XII MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 295 



and well-shaped — a perfect smooth cone — and swells 

 slowly even in forcing weather, while the stem 

 thickens and stiffens in proportion, it is a good sign. 

 On the other hand, a thick, strong, tall, fleshy shoot 

 may open its bud almost at once and produce a 

 comparatively poor bloom. It does decidedly best 

 in every way as a short standard, but will also yield 

 fairly fine flowers as a dwarf. (In speaking of 

 standards, here and elsewhere, I would strongly 

 advise the always asking for "half-standards." I 

 know of no advantage, but of much disadvantage, 

 in standard stems being more than two feet high.) 

 The blooms sometimes come divided, but when 

 good they are first-rate indeed in petal, fullness, and 

 shape, and wonderful in size and lasting qualities. 

 The colour is lovely, having many shades, and like 

 many other Teas, is variable. Mr. Prince can show 

 it as a yellow Hose, but this is generally when it is 

 too much expanded and the point is gone, pink 

 being much more ^predominant than yellow in my 

 specimens. The plants are of pretty good constitu- 

 tion, by which I mean that they will live and not 

 deteriorate for years if well cultivated, and they 

 will stand close pruning, but are tender and 

 must be well protected from frosts. Though they 

 are so dwarf they should not be put too close 

 together, for the habit of growth is singularly 

 lateral, and the principal shoots of old plants will 

 often be horizontal. It is a free flowering sort for 

 one of such dwarf habit, but is not of much use in 

 the late autumn, unless the weather be very fine and 

 dry. Its freedom of bloom is a nuisance to the pro- 

 pagator, as it is often difficult to find a sufiiciency of 

 buds which have not started. 



