat more ornate and fanciful than our 

 own, I can say without fear of contradiction that 

 no other country could possibly get together such 

 magnificent collections of flowers as are to be seen 

 annually at the Summer and Autumn Shows of the 

 National Rose Society of England. 



Seeing the great number of flowers that are 

 annually imported from the South of France to 

 England, it is comforting to be able to record that 



