70 THE FLORIST. 



Is. 6d. She had on her, when I first saw these, a cluster, with one 

 larger, more sulphured, and more compact rose than I have ever been 

 able to grow on her here. She is now about eight years old — is on a 

 dwarf brier, and planted against the south frontage of my house, with 

 nothing on her western side but a wood trellis porch, to stop the wind 

 between her and Gibraltar. She is as high as the house, and covers 

 twenty-four feet in space, and would have covered as much again, if I 

 had been able to allow her room. She has had on her first bloom this 

 year between two and three hundred clusters, with from three to five 

 buds each. Imagine, then, this space covered from day to day with 

 fresh blooms of great magnitude and good form. I thought of Mr. 

 Rivers, and his note on her in his admirable book. Well, I cannot 

 tell the exact number of her blooms ; but this I know, she gave a 

 second series of twenty clusters of sixty Roses, as large and sweet as in 

 her first blooming. Where, then, is the Rose of yellow tendency, that 

 will do all this ? And how came she to do it ? The answer is, manage- 

 ment and high feeding. I fed her once a week all through the season ; 

 and when her first bloom was over (about a week before the National), 

 and last bud was unfolded, I cut off, to two eyes, all her side wood, 

 like a Vine in winter. She looked dead — I fed her still — she moves 

 not, except at her terminals — Nature asserts her claim — she rests for a 

 month or more — a heavy rain comes, and soaks her through and through 

 — she lives again — her eyes peep and start, form buds, and bloom again ! 

 Is not that a Rose, and a good Rose too ? In the last week in May, 

 this great sight may be seen, and I hope some one will come and see 

 her. Depend upon it, for general and easy cultivation, Solfaterre is 

 the best wall Rose, of yellow tendency, in England. Remember, then, 

 the keys to yellow Roses ; and remember that while age is the key to 

 blooming, protection is the key to age. 



February 5. W. P. Radclypfe. 



THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S PRIZES FOR STEWED 



PEARS. 

 Can you, Mr. Editor, or can any of your readers inform me on what 

 principle the awards to stewed Pears were made at the Horticultural 

 Society's Show, in St. James's Hall, in November last? The object 

 proposed in the schedule, was to ascertain what were the best Pears for 

 stewing ; but the awards appear to have been made as if the object 

 had been to ascertain who was the best confectioner — colouring, sugar, 

 lemon peel, spices, &c, &c, used ad libitum, were not considered at all 

 a barrier in deciding which were the best Pears. The affair was cer- 

 tainly a great mistake, and it is easy to believe that some clever artiste 

 might have carried the prizes, without in fact using any Pears at all. 

 It reminds one of the cook, who, for a wager, produced an exquisite 

 soup, the basis of which was white kid gloves. 



Q. 



