XI EXHIBITING 229 



I remember a case where a fine-looking bloom of 

 this variety was being examined by the judges as 

 the most likely candidate for the silver medal for 

 best H.P. The owner of the Eose at the door of 

 the tent was anxiously watching the movements of 

 the arbiters, and was horrified to see one of them 

 pull the bloom downwards through his lightly 

 enclosing hand. Click ! the petals, released from 

 the laborious mechanical opening, sprang back to 

 their places, and Eose and owner were " shut up " 

 simultaneously ! 



Other Eoses, of the " thin " type, like Thomas 

 Mills, are pretty sure to open well enough, and due 

 regard will have to be paid to this at the time of 

 cutting, as such sorts should be taken to the show 

 in an earlier stage of their development than the 

 very stout and lasting ones like Eeynolds Hole or 

 Horace Vernet. Great attention should also be 

 paid to the weather and the place : a hot tent forces 

 on Eoses wonderfully, but it used to be generally 

 fairly cool in the Crystal Palace. 



It seems hardly necessary to say that the setting 

 up and arrangement at the show should be in a cool 

 ,and shady place, but even this rule may have an 

 exception. On one occasion I cut my blooms for a 

 -celebrated Southern show in a very undeveloped 

 condition, expecting that my assistant who was to 

 go with them, as I was imable to do so, would have 

 a hot time for his night's journey. The weather 

 unexpectedly changed, the night proving very cool, 

 and when he arrived at the place of exhibition he 

 found to his dismay that my Eoses were not nearly 

 open enough, and that they made no show at all by 

 the side of the developed blooms against which he 



