Chapter 9 - General Cultivation And Exhibiting

The great charm that the Rose possesses over most other flowers for exhibition purposes is that it is a true amateur's flower.

Gertrude Jekyll And Edward Mawley
'Roses for English Gardens', 1902

Under this heading it is proposed to deal with the general cultivation and care of the plants. Whether one is interested in competing at shows for prizes or simply for the joy of growing and admiring them in the garden, everyone is desirous of having the roses at their best. There is, of course, no reason for supposing that there is any distinction in this respect, between those who show and those who do not. The only difference, if there is one, is in the choice of varieties. The exhibitor usually grows those varieties which are likely to be most suitable for showing, whereas those whose object is to beautify the garden can make a rather wider choice. So really there is no difference in methods as far as the culture of the roses is concerned, but merely that of quantity. The exhibitor requires blooms of the largest size and quality and so, naturally, the number will be fewer than in the case of those who allow their plants to bloom at will.

Considering the number of flower shows all over the country there are more exhibitors than one would imagine, and yet of all the different kinds of flowers seen at the shows, no flower commands such attention and yet is shown so badly, as is the rose. Considering how well such flowers as sweet peas, dahlias, chrysanthemums and many others are shown, it is surprising that a pre-eminent flower like the rose should rarely be shown at its best. Of course, I refer to the smaller shows and not to those of the National Rose Society or some of its many affiliated societies.

How the rose should be shown I will deal with later in this chapter, and concern myself for the present with the methods to be used to produce blooms for showing.

Manuring

One often sees, in the hints on rose culture in the catalogues sent out by nurserymen that the rose is a gross feeder and will take almost any amount of manure. No statement could be more erroneous or do more harm. Fortunately there is very little danger of many roses receiving too much of this very scarce and expensive commodity, but in case anyone in his zeal to get bigger and better roses puts on strong farmyard or poultry manure, with too heavy a hand, let me say right away that such treatment will only bring troubles in its train. Roses always do best in a soil naturally rich and not one made so. The roses seen on the stands of nurserymen at the shows are often admired for their size and beauty, and yet the plants the blooms were cut from have had little more manure than would be applied to an ordinary farm crop. That is as it should be, for although the size of blooms might be increased and the plants assume gigantic proportions, it would be to the detriment of the purchaser of those plants, as the sappy wood, resulting from the heavy manuring, would not survive a winter of ordinary severity and the plants would be a disappointment.

Much the same thing would happen to the roses in the garden if manuring was overdone. I believe that the best way to apply manure to roses is in the form of a mulch; in that state it can do nothing but good. The fertilizing properties are conveyed to the roots of the plants in a perfectly natural manner, and, moreover, the beneficial effects of a covering on the surface of the soil cannot be over-emphasized.

What can be done when farmyard manure is unobtainable? Obviously the plants must have some nourishment if they are to make satisfactory growth and produce good blooms. The next best is compost, made from any vegetable matter. In spite of all that has been written on the subject of compost, much of it grossly overstated, one will not get very good results by its use alone. By supplementing the compost with a compound fertilizer its deficiencies can be made good. Poultry manure may also be used if available, but, since this is highly nitrogenous, some sulphate of potash and super phosphate of lime should be added, one ounce of the former and three of the latter to the square yard. Care should be taken not to overdo the nitrogenous manure, for plants so treated are much more liable to disease. Another alternative to farmyard manure is granulated peat; although it has practically no actual fertilizing properties, it has a great physical effect on the soil, both making it warmer and providing the necessary humus. Applied as a mulch it checks evaporation of soil moisture, keeps weeds down, and gives the beds a pleasant appearance.

All this should be carried out at the end of March before the plants have broken into growth. About a month later the plants will be shooting and a spray with an insecticide containing DDT should put a stop to the activities of the caterpillar of the winter moth, which has just hatched from the egg stage. Carried out early, no trouble at all need be experienced, and it is easier and better than to wait until the plants are in full leaf and the pest has tucked itself in between the leaves. Standard roses seem to be much more affected than the dwarf trees. It is quite probable that the wingless female is following her natural habit in crawling up the trunk of a tree to deposit her eggs.

