I suppose that most of the readers of The Monthly have heard the story of Mr. Evans, of Philadelphia, having paid this large amount to Mr. Henry Bennett, of London, probably the largest amount that was ever paid for the stock of any rose in this country. Cheap enough it would have been in all probability had it not been trammelled with the extraordinary condition that no cuttings or plants should be sold for four years, Mr. Evans having to look for his profits from the cut flowers - but here is where the snag comes. It is well known that rosebuds can not now be sold unless cut with long stems, and the question arises, how is Mr. Evans going to prevent the cuttings attached to the buds from being used by others for the purpose of propagation?

In a visit by some half a dozen of us, all veterans in the trade, at Mr. Evans' place last March, the question was raised for Mr. E's benefit of what was the best means of killing the leaf bud, or to prevent its growth. Various remedies were suggested, such as touching the leaf bud with acid, cutting it out, and squeezing the bud and stems. The two latter methods we have experimented with and find that neither of them is safe. Cuttings of several varieties of roses put in a month ago, that were squeezed both in the stem and bud, granulated throughout and rooted quite as quickly as others put in at the same time without mutilation, and seemingly will make quite as good plants. Others from which the buds were cut - leaving the leaf on of course - in two out of three developed latent side buds, so that it seems neither of these methods is safe. If the suggestion of destroying the bud with acid were practicable it certainly would be objectionable from the danger to the hands when handling the roses.

The subject becomes one of very general interest, for although it is rare that such an extraordinary compact as that between Mr. Bennett and Mr. Evans occurs, yet cases must constantly be coming up where the buds of new roses that may sell only at ten cents each must have cuttings attached to them where the plants sell at one dollar or more each. So that the owner of new varieties must either sacrifice his flowers or give for ten cents what is worth to him a dollar.