HOW TO SHOW THE ROSE 241 



to see, couldn't think of proposing at random, made 

 blunders, apologies, retreats. It seemed as though all 

 these charming flowers would be left to Svither on 

 the virgin thorn,' when one of them was permitted 

 to leave her home upon a visit to a distant friend. 

 She returned in six weeks bien fiancee^ and six months 

 after was a bride. The rest followed her example. 

 So it is that six scarlet Roses or six pink Roses in 

 close proximity perplex the spectator, and depreciate 

 each other by their monotonous identity ; isolated or 

 contrasted, we admire them heartily. 



The Rosarian will learn much as to the effective 

 arrangement of Roses for exhibition by keeping one 

 of his boxes, surfaced with moss and filled with tubes, 

 in his hall or in some cool place near his Rose-garden, 

 and by making experiments therein, with a view to 

 discovering the most pleasing combinations as to 

 colour, and the most graceful graduations as to size. 



Nor let the exhibitor, amateur or professional, 



suppose that these matters are of no importance. It 



is true that priority is won by the superior merits 



of the Roses, carefully examined and compared ; but 



in cases where these merits are equal, then the best 



arrangement as to form and colour will certainly 



influence, and probably determine, the verdict. I can 



recall several instances in which, cceterts paribus^ 



tasteful arrangement has given the victory. The 



Q 