By the middle of May, growth on the plants should be increasing rapidly, always provided a severe late frost has not been experienced. There is a difference of opinion about the right treatment of plants that have been subjected to frost. Some believe the best thing to do is to prune the plants again, others prefer to leave them alone to get over it the best way they can. I belong to the latter school of thought; having suffered from the effects of more spring frosts than I can remember, I have found that although the growth is damaged, and the pith brown, which in itself is a sure indication of the extent of the damage, the foliage does function and helps the roots into activity. It is true that growth which has had the pith discolored only lives for the one season, but it does keep the plant going until new growth is made.

Assuming that the growth of the plant has not been checked by frost or in any other way, it is as well to go over the plant and cut away any blind growths at the base of the plant. There is always a certain amount of this, owing to the wood being either old or unripe. It is here that black spot first attacks the plants. Since these growths are small, and also have small leaves, the attack goes unnoticed and the disease soon spreads to the larger leaves In any case, no useful purpose would be served by retaining such growth, even if the disease was not likely to give trouble.

Foliar Feeding

Foliar feeding, as it has come to be called, is quite new as applied to roses. It has been carried out with success on a large scale in commercial market gardening but it is only recently that it has been used to improve growth and general health in roses. Like most new practices, extravagant claims are made as to its value, and I have read of it being capable of resuscitating old decrepit trees. This, I think, is a mistake and a pity as it gives an entirely wrong impression of its usefulness.

The fact that plants can absorb food through the agency of their leaves has been the answer to the problem that has puzzled me, as to how the plane trees that grow along our London streets obtain their sustenance, for the amount that can be taken up by the roots must, in the nature of things, be very limited.

It is quite likely that the practice of feeding roses through their leaves will appeal to the greatest extent to the exhibitors who want to get the most out of their plants, and I believe it is they who are likely to obtain the most benefit from its use.

I am certain that in order to obtain the benefits that are claimed, the high standard of culture which is necessary for good results must be carried out, and all foliar feeding will be of little avail unless this primary work is first attended to.

Where this new technique can be of the greatest use is where there is lack of trace elements in the soil, which can only be ascertained by careful analysis. Magnesium, manganese and iron can all be applied, as well as nitrogen, phosphates and potash, and are all very necessary for the well-being of the plants.

Those who would care to try foliar feeding would be well advised to use some of the proprietary articles sold for the purpose and merely follow out the directions given. I am told by my friend, Mr Seymour Huntley of Dublin, who practises this method of feeding that the spray is best applied before 8 a.m. and absorption is only effective on the young foliage. Spraying should begin in May and continue at weekly intervals. Insecticides and fungicides, such as captan and karathane, can be mixed with the feed and used as the occasion demands.

There is one great thing in the use of this method of feeding, that is if it does not do all that is expected of it no harm can come from its use.

Disbudding

As soon as the flower buds are showing on the tips of the growths, disbudding should be attended to. So often this is either neglected or carried out too late. The advantage of reducing the number of buds on a growth to one is lost if it is left until they have reached nearly full size. The small side-buds should be removed as soon as it is possible to pick them off with finger and thumb. Sometimes it is an advantage to leave a side bud and remove all the others. The time when the bud develops into the perfect bloom will be delayed, in consequence; this is worth remembering if it is thought that the blooms would be too early for the show. Also there are certain varieties which, having a large number of petals, are apt to produce coarse and split blooms; by taking out the centre bud and retaining one side bud this tendency can often be corrected.

Pest control

This is the time when aphides always put in an appearance, and measures to combat this pest must be taken as soon as it is seen. To allow a whole colony to suck the life out of a shoot before doing something to remove them is very bad practice, and will considerably reduce the size of the flower. There are so many preparations on sale for killing aphis that it seems hardly necessary to mention any of them. All of them will do what their makers claim for them, but one that is very good is malathion.

Preparing for the show

The following remarks of mine are intended for those who have never attempted to compete in the rose classes and those who, having done so, have not had a great deal of success. I first began exhibiting in 1919, and, except for a period in the last war, have never once missed showing. One often hears keen exhibitors described as 'pot hunters'. I suppose there will always be a certain type of individual to whom that appellation would very well apply, but they are a very small minority. Of all the many exhibitors with whom I have been in contact, very few have been anything but friends. Each year as the shows come round, one looks forward to meeting the same acquaintances and sometimes new ones, and it is that which is one of the most enjoyable results of showing. Quite naturally one tries to win, that is innate in most of us whatever the sport or pastime we may engage in.

