862 THE ‘FLORIST. 
SYST ATH ROOT 19.0 tte wolleach of divotib tr barn! inv 
ON THE ADDITION. OF LEAVES’ TO ND DISBUDDING 
OF SHOW ROSES. 
Some time back'I received’ a letter from a ‘distmguished’ Rican 
Berkshire—a most successful exhibitor of Roses at the’ National Rose 
Show and also at the Floral Hall, Covent Garden—stating that the 
judges at the Crystal Palace had disqualified several pans of Roses for 
the addition’ of ‘a leaf or leaves, on' July the 12th of. 'thisicyear’’ He 
added, ‘‘ these two questions must shortly come'‘before the public, viz, 
should it’ be permitted to competitors’ to’ add’ leavesto. trusses and 2 
disbud’ Roses? » I°wish you wouldexpress your mind in the /lorist.” 
I have been waiting several. months to see if anyone would bande 
these ‘subjects, but, as no-one has done so, and ‘as ‘little can be said 
about fruits and flowers at this dull season of the year; I think of doing 
so before the Rose show commences; but still I should have been glad 
if'some one with a higher position’ in the’ Rose world’ than myself/had 
settled these’ points. Before I begin, let’me say that my opinion on 
the first point is against my own interests, as 1 am exposed, to «most 
violent winds. 
I think that in no case ought a single leaf to be added to any truss, 
much less ought leaves to be taken from one tree and added to a Rose 
which has been cut from another tree. ‘This has been disposed of by 
the National’ Society; and I hope’ that every provincial suciety will 
adopt and enforce a similar rule, It ought not to beleft to the judges for 
the time being to decide. It should be a standing rule not to be 
departed from. . The judges. at the National knew their duty, and they 
did it; and they deserve the thanks of every true rosarian. The object 
of a Rose show is not to, win prizes merely, but to improve the public, 
and induce them to buy Roses of which they can form no sound opinion 
if leaves of any kind are permitted to be added. I, have no doubt that 
the time is not far distant when, before prizes are distributed, ‘Roses 
and. flowers of all descriptions will be taken out of the cups ‘and be 
minutely examined. One florist goes so far as to say, that “ they 
ought to be cut in-half’* before the prizes are distributed. 
With regard to disbudding. Roses, I think that the question cannot 
be so, easily settled, because there is greater facility of evasion. The 
beauty of all rules is this—that they are few, simple, such as cannot be 
eyaded, and such as will be sure to be enforced. I think that: the Rose 
in its early stage could, be disbudded without detection by. some judges, 
who know less of s Rose than they do of a Drumhead Cabbage, 
especially in country places; this arises from their not being conversant 
with Roses. In fact, no man who has not a large Rosary, or who has 
not paid great attention to Roses and studied their different habits, 
could for a certainty decide whether the Rose has been disbudded or 
not. Some Roses, such as Maxime and many others, will some- 
times bloom without any corollary buds at all. «Moreover, it is necessary 
at times to remove unsightly buds and buds that are too numerous and 
too ‘close to the apex of the stem of the Rose to allow of its symmetrical 
expansion. If then, even for these: purposes you allowed’ removal, you 
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