364 
THE FLORIST. 
scale; moreo.ver, it would be inconvenient for distant exhibitions; 
but if it could be adopted, it would defeat unworthy practices. 
At country exhibitions, when persons are appointed to adjudicate 
who are not well versed in the points of excellence and defects of 
roses, “dressing wp” and, what is very like it, corymb showing of 
several expanded blooms on stalks, jammed together, may obtain; 
but at the National Society’s Exhibitions of Roses, “dressing up” 
is useless, because none but experienced men are appointed to 
adjudicate,—men who will not be led to prefer any amount of 
“ effectiveness ” to circularity of outline, to disposition and sub¬ 
stance of petals, to smoothness of the edges, to decision and fixity 
of colour, to a sufficiently full centre, and to a generally symme¬ 
trical and level aspect. Substance of petal is, indeed, a most 
important point, and no one ought to know this better than the 
persons who are in the habit of exhibiting cut flowers. Among 
the older roses. La Quintinye, Empereur de Maroc, Prince Leon, 
Duchesse d’Orleans, Eugene Appert (micro-petalous), and Devo- 
niensis, are excellent for substance. Among the new ones these 
are distinguished for the same virtue, viz., Victor Verdier, Gloire 
de Santhenay, Belle de Bourg la Reine, Madame Charles Crapelet, 
Madame Louise Curique, and Madame Metanie. These are all 
good roses, and will stay some time in the catalogue, as, in addi¬ 
tion, their habits are good. BafFen is also good, but it appears to 
be identical in leaf, bloom, habit, and in every respect, with my 
two Le Princes, sent to me some years ago as the free climbing 
Geant des Batailles. They are both here, and I have compared 
them, when in bloom, with Baffen. 
Second. Handicapping. 
In a National Exhibition I think mileage should be marked on 
the card on each box, that the judges might make some allowance 
for condition when roses are brought a great distance, if they are 
fine and well grown. It is ridiculous to suppose that persons 
living in Cornwall or Northumberland can bring roses to the 
Exhibition in as good condition as persons living in the counties 
contiguous to London ; or that they will travel roses such distances 
unless some allowance is made. Travelling is most expensive, 
and any fair indulgence that would induce far distant Rosarians to 
compete, would of course greatly advance the rose cause nation¬ 
ally’^ We want recruits from all parts of England; let me hope 
yet to see representatives from every county in England. The 
grand obstacles are, I fear, the expenses, and the hopelessness of 
snatching a prize from the good people of Edmonton and Tooting. 
Roses which are brought from such a distance as to entail a day 
and night’s travel, should, at any rate, receive, as far as condition 
goes, some indulgence, where the other points of excellence are 
equal. As I am only 107 miles distant from London, I ask no 
favour. My roses are cut from five to seven o’clock p.m., the box 
lies open to catch what dew may fall till nine o’clock, and being 
travelled in the night, they have nothing to complain of; indeed, 
they will be in better condition for show than if they are cut in 
