364 
1 
THE FLORIST. 
Geant des Batailles, General Pelissier, Jules Margottiii, Lord Raglan, 
Louise Peyronney, Madame Rivers, Mathurin Regnier, Naomi, Heine 
des Fleurs, Robin Hood; Tea-scented China, Adam, Devoniensis, 
Gloire de Dijon; Noisette, Cloth of Gold, Narcisse, Triomphe de 
Rennes. These, judiciously gathered and grouped—for there is great 
art in knowing when to cut and where to place—will not be readily 
beaten. , Only consider what a glorious variety of colours! What a 
contrast, for instance, between Cloth of Gold and Boula—Lord Raglan 
and Devoniensis! But there is one great defect in this pan ; it wants 
a bloom, pure white and perfect in shape. “ Oh where, and oh where,” 
will this roc’s egg be laid for us ? In other points it will bear criticism. 
I have omitted Prince Leon, not because I doubt Mr. Rivers (a 
drummer-boy might as well contradict a field-marshal, a cock-sparrow 
challenge an eagle, or a glow-worm attempt to outshine the moon), 
when he calls this “ the most beautiful Rose known,” but simply 
because in the midland counties I have rarely seen it “ in character.” 
By the bye, though I myself should esteem it treasonable to murmur 
against an edict which emanated from Sawbridgeworth, certain ladies 
of my acquaintance are by no means so particular. I wrote to you 
last autumn as to a disturbance got up by certain Bloomers, in my 
garden, and repressed with difficulty by the good sense of the Roses 
in general. I am sorry to note some revival of discontent. I heard 
Miss Inermis, who certainly was a belle last season, declaring that “Mr. 
Rivers never dared have cut her, only he knew (the coward!) that she 
had no thorns to scratch him with.” Noemi and Joan of Arc 
attempted to console her by saying, that “ poor old gentleman, he was 
getting very short-sighted, and could no longer appreciate real beauty. 
Indeed, it was a melancholy change, and they could hardly recognise 
in him the dear, charming fellow who, in 1851 and 1852, had paid 
them such pretty compliments, and made them really blush, as he 
would talk of their ‘ beautiful shapes.’ ” I do not much sympathise 
with Miss Inermis and Joan of Arc, because they are themselves some¬ 
what “inconstant;” but I do heartily condole with little Miss Noemi 
who only resembles Phyllis, the coquette, in this, namely, that “ she 
never fails to please.” 
The subject of exhibition suggests a few words in conclusion, with 
reference to the National Rose Show, first proposed in the pages 
of the Florist. In compliance with the advice of men most competent 
to give it, the exhibition will be held in London on or about the first 
day of July. There is every reason to believe that it will be a great 
success. As it has been proved that the Dahlia, Carnation, and 
Chrysanthemum constitute each by themselves an interesting and 
attractive show, we cannot doubt that the Queen of Flowers will charm 
in her own unaided beauty. From Rose growers, amateur and pro¬ 
fessional, I would ask two favours ; and I feel confident, from the warm 
and friendly sympathy already expressed, that they will be granted. 
In the first place, I would ask them so to respond to the appeal which 
will be made next month by advertisement, to their purses, that our 
schedule may be a munificent one ; and secondly, to regard this exhi¬ 
bition in the spirit which first suggested it, not as a mere matter of 
