THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 253 



NEWS OF THE MONTH. 



Exhibitions of Roses have been more numerous than heretofore. The season 

 began with the Crystal Palace Show, on the 29fh of June. This was followed 

 by the Royal Horticultural a week after, and then came the Birmingham, 

 Hereford, and Rugby meetings in quick succession. Since all these— not in 

 advance of them, as might have been expected — the rose-show at Brie-Cumte- 

 Rubert has taken place, and this being in the land of roses, and supported by ihe 

 principal French rai.sers, might have been expected to eclipse all ours, but it Avas 

 not so, for it was absolutely inferior to the Birmingham show, as respects the quality 

 of the roses, though in the mode of display it was characterized by a taste and 

 finish to which we have not yet attained. Tiie Crystal Palace exhibition was 

 **good, considering." The fact is, for such an untoward season, the date was too 

 early. But the growers did their best, and there were some thousands of fine 

 blooms exhibited. Tlie best of the rose-shows was unrloubtedly that at Birmingham, 

 where the spacious Town Hall was generously granted for the purpose by tlie Cor- 

 poration. At Brie-Comte-Robert one exhibitor put up 600 varieties. All the roses 

 were displayed on the grotind, being formed into rich groups on sloping beds of 

 moss. The eifect of tasteful grouping was novel and delightful, but there were no 

 such fine flowers as v.'e meet with at our own shows, and the varieties were the 

 same as we have already in cultivation. After the rose-shows, the most important 

 of the month was that held at Bury St. Edmunds, by the conjoined efforts of the 

 Royal Agricultural and Royal Horticultural Societies. It is the first time these 

 two bodies have been united, and we are most happy to record the fact that the 

 union was of the most cordial nature, and satisfactory in all its results. 



The arrival of two Oriental princes, and of the Belgian volunteers, as visitors to 

 London, aroused the energies of horticulturists to contribute to the splendour of 

 their welcome. The weather declined to co-operate, for the tears of St. Swithin fell 

 copiously, and during the greater part of the time of the stay of our distinguished 

 visitors, the skies were overcast, and wind and rain spoilt many an out-door cele- 

 bration. Floral emb' llishments were adopted in the several splendid receptions 

 given to our guests, with more than our accustomed liberality, the principal work of 

 decorating Buckingham Palace, the Guildhall, and the Agricultural Hall, being 

 entrusted to Messrs. Veitch and Mr. B. S. Williams. 



Since the heavy July rains, the appearance of all garden crops has greatly 

 improved. Turnips, potatoes, and winter greens are growing freely. On farm lands, 

 green crops and roots promise to be very abundant, and a good crop of hay has been 

 well saved. Cereals want a few weeks' sunshine, and we do not at all fear that 

 they will have it. The harvest will be rather later than usual, but the yield pro- 

 mises to be fully an average. 



GATHERINGS FROM EXHIBITIONS. 



R. CRANSTON'S First Prize (72 Roses at Crystal Palace).— Madame 

 Brianson, a splendid lar^e flower, rather flat ; Madame Moreau, Paul 

 Ricaut, William Jesse, Marechal Souchet, Margaret St. Amand, Madame 

 Victor Verdier, Souvenir dElise, Maurice Bernardin, Jean Goujon, 

 Fran9ois Lacharme, Madame Boll, showing a big eye ; Horace Vet net, 

 fine ; Comte de Nanteuil, Christian Puttner, beautifully folded, crimson purple, a 

 charming flower ; Thorin, a fine rose ; Louise Van Houtte, Madame Eugene Ver- 

 dier, Madame Pauline Villot, Alpaide de Eotalier, Duke of Wellington (to call this 

 a " Due " is simply to insult one of our own heroes), La Esmeralda, Napoleon III., 

 Souvenir de la Malmaison, Beauty of Westerham, Centifolia Rosea, Dr. Andry, 

 Duchess of Orleans, Gloire de Montplaisir, Madame Clemence Joigneaux, Lord 

 Clyde, Gloire de Dijon, Claude Million, Madame Vidot, Charles Verdier, Duchesse 

 de Caylus, Pauline LHUsezeur, Madame Domage, Madame Crapelet, Madame Bravy, 

 Prince Camille de Rohan, Caroline de S;insal, Jules Margotiin, Baron Gonella, 

 King's Acre, Senateur Vaisse, Celine Forestier, Madame Charles Wood, an enormous 

 flower without a shadow of coarseness j Joseph Fiala, Madame Knorr, Baron de 



