170 ROSES AND ROSE SHOWS. 



clear to your readers, and I will endeavour to do so at an 

 early date. But I should like first to hear a little more of 

 the " Drawing-room" discussion. The little bit we have 

 already got is the fullest endorsement I could wish for of 

 an important feature (freshness) in my show ; and perhaps 

 when we have the remainder further correspondence on my 

 part may be rendered nugatory who knows ? All that I 

 did and which was " the talk of the town the next day," 

 may have been revolving for years in the hidden and 

 mysterious depths of other minds, and the horticultural 

 public may as well be informed as to who are its most 

 original and greatest thinkers. I am not afraid that they 

 will forget my Rose shows. 



[From " The Gardeners' Chronicle? September 5, 1874,^. 306.] 



I HAVE said that " the standard of size and shape 

 required at the Rose shows shuts out many of the best 

 sorts of Roses for garden decoration," and this position I 

 will endeavour to establish. 



In the latest edition of the " Rose Garden," published 

 in 1872, I have arranged Roses in thirty-two floral groups. 

 Of these not more than three, namely, Hybrid Perpetual, 

 Moss, and Tea-Scented, are fairly represented at our Rose 

 shows ; nine-tenths of the prize varieties are drawn from 

 one group, Hybrid Perpetual, while Hybrid Bourbon, 

 Bourbon, Bourbon Perpetual, and Noisette are restricted to 

 one or two sorts of each group. 



Now, these prize varieties are selected from the florists' 

 point of view of " quality " in the flower ; the constitution 

 and habit of the plant do not influence the selections 

 or awards. They are made on the shape, size, and fulness 

 of the flowers alone. Well, large full Roses as a rule pro- 

 duce but few flowers, and however beautiful these may be, 

 they are not plentiful enough to make a satisfactory 

 display on the plant, or to enable the cultivator to cut 

 freely for the purposes of indoor decoration. From the 