In showing roses, as distinct from many other flowers, the element of luck is always present. Growers of many flowers can, by manipulation, time their blooms so that they will be at their best at the time of the show. With roses this is not possible, and whether the blooms will be at their best when required is purely a matter of chance. In looking back over many years I can truthfully state that only on about two occasions have I had my blooms at their best on the day. I can remember on one occasion that I felt sure that my best day had arrived; the spring was an ideal one—no frosts to give the plants a check, rain and sunshine in generous proportions and the roses looking as well as one could wish. On the evening before the show I began to cut the blooms and noticed a rather ominous black cloud gathering. In a few minutes the rain came and developed into a violent storm with such intensity that water was lying on top of the soil. Many blooms broke off, and all those near the soil were hopelessly splashed with mud. Storms of that kind are very local, and when I arrived at the show it was evident that I was the unlucky one.

Cutting the blooms

The weather on the day before the show has a great deal to do with whether the blooms will be in the right condition the next day. Quite a deal of judgment will be called for if the show to be visited entails a journey, for the blooms will probably have to be cut the previous day. There is no doubt that roses cut on the morning of the show are very much better than those cut before and which have not had the benefit of a cool, dewy night. It is much easier to estimate whether a bloom will be in the right state when the judges make their decision if cutting is deferred until about 8 a.m. By that time the bloom will have made its daily development and can be rejected or cut with confidence.

When cutting on the day before the show, the natural development of the bloom must be taken into account, and this is where experience is of the greatest importance. Some varieties can be cut with every confidence that they will be about right, but many others will let one down time and time again. As a rule those that have large, broad petals, such as William Harvey, McGredy's Ivory, Sam McGredy and Percy Izzard, can nearly always be relied upon to keep their form, the petals having a method of wrapping round one another, giving that high pointed appearance which is so desirable from an exhibitor's point of view. Such roses can be cut in a more advanced stage than those varieties with many but short centre petals. The rose Peace is one that requires cutting while still young, especially if it is not of the largest size. Of course it is assumed that the weather is warm and that there is a fair amount of sun. If by chance the weather is cool and cloudy, the kind that exhibitors pray for, the blooms can be cut in a more advanced state. It is the exercising of this judgment that makes rose-exhibiting such an exciting business.

Protection from the weather

So far I have not mentioned protecting the blooms from the effects of the weather. There are shades made for the express purpose; they are in the form of a small bell-tent with an adjustment for raising or lowering on a stick. As a protection from the damaging effects of rain they have much to recommend them, but I cannot say much for their use in fine weather, and in wind they can do a great deal of damage by being blown against the tops of the blooms.

A large number of exhibitors tie the centres of their blooms with the idea of arresting their development and also enlarging the bloom. Having done this myself for many years I have at long last seen the error of my ways and have discontinued the practice. The reason is that one arrives at the show with blooms all tied and they look well. As the time approaches for judging the ties are removed and then the fun begins. One after another of the blooms have to be discarded for younger ones, and instead of having plenty of time, there is a rush at the last minute, which is fatal to doing one's best. By dispensing with the tying, one can see at a glance which blooms have not stood the journey to the show, and those which should be about right. The necessary changes can be made at once and it is then possible to enjoy the staging of the exhibits, instead of being driven to distraction in the last few minutes.

Let us go back again to the selection and cutting of the blooms. So far it is the large specimen blooms that have been dealt with. If the society which is holding the show is affiliated to the National Rose Society and their rules governing the show are to be adhered to, certain varieties are excluded from being shown in the decorative classes. It is just as well to make sure whether the N.R.S. rules are to be put into effect or not. Most small societies have their own rules and these should be read carefully to avoid disappointment. If the schedule calls for twelve roses to be shown in a bowl, it usually means Hybrid Teas, and not Ramblers or Floribundas. Large-flowered climbing roses would be quite permissible.

Arranging the blooms in the vases

In these decorative classes a very common fault is cutting the blooms too well developed and with insufficient length of stem. In a good arrangement, each bloom should stand quite clear of its neighbor. This can only be attained if the stems are of sufficient length. The use of wires is a great advantage, and in fact an absolute necessity where those roses that have weak footstalks have to be shown. With roses like President Herbert Hoover, Lady Sylvia, Madame Butterfly and several others, wiring is not necessary, but with varieties such as Mrs Henry Bowles, Barbara Richards and George Dickson, the use of wires is essential. The wires are those used by florists in making wreaths and bouquets and are thin and pliable. The end is pushed into the seed vessel under the bloom and then twisted round the stem. If done carefully, it is hardly noticeable, and instead of the bloom hanging its head as if it were ashamed of itself, it looks one straight in the face, and its appearance is improved accordingly.

