THE ROSE CONTROVERSY. 177 



construction on that statement, that the writer is not an 

 accurate observer of objects, or a faithful chronicler of 

 events, as that Rose is very bright, and by no means an 

 old Rose. One would think from the whole tenor of his 

 letter, and from the remarks of some other writers, that I 

 was opposed to the improvement of the Rose, whereas I 

 am, and always have been, advocating it, and have been 

 for years, and still am, zealously engaged in working for 

 it. I love progress, but it must be upwards, not downwards. 



I have no sympathy with the so-called progress which, 

 in placing one foot forward in an unsound position, is 

 compelled to turn and retrace its steps. I have never 

 objected to the florists improving the form, &c., of the Rose, 

 but to their neglect of the constitution of the plant, which 

 the public cannot form a correct judgment of from the 

 flowers on the exhibition tables. 



I quite agree " that the public after a season or two 

 won't buy them" (that is, bad growers), but then the 

 mischief is done ; they have bought them, and probably at 

 high prices, through the fine flowers shown to find by 

 experience, which they pay for, that they are not worth 

 the trouble of growing. There are, in my opinion, very 

 few Rose growers of ten years' standing who cannot 

 recall many instances of this kind. Your correspondent, 

 in naming four Roses sent out by him, ought in common 

 fairness to have told your readers that two of them, 

 namely, Lord Clyde and Duke of Edinburgh, were raised 

 by me when partner with the late Mr G. Paul in the now 

 defunct firm of A. Paul & Son. 



[From " The Gardeners' Chronicle? October loM, 1874, p. 465.] 



THE " argument " of this subject seems to be drawing into 

 a very narrow compass. I formerly expressed the opinion 

 " that Rose plants grown for prize blooms, however fine the 

 plants might be, are not intrinsically so valuable as plants 

 grown otherwise." I have met with nothing in the 



