36 
COMPANION TO THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
came from that horrid lodge/’ and sniffed at them as though they smelt 
of sulphur. But to me, nevertheless, it was and has been from that day 
to this a never-failing amusement to study,, as in a gallery, these portraits 
by different artists of Queen Rosa and her suite,—a gratification like that 
which lovers feel, as they gaze upon the likeness of the absent. 
At last, and after as careful deliberation as though I had been some 
fond mamma who was engaged in choosing husbands for her daughters, 
with all the swells of Rotten Row to pick from, I made my “ purchaser’s 
own selection,” and sent my order to a neighbouring nurseryman, with 
quite as high an idea of its importance as though I were raising him to 
the peerage. My conviction was that no demand of similar magnitude 
(two dozen Rose-trees !) had been previously made by any amateur, and 
that, when they were added to my existing stock of ten, they would be, 
as Mr. Wombwell says of his menagerie, “ a magnificent and unrivalled 
collection.” I knew not then how the rose-lover’s appetite grows with 
that it feeds on: I foresaw not the day, when with 1500 trees I should 
be sending my plate, like a distended schoolboy, for just a small slice 
more.” S. R. II. 
SPRING EXHIBITIONS. 
Royal Horticultural Society , April 15th. 
ROSE AND AZALEA SHOW. 
The third and last of the Spring Exhibitions was held under very fa¬ 
vourable circumstances,—a bright day, a goodly company, and a fine col¬ 
lection of flowers conspiring to make it a treat both to lovers of flowers 
and to the numerous class of sightseers; and although the productions were 
not.displayed to the best advantage, yet great satisfaction was expressed 
by those who came really to see them. No greater proof of the value of 
these exhibitions in stirring up a taste for flowers could be brought for¬ 
ward than the increased number of Auriculas exhibited this year; and we 
believe that the encouragement given to it will be the means of re¬ 
viving the interest in this flower around the metropolis, a prospect w-e 
were glad to find was hailed with pleasure by many of our most celebrated 
florists. The Azaleas were, as usual, fine, and a mass of bloom; a regu¬ 
lation however as to the size of the pots prevented the best plants there 
from being entered for competition, we allude to the fine collection 
brought forward by the best of our Azalea growers, Mr. Charles Turner, 
of the Royal Nursery, Slough, a regulation we consider altogether unwise, 
especially at this early season of the year. By the same gentleman was 
exhibited also a very fine new white Azalea, Louise van Baclen, to which 
a first-class certificate was awarded by the Floral Committee, while 
Messrs. Yeitch and Son had a very showy one, Madame Verschaffelt, for 
which a second-class certificate was awarded, as a decorative plant; we 
