ROSE-FOKCIXU IX AMERICA. 



471 



by bloom, as to colour, size, shape, substance, and perfection of form ; by 

 stem, as to length, straightness, foliage, and then making the necessary 

 correlation and putting each into its proper grade according to the 

 following scale : — 



Grading Scale for Teas and Hybrid Teas {except ' Cusin ' and its sports). 



Special, above 20 inches. 

 Fancy „ 15-20 „ 

 Extra „ 13-15 ,, 



First, above 10 13 inches. 

 Second ,, 6-10 

 Third, all under G „ 



Grading Scale for ' Cusins,' its sports, and Hybrid Perpetuals. 



Special, above 20 inches. 

 Fancy „ 15-20 ,, 

 Extra „ 13-15 „ 



First, above 8-13 inches. 

 Second „ (3-8 ,, 

 Third, all under 0 



Grading Scale for ' American Beaut i// 



Special, above 38 inches. 

 Fancy „ 32-38 „ 

 Extra mm 23 -32 „ 



First, above 13-23 inches. 

 Second „ 8-13 „ 

 Third, all under 8 



After this is done the Hoses are plunged up to their heads in cold water and 

 put into a dark cooling-room for at least twenty-four hours to harden. 

 The advantage of this can only be realised by experiment, and if our 

 garden Roses were so treated we should have greater satisfaction from 

 them. Dependent upon distance from market, the packing is done. Also 

 upon this is regulated the development of the bud before cutting. In 

 those places where shipment is simply a drive of an hour, Roses can be 

 left on the plants longer than when a railroad journey of twelve or more 

 hours must be taken. In the former case the Roses are laid in large 

 baskets which have been lined with paraffined tissue-paper. When shipped 

 by railroad a more complicated performance is gone through. Wooden 

 boxes coming in the form of ' shooks ' are made up into various sizes ; a 

 convenient size is 12 in. x 48 in. x 5 in. inside measurements. These 

 boxes are lined with old newspapers, then with paraffined tissue ; on this 

 bed the Roses are laid. The higher grades are separated by strips of the 

 waxed paper between the rows, and wedged into place by sticks a trirler 

 wider than the box, thus preventing any shifting. Uroken ice is put in the 

 boxes to keep the temperature down as low as possible and prevent undue 

 opening of the buds. Each box holds from 200 to 400 Hoses, accord- 

 ing to variety and grade. When the lids are nailed on, the boxes are 

 tied up in twos, making packages of thirty-five or forty pounds ; they are 

 a bit awkward, but do perfectly well for long distances. This takes from 

 an hour upwards, according to the size of the shipment, and ends the day 's 

 work, save for the temperatures taken by the foreman and his report to the 

 night watchman. 



This sketch is hardly complete without the tale of the constant 

 warfare waged by the grower against insect and fungus foes. In the 

 morning, provided the day is sunny, so that the plants will dry, the first 

 foe to be met and conquered is the red spider. Water is the only 

 weapon which will dislodge it from its foothold, and it must be syringed- 



