224 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE chap. 



quarters open, but some will stand the full exposure 

 of their charms, and thin-petalled sorts should be 

 shown when not more than half open. It is now 

 the universal practice to tie up the centres of all 

 pointed blooms to prevent their opening too soon, 

 and sometimes it may be advisable to do this on the 

 plant a day or even two before the show. Soft 

 cotton or wool — not too thin — should be used, and 

 the outer row of petals being left free, the point or 

 spike of the bloom should be firmly tied round 

 sufficiently low to prevent slipping. The form of 

 knot should be the first half of an ordinary knot, 

 only with two turns instead of one : an inch or two 

 of ends should be left, and then the advantages are, 

 that though the knot will not slip it can always be 

 tightened by pulling the ends, and is very readily 

 removed. 



Teas are much more lasting when cut than H.P.s, 

 especially if they be really good blooms of first-class 

 sorts. On one occasion I showed as a specimen of 

 Comtesse de Nadaillac at three separate shows ; on 

 the first occasion it won the distinction as best Tea, 

 on the second the medal as best Eose, and the stand 

 in which it was exhibited won first prize at the third 

 show. On another occasion I showed twelve Teas 

 unsuccessfully at one show : the same blooms with 

 the exception of two or three were shown two days 

 later at another place where the competition was 

 quite as severe, and won first prize. Much rain had 

 fallen in the two days and freshly cut Teas were 

 spoiled. 



In the hot season of 1893, I cut a bloom of Marie 

 van Houtte on the Monday and showed it J well in 

 my winning stand at the Crystal Palace, on the 



