120 
THE FLORIST. 
THE ROSE MAGGOT. 
Many of your readers have no doubt followed the advice given in 
the two previous numbers, and have thereby destroyed a great quan- 
titv of the enemy ; but they must not rest satisfied, as we were inclined 
to do, that the evil was effectually removed, for I regret to say that 
our out-door plants seem to be attacked worse than we ever knew 
them to be in any previous season. Until we are better informed upon 
the subject, nothing remains but to examine our rose-trees frequently, 
and so save the buds from their voracity. Gardening is not a matter 
of simple routine, hut requires the exercise of forethought and con¬ 
stant watchfulness. Every variation in the appearance of our plants 
should call upon us for investigation, and it is this habit of close 
examination that renders one cultivator more successful than another, 
for he that examines, and thereby detects evil, is the one that tries 
most assiduously to correct it. tggf 
FLORIST REFEREES. 
At the first blush, the proposal of J. H. G. in your last Number 
appears feasible enough; but it will not be found so on attentive ex¬ 
amination. It is true that the principal exhibitors of seedling florists’ 
flowers at the metropolitan shows are mainly persons living within 
an easy distance of London, and so it always will be, except with the 
varieties not classed with the old florists’ flowers, such as Camellias, 
Azaleas, Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, &c. which, if they possess really fine 
character, will always well repay the raiser to exhibit in the metro¬ 
polis, because, if successful there, it greatly adds to their value. It 
may be depended upon that every thing extraordinary will find its way 
to that great focus of attraction; and in fact nothing takes a distin¬ 
guished place until it has been seen there. One of the deprivations 
endured by the country raiser is his inability to attend the larger 
exhibitions, and to prove his productions by competition—the only 
true test of their value. If stated times were appointed for the 
reception of flowers, and a number arrived, it would not be sufficient 
that they should be tested with each other, they must be compared 
with the best already known ; and I, for one, expect that the proposed 
“ referee-certificates” w r ould be set small store by; for a small value¬ 
less card has been found valueless in more respects than one. I have 
known certificates of this character awarded at the South London 
Floricultural Society, which I think would have been withheld if they 
had cost that Society but five shillings each. I say this in no cen¬ 
sorious spirit, but with a feeling of sympathy with the judges, who, 
having cards at their disposal, have felt it hard to send seedling exhi¬ 
bitors away without even that poor reward. J. S. 
Surrey. 
[Let us remark on the above communication and its predecessor, 
what our plans are, and what we will do, if the public by their sup¬ 
port place it in our power. If flowers are carefully packed according 
to our directions (see No. II. p. 39, and cover of No. III.), they will 
