On Exhibiting, 185 



Nothing, perhaps, forms so agreeable a ground on which to place the flowers as green 

 moss, which may be gathered in most hollows of woods, and from shady banks. It is 

 not, indeed, a bad plan to place the moss on the boxes a few days before they are 

 wanted, keeping them in a light but shady place, sprinkling the moss with water once 

 or twice daily. 



With regard to the choice of flowers, we may presume that he only who has 

 formed a tolerable collection, and must consequently have acquired some taste in 

 Roses, will enter the lists as a competitor. We would therefore say, cut such flowers 

 as appear best for the time wanted : a good variety may be in bad condition at a fixed 

 period, and a second-rate one unusually fine. But the exhibitor must, in a certain 

 degree, conform to the tastes of others ; and there are points of beauty almost uni- 

 versally agreed on. The outline of Show Roses should be circular, free from all ragged- 

 ness ; the flowers should be full, showing no eye, and the petals arranged as regularly 

 as possible ; the larger the flowers the better, provided they are not coarse ; the colours 

 should be varied with due care. In gathering the flowers, we would say choose the 

 morning for the purpose, ere the sun has risen upon them, or before he has had time 

 to dim their beauty. When the place of exhibition is at a distance it is usually 

 necessary to cut them the morning before the show. There is full occupation for two 

 persons, besides the advantage of having a second opinion in cases where the merit of 

 two or more flowers is doubtful. It is not always easy to determine this point 

 satisfactorily, for we have not only to consider what a flower is, but what it is likely to 

 become. The business of one should be to cull the flowers ; that of the other to name 

 and arrange them in the boxes. It is desirable that every stage of the flower should 

 be presented to view ; but if cut the morning before the day of the show the 

 forwardest should not be more than three-quarters blown. Some of the stiff-petalled 

 Roses, which remain a long time in perfection, may be made exceptions to this rule ; 

 but their number is few. When the flowers are gathered on the morning of the show 

 some may be full blown, when less judgment and foresight are necessary in selecting. 

 The Rose now is more liberally treated than formerly at our flower shows in addition 

 to the florists' Roses, heterogeneous specimens of flowers being admitted in com- 

 petition. These are usually shown in jars and glasses, and the old favourites as 

 well as the advancing and variable are, we think, sometimes encouraged. 



Success in some measure depends on the taste with which the flowers are 

 arranged. This requires a little study, and we would take nature for our model. 

 Let the exhibitor walk among his plants occasionally with an eye to this point, and 

 he will not fail to single out certain flowers remarkable for elegance of position : this 

 is the true source from which to copy. A few leaves should be gathered with each 

 kind, for the grace and beauty of the flowers are materially heightened by the 

 judicious arrangement of foliage ; and this is a point by which one may judge of the 

 habit of a variety. As to the arrangement of colours, little need be said on that 



