Chapter 21 (extract 2) of "Roses for English Gardens" by Jekyll and Mawley (1902), in which Mr Mawley gives the techniques used by exhibitors to ensure that blooms remain of exceptional quality for the show bench and are not damaged.
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Illustration: Shelter for exhibition rose blooms as used in Mr Mawley's garden, Rosebank.
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Disbudding.—At the end of each shoot that has been left on the plants after they have been thinned will ultimately appear, as a rule, three flower-buds. Of these only the centre one should be allowed to remain, the two others being removed as soon as this can conveniently be done. Some use a pointed quill for this purpose, but with a little practice these small buds can be easily taken off with the fingers.
Shading.—The blooms of some varieties, and more particularly the crimson Hybrid Perpetuals, are very liable to become burnt if exposed to the direct rays of the sun in hot weather. It will therefore be necessary to afford them some protection. There are many kinds of shades used for this purpose, but the simplest and most efficient are those made of calico stretched tightly over a conical frame made of stout zinc wire, as they are cool, well-ventilated, and sufficiently waterproof, and yet do not seriously obstruct the light.
These shades should be 12 inches across in the widest part, and 9 inches high. The zinc socket attached to the frame must be made to slide up and down a square wooden rod in which holes have been pierced at intervals, so that by means of a metal pin the shade can be adjusted to any height required. These zinc frames can be made by any blacksmith, or a smaller shade of the same kind can be obtained ready made of Mr. J. Pinches, of Crown Street, Camberwell.
It is advisable to have a good supply of these shades, as they not only shield choice blooms from the sun, but are still more useful in protecting them from rain and heavy dews.
Rose Boxes.—These are usually made of half-inch deal, and are painted throughout dark green. The following are the regulation sizes: viz., for twenty four blooms, 3 feet 6 inches long; for eighteen blooms, 2 feet 9 inches long; for twelve blooms, 2 feet long; for nine blooms, i foot 6 inches long ; and for six blooms, i foot long. For eight trebles (three blooms arranged in the box triangularly), 3 feet 6 inches long; for six trebles, 2 feet 9 inches long ; and for four trebles, 2 feet long. All the boxes must be 4 inches high in front and 18 inches wide. These are all outside measurements. Inside each box there should be a tray pierced with holes to receive the tubes in which the blooms are exhibited.
Exhibition Tubes. — The best form of exhibition tube is that known as Foster's Tube, as the bloom can be placed by means of the wires supplied with the tubes at any required height without raising the tube itself, and there is a holder in front for the reception of the card on which the name of the Rose is printed or written. These tubes can be obtained of Mr. H. Foster, Ashford, Kent.
Cutting the Blooms.—If the show be a local one and easy of access it will be well to cut the most forward blooms on the evening of the day previous to the exhibition, and those less advanced and likely to improve on the plants during the night, early on the following morning. But if the show be at a distance it will be advisable to cut the blooms early in the evening, as it is found that if cut when they are going to sleep, as it were, in the evening, they develop less rapidly on the journey to the show, and consequently travel better than those cut in the morning when they are growing rapidly. It is no use cutting any blooms which are fully expanded, except in rare cases, as they will be too far advanced for exhibition by the time they reach the show. The choicest half-developed blooms should be selected ; that is to say, those which are large for the variety, and at the same time regular in shape and of good colour. The boxes should in the first instance be placed in a cool shed, the tubes filled with water, and the surface of the box covered with the freshest and greenest moss obtainable. It is not a good plan to set up Roses in a shady place in the open air. This being done, the selected blooms, as they are cut, should be placed in the tubes and labelled. The blooms must be cut with stems sufficiently long to allow of their ends reaching the water when raised to the required height at the exhibition. A little experience will show in what stage of development the different varieties, according to their respective staying power, require to be cut. The best blooms should next be chosen, and after having been wired, should be placed in the box intended for exhibition and labelled. Blank labels of a suitable size can be obtained of Messrs. Blake and Mackenzie, School Lane, Liverpool, or they can be had from the same firm with the names of the Roses already printed on them. In order to keep the flowers from unduly expanding on their way to the show, each bloom should be tied round with double Berlin wool. In doing this the outer row of petals should be left free. The best form of tie, as it will not slip and yet can be readily removed, is made by taking one end of a piece of wool about a foot long and twisting it twice round the other end. The loop thus formed is placed over the middle of the bloom and inside the outer or guard petals, and then drawn by the two ends of the tie close round the flower, so as to clasp it firmly and yet not too tightly. Before being left for the night the hd should be put on the box, and the end of a small flower-pot be inserted in the centre of the lid to keep it a few inches open in the front so as to allow of a free access of air to the blooms. For every bloom intended to be staged there should be taken to the show, in a separate box, at least one extra bloom (not necessarily of the same variety), and all these spare blooms should, as a rule, be younger than those in the box designed for the exhibition. It will not be necessary to wire or label these extra blooms, but it will be well to place between the inner petals of each of them a tiny slip of writing paper with the name of the variety upon it, so that there may be no doubt of its identity when selected to take the place of another bloom at the show.- The centres of all but the youngest blooms should also be tied. When travelling to the exhibition care must be taken that the Rose boxes are at all times kept level, and for this purpose it will be necessary to personally superintend the placing of the boxes in the vans of the trains, and their removal therefrom, and in the same way to see they are properly treated when travelling by cab or other conveyance.
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More: Roses for exhibition - techniques of cultivation; manuring; at the exhibition.
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