XI EXHIBITING 231 



mancBUvring and generalship in the last hour or so 

 before the judges enter. If a man, who has entered 

 in several classes and is only moderately strong, 

 divides his best specimens among his several stands, 

 he will probably get no first prize and run con- 

 siderable risk of being out of it altogether. He 

 should concentrate his strength on one or at most 

 two classes, take a critical survey of his rivals' 

 blooms, and show pluck or discretion as the case 

 may be in selecting the best class in which to put 

 all his finest flowers. 



On one occasion, late in the season, when it was 

 not likely that there would be more than one or two 

 serious rivals, I sent my assistant (being unable to 

 go myself) to a large show, with stands of thirty-six 

 and twenty-four. He found one rival only of any 

 note, but he was Mr. X., and to beat him just then 

 required the best amateur Roses in the kingdom. 

 My man returned with two seconds, saying 

 triumphantly, "I ran Mr. X. close; for he came 

 and looked at me five times." I could not help 

 replying, " If you had followed his tactics and gone 

 and looked at him, you might very likely have got 

 first for the twenty-four." By dividing his forces 

 my man was beaten in both classes : the expert had 

 come and looked so often to satisfy himself there 

 was no concentration of strength requiring a similar 

 move on his part. 



No personal fancies, or likes and dislikes of 

 certain Eoses, should be entertained by the man 

 who wishes to be successful. Some have an 

 antipathy to the appearance of the striped Pride of 

 Eeigate : and I have heard, " Oh, I don't like that 

 Rose," of such a variety as Souvenir d'un Ami. It 



