THE WARS OF THE ROSES 339 



" you can't beat Mrs. John Laing." " I beg your 

 pardon, sir," retorted Smith, " give me Caroline 

 Testout. There is a delicious pink. None of your 

 shallow blossom about her, full and beautiful. 

 And if she doesn't captivate you, here is Killarney. 

 There is shading for you; there are beautiful 

 imbrications " (Brown thought at first his friend 

 meant embrocation, as he hadn't yet mastered 

 the glossary of Rose language), "and, withal, a 

 splendid upright habit." Brown admitted his 

 friend's praises of Killarney were not oversung. 



The June sunshine shone on, and with it came 

 the first blossoms of Viscountess Folkestone, in 

 Smith's garden, and Madame Abel Chatenay in 

 Brown's. Another war ensued, and, eventually, 

 it was agreed that Madame Chatenay had gained 

 the day. Coming to the darker roses. Smith had 

 Fisher Holmes and Prince Camille de Rohan; but 

 Brown prided himself on Rodocanachi and Prince 

 Arthur. It was agreed a tie ! 



Then came the whites again. Merveille de 

 Lyon and Innocente Pirola battled one against 

 the other, and these were joined later by the 

 exquisite golden of William Allan Richardson • 

 Brown had the latter, and wouldn't hear a word 

 against it, but Smith produced Madame Pierre 

 Cochet with intense pride, and it was pronounced 

 a deeper golden in colour, and even better in the 

 bud than her better-known relative. 