Another class in the majority of schedules is a vase of roses, varying from three to six blooms. Sometimes vases are provided by the society, but often the exhibitors have to provide their own. In many instances the vases used are much too large and nothing looks worse than the rose blooms peeping over the edge of a vase much too large for them. Sometimes the exhibitor has tried to improve matters by stuffing paper or something into the neck of the vase in order to keep the stems in position. A much more effective method, which I always use myself, is first to place a quantity of Lonicera nitida in the vase. If this hedging plant is not available, rushes or the stems of coarse grasses will do. Place the material in the vase, not so tightly as to make it difficult to place the rose stems in it and cut off the surplus level with the rim. By the use of this packing the roses can be placed in the correct position, and only about two inches of the stems need be in the vase. I always make a practice of arranging the roses in the vase and adding the water afterwards, filling them up to the brim. If lonicera is used for packing, this is unnecessary, for the packing stays in position; rushes, however, have a habit of popping up if the water is added before the roses are in position.

Dressing the blooms

This is a very important matter if the blooms are to look their best when presented to the judges. Few, except experienced showmen, understand how to accomplish this.

If one observes the behavior of a bloom which has been allowed to expand on the plant, it will be seen that, whereas in its undeveloped state the backs of the petals are on view, in the fully-opened blooms the petals double back, showing the inner sides. It is on the inside that the greatest intensity of colour is present. This is particularly noticeable in all the crimson varieties. The dressing of a bloom consists in pressing down the outside or guard petals, while placing a forefinger underneath. The petals will then have the same appearance as they would have had if they had been allowed to develop naturally on the plant. This dressing not only brightens up what might have been a dull bloom, but greatly enhances its size. To be successful in dressing a bloom it must be in the right condition; to attempt it on a very young bloom would only result in an unnatural effect.

Judges in the premier shows, as a rule, frown on the practice of removing weather-stained or damaged outer petals. If the large outside petals are bent down it is usually sufficient to hide such imperfections. There is no ruling on this matter, and it is left to the discretion of the judges when they are making their awards.

Showing Floribundas

The Floribunda roses are being introduced by raisers in greater numbers. Classes for these are nearly always found in schedules, and very interesting exhibits they make too. To show them at their best it is not sufficient to cut the best-looking trusses that happen to be available, since such sprays will have either a few blooms out or a large number, with many blooms past their best. A really good truss should have a large number of blooms on it, each bloom being perfectly fresh, and, if single or semi-double, the stamens should be a golden yellow color. The method of attaining this end is quite simple. About ten days before the blooms are required, go over the trusses and take out the larger and the smaller buds, leaving only those of equal size. By doing this it will be possible to cut splendid trusses with the greatest number of clean blooms on them.

The method of leaving the trusses un-thinned, and cutting out the stale blooms afterwards, does not give nearly such a good result as the one I have described, for the large centre blooms do not allow the side buds to develop, and the small buds, which will be unopened when the truss is cut, are wasted.

Showing Rambler roses

One rarely sees Ramblers of the type that bloom in mid-July shown to advantage. The trusses should be cut with a stem strong enough to support them, and the thinning of the buds should be carried out in the same way as described for the Floribundas.

Varieties Suitable For Exhibition

Large

Anne Letts
Burnaby
Candeur Lyonnaise *Charlotte Armstrong
Chrysler Imperial *Crimson Glory
Dame Edith Helen
Directeur Guerin
Dorothy Anderson *Dr F. G. Chandler *Eden Rose
Elaine
*Ena Harkness
Ethel Sanday *Golden Melody
Josephine Bruce
Karl Herbst
Lord Rossmore

Specimen Blooms

Margaret
McGredy's Ivory
McGredy's Yellow *Moonbeam
Mrs. Charles Lamplough
Mrs. Charles Rigg
Opera
Peace
Pink Favourite *Phyllis Gold
Red Ensign
Rex Anderson
Rose Gaujard
Sam McGredy
Show Girl
The Doctor
William Harvey
William Moore
 
Floribundas
 
Alison Wheatcroft
Allgold Frensham
Iceberg
Lili Marlene
Masquerade
Sarabande
Vogue
* Varieties marked with an asterisk are suitable for decorative classes.

Decorative Classes

Varieties suitable for showing in classes where the decorative effect is the main consideration.
 
