OCTOBER. 307 



double, full, and of good outline and close high centre. This is a novel 

 f.ower, and a great acquisition. Six blooms each were shown of the 

 above two flowers. Mr. Turner also received a certificate of merit for 

 Grand Sultan, dark maroon, approaching to black ; and as there is a 

 deficiency in this class of colour, it will be found a very desirable 

 variety. Mr. Rawlings received a certificate of merit for Chameleon, 

 yellow, occasionally tinged on the edges of the petals, and is a full-sized 

 flower. Mr. George Wheeler, of Warminster, sent Eclipse, a medium- 

 sixed dark purple flower, having a close high centre ; and Lady 

 Raglan, a buff kind, but as shown is too much open in the petal. 

 Colonel Eyres, of Thurlston, Surrey, sent three blooms of a light 

 purple, a very round high centre flower, with small stout petals, but 

 was rather smafl. The first prize for 12 Dahlias was awarded to Mr, 

 Charles Turner, for Robert Bruce. Yellow Beauty, Pre-eminent. 

 Empress, Lord Bath, Sir C. Napier, Rachel Rawlings, Espartero, 

 Lollipop, Bessie, Miss Spears, and Annie ; 2nd, Mr. Keynes, for Pre- 

 eminent, Duchess of Kent, Lord Bath, Goldsmith, Duetche, Rachel 

 RawHngs, Robert Bruce, Essex Triumph, Salvator Rosa, Triumphant, 

 Annie, and Ruby Queen. Both stands were of very fine quality. 

 3rd, Mr. Robinson, of Pimlico ; 4th, Mr. C. J. Perry, of Birmingham. 

 Six Fancy Dahhas : — 1st, Mr. C. Turner, with Empereur de Maroc, 

 Triomphe de Roubaix, Gloire de Kain, Admiration, Flora M'lvor, and 

 Baron Alderson ; 2nd, Mr. Keynes, with Baron Alderson, Triomphe 

 de Roubaix, Gloire de Kain, Elizabeth, Nancy, and Pigeon ; 3rd, Mr. 

 Robinson. A stand of six splendid blooms of that very fine Dahha, 

 Pre-eminent, was exhibited by the Rev. C. Fellowes, of Shottesham 

 Park, near Norwich. The first prize for six Roses, was awarded to 

 Mr. Weatherall, of Hornsey. 



THE NEW ROSES OF 1855. 



In common with most of our flowers and fruits, there are every year 

 new Roses in abundance ; but owing to the present high standard of 

 excellence in Roses, but very few of the new varieties can be honestly 

 recommended. It is true their names and their descriptions are 

 enticing, owing to the false judgment of those who raise them from 

 seed, who, with that peculiar leaning which every florist feels for a 

 flower of his own creation, see in them qualities far above their deserts ; 

 they describe them with glowing language, because they love them as 

 a parent loves his children, and are surprised when a cool, disinterested 

 looker-on points out defects which their affection-blinded eyes never 

 detected. There were probably from sixty to eighty new varieties 

 of Roses " introduced to commerce," as the French phrase is, during 

 the autumn of 1854 and spring of 1855. Many of these are pretty 

 enough — for what Rose is not pretty ? — but those of really fine qualities, 

 excelling, or even equalling, such Roses as Prince Leon, General 

 Jacqueminot, Paul Dupuy, General Bedeau, Madame Rivers, and 

 many others, are lamentably few ; so much so, that one almost fears 



X 2 



