60 
COMPANION TO THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
fix a fabulous price; be moderate: ask what you require, and require 
what you ask; then purchasers can please themselves when they see 
the lists. 
And now., Mr. Dealer, do you scout the rubbishing novelties (?) from 
your gardens; buy what you know is good, and keep nothing else; help 
your customers in their selection, and get and keep a trade by winning 
confidence. Don’t sell what is merely grown for selling’s sake. Pray 
what is the origin of the expression “ It’s a sell” ? And when an improved 
flower is out, discard that on which it is an improvement, and you will 
soon drive a brisker trade, because the purchasing public seldom hang 
back when they get their money’s worth, and will not begrudge expense 
for the satisfaction of being able florallv to “ Welcome Princess Alex¬ 
andra.”— An Amateur. ( Gossip of the Garden .) 
THE POSE SHOWS. 
Crystal Palace, June 27th. Royal Horticultural Society, July 1st. 
Instead of attempting a detailed account of these two great exhibitions 
of the Queen of Flowers, we have thought it better to give our readers the 
general result of our observations, believing that it will more interest them 
than lists of victors, whether the persons who gave them or the flowers 
which they have exhibited. 
We know not whether we have grown more fastidious, or whether the 
seasons have been unfavourable, but we have certainly, for the last tw r o 
or three years, not considered that Roses have been equal to their former 
reputation. We have, for instance, seen them in better condition than 
in this season, and have also seen them in much worse; some stands 
were conspicuous for their great merit, but, as a general rule, they had, 
in our eyes, a wishy-washy or else a draggled look about them,—our idea 
being that the Birmingham Rose Show will perhaps see them in better 
character than the metropolitan ones; while of some individual blooms it 
may be said that the epithets usually bestowed w 7 ere w r ell deserved. 
There can be no doubt that the year 1861-62 will be distinguished as 
having added some very valuable varieties to our lists,—Roses which are 
destined to remain for many years as favourites. They are principally 
amongst the crimson and dark varieties, and of them the following have 
been exhibited in good condition :—- Francois Lacharme has fully borne 
out the character we gave it when figuring it in our May number; 
it is a noble Rose, of great substance, and of a most delicious and unusual 
fragrance (at least with ourselves), a bloom now before us having a most 
delicate flavour of lemon mixed with the rose-perfume. Charles Lefebvre is 
another fine Rose, dark, shaded crimson ; Madame Boutin, fine; La Bril - 
lante, a beautifully bright flower, but soon fading off; Olivier Delhomme 