Beauté
Betty Uprichard
Comtesse Vandal
First Love
Flaming Sunset
Lady Belper
 
(For decorative effect—contd.)

Lady Sylvia                                          President Herbert Hoover
Mojave                                                Spek's Yellow
Picture                                                  Super Star
Polly                                                     Virgo

Roses shown in boxes

In the schedules of some societies there are classes for roses to be shown in boxes or on boards, without stating what size or form these are to be. The regulation boxes which are used at all shows of the National Rose Society are the only ones suitable for showing roses, and should be the only ones used. Some of the contraptions I have seen at many of the shows I have visited are pathetic, to say the very least. The favorite type consists of a shallow box with six holes bored in it; underneath and below these holes are potted meat jars holding water. In these holes the rose stem is placed. With nothing to keep the blooms upright they loll about and look extremely unhappy. Such roses exhibited in a vase would look very much better and would improve the general appearance of the show. It would not perhaps be so bad if there was a degree of uniformity in these boxes, but it would seem that to have something similar to that of other competitors would be to show lack of originality.

I do not believe that anyone in the habit of showing roses in boxes, and I mean the regulation type, would claim that this method of showing roses has any artistic merit. The fact is, we (and I include myself) know it. It is true that showing roses in boxes is a relic of the early days of rose exhibiting when practically all roses were shown in that way. It must be realized that the decorative rose as we know it was unknown, and roses that were not good enough for showing in a box were not worth growing. With the introduction of the Hybrid Teas, the practice of exhibiting roses in boxes began to wane and vases, baskets and bowls became the order of the day.

The boxes still linger on at our National Show because no better method has been found to display the large, perfect bloom. It must be remembered that the roses that are shown in boxes are cut from the garden and placed at once in the boxes, and transported to the show. Such large blooms are very easily damaged, and if they were to be shown in vases, which is the only alternative, it would not be possible to get them to the show in such good condition. Classes for specimen blooms to be shown in vases have been instituted in the schedules of the National Rose Society's shows, but so far have never attracted the number of exhibitors as have the classes specifying boxes. Although there is nothing artistic in roses shown in boxes, to my mind there is nothing unpleasing, provided the exhibit is neatly staged and a pleasant covering of moss is given as a foil to the blooms.

The regulation boxes are of a uniform width from front to back of eighteen inches: twelve inches long for six blooms, twenty-four inches long for twelve blooms, and forty-two inches long for twenty-four blooms. A box for six blooms consists of a four-inch-high bottom portion which is to contain the blooms, and a lid nine inches high. Half-butt hinges are used so that the lid can easily be detached from the bottom part. Side hooks or a hasp in front are fitted for making it secure.

The important part is the tray which fits in the lower portion. This rests a little below the edge to allow for mossing. The tray has six holes, one inch in diameter, in which zinc tubes are placed. These tubes may be purchased from Messrs Pinches, Crown Buildings, Gamberwell, London, who are one of the very few firms who manufacture accessories for exhibitors. For those who are handy with a few simple tools, it is not difficult to make a suitable box; the most difficult part is to obtain the necessary material. Quite a satisfactory one can be made from half-inch matching, although something a little stouter is an advantage, if at any time it should have to be consigned to the tender care of the railway authorities. Wires in which the blooms are fixed, holding them firmly in position when in the tubes, should be provided when the tubes are purchased. A light deep box to hold a number of tubes for containing spare blooms is essential, for it is likely that some at least of the blooms will show signs of distress after their journey to the show and will have to be changed for younger ones.

Transporting roses to the show

The problem of how to cut and transport roses with longer stems is one that requires a great deal of thought, and every care should be taken to ensure that the blooms do not suffer in transit. If one has a car the problem is easily solved for the blooms need not be kept out of water. Having conveyed roses to shows in almost every conceivable way I have at length discovered the ideal container. It has the additional merit of costing only a few pence, an important matter in these days when the most trivial things are so expensive. It consists of four corned-beef tins of large size, and one Dutch tomato box. The tins can usually be had from the butcher for the asking, and the box for a few pence from the fruiterer. The tins should be cleaned with hot soda solution to remove all the grease, and the edges cut level with a pair of tinsmith's snips. Procure some wire about an eighth of an inch in thickness and bend it so that it fits tightly just below the rim of the tin. Cut the corners of the tin to a depth of about half an inch and then bend the edge over so that the wire is covered. Having held the wire in position the edge can be tapped over with a small hammer. If one does not want to go to the trouble of strengthening the edge of the tins with wire, the edges can merely be turned over and hammered flat. The tins should then have a good coating of bitumen paint. Tins so treated will give good service for many years.

