ROSES FOR EXHIBITION 215 



protect and enrich the roots. Should they be sent 

 from the nurseries with any shoots of great length, or 

 with taproots, shorten the former, or secure them to a 

 stake, and remove the latter altogether. Affix your 

 permanent tallies (I use smooth slips of deal, smeared 

 with white paint, written upon with a blacklead 

 pencil, and secured with thin wire to the trees), 

 because the labels of the nurseryman, even when 

 on parchment, become illegible from rain and 

 snow. 



^And next summer,' exclaims the ardent disciple, 

 ' v/e shall have Roses as large as finger-glasses ; we 

 shall win the Cup ; we shall make the Marquis's 

 gardener, that bumptious Mr. Peacock at the Castle, 

 for ever to fold his tail' It troubles me to repress 

 this charming enthusiasm, to demolish a super- 

 structure as gay, but, alas ! as baseless, as those card- 

 houses which the child builds, with the kings, queens, 

 and knaves of the pack, upon the polished mahogany 

 of his sire. No, my dear amateur, not next summer, 

 nor in any summer, with those Roses only which will 

 grow upon the trees just commended to you, are you 

 to whip creation, and make the family plate-chest 

 groan. If you tend them carefully, you may achieve 

 small victories, as encouragements to higher emula- 

 tions ; but if you would win cups and prizes * open to 

 all England' {Anglid in certamen provocatd)^ you 