The 6tting of the tins in the box is a very simple matter. These boxes have a triangular piece of wood in each corner. Fix with screws four pieces of wood about an inch wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, two of them on top of the other. When this is done place the tins in position, keeping them to the outside of the box. It will be found that there is a space of about three inches between the tins on the inside. Two pieces of wood a quarter of an inch thick are placed across and nailed to the outside, and the box is complete.

Such a box can be put on the seat of a car without any fear that in braking suddenly the box will tip up and deposit the blooms on the floor, which has happened on more than one occasion when I used to carry my blooms to the show in buckets. It will be found also that the boxes have an advantage at the show, for the blooms for the various classes can be put in each tin separately, thereby saving a lot of time, and also preventing damage to the blooms, which often happens when blooms get mixed up in one receptacle. It is quite probable that other flowers besides roses are taken to the show, and the depth of these tins makes them ideal containers for any kind of exhibit.

If it is impossible to take the blooms to the show by car the only way is to take them in a box, and provided they are packed with care it should be quite satisfactory. After cutting the blooms, which should be done the evening before the show, they should be relieved of some of the lower leaves and wired, if it is considered necessary.

They should then be placed in water well up their stems, and left in the coolest possible spot until the morning, when they will be well charged with water. To cut the blooms on the morning of the show and for them to be out of water for some hours would be fatal. The best boxes for packing the blooms are those wooden ones used by growers to send their blooms to market. The box should be lined with soft tissue paper, allowing a certain amount to hang over the edges, which will be folded over as a covering when all the blooms are in position. Shake the surplus water off the stems and proceed to pack them in rows with the blooms nearly touching. Use all the blooms with the longest stems first. Having completed the first row, place a piece of tissue paper just below the blooms so that when the next row is in position the blooms will not be in contact with wet steins. When the third row is in, a stick or cane a little longer than the width of the box should be put in across the stems and wedged against the sides of the box. When the rest of the blooms are in the box, another piece of stick should be used. If the box is packed in the manner described, it can be carried on its side without fear of the blooms moving.

Cardboard boxes are sometimes used, but have the disadvantage that they have to be kept flat, as the means of holding the stems in position by the use of sticks is not possible, except by driving a nail through the sides of the box into the stick, which is not as simple as it sounds.

Allowance must be made for the time spent in packing the blooms. For the girls who usually pack blooms in the nurseries it is a matter of a few minutes to complete a box, but when a number of different varieties are to be packed, considerable thought must be taken if one is to be assured of the blooms being in good condition when the show is reached. Perhaps it may be thought that I have labored this point, but in my many years of showing, time and again I have seen blooms arrive at the show spoilt, simply because no proper provision had been made to pack them properly.

Staging the blooms

Now a word or two about the show. Read the schedule carefully and be sure your exhibit is in the space allotted to it. Do not place your exhibit so that it occupies space that will be required for another competitor, as it is most annoying to require an exhibit to be moved when the owner is not to be found. Do not compare your own blooms with your competitors' until you have completed your exhibit, because if you do it will give a false impression of your own and those of competitors. Apply to the secretary for your class cards and be sure that each exhibit gets its correct one, which should be placed face downwards. See that all the varieties are correctly named. In the case of a vase or bowl of mixed varieties a card bearing all their names, although not usually enforced by the schedule, adds to the interest of the exhibit.

When a box is used, always place the largest blooms at the back and the smaller ones in front. Arrange the colours so that no two colors are side by side. The tubes at the back should be drawn up to the full height, graduating them down to the two front ones. A three-inch flower pot will do to raise the box at the back, if the box is not provided with struts for the purpose.

Much can be learnt by watching experienced exhibitors and much help can be obtained from them, provided the right moment is chosen for it, but let me add, a certain amount of discretion should be used in this respect, for although the 'old hands' are always willing to help a novice, it is not the best time to solicit help when they are very busy with their own exhibits.

Do not be unduly disappointed if a prize does not come your way at the first time of showing, but seek consolation in the fact that all successful prize winners have at one time been beginners, and it is only by patient effort that they have obtained their proficiency. It sometimes happens that the judges have erred; that is sure to happen from time to time. Do not take an adverse decision too badly; there will come a time when it will be to your advantage, and over a period it levels itself out fairly well.

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