THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB, 



Meeting at Colchester, Copford, Birch, etc. 

 Saturday, June 23rd, 1894. 



The weather was perfect, and although the party was not so large as usual, 

 those who attended were well repaid by a very pleasant excursion. The conductors 

 were : Mr. C. E. Benham, Dr. H. Laver, F.L.S., Mr. J. C. Shenstone, and Mr. 

 W. Cole. 



Birch Chui;ch and Villac.k. 



At halt-past eleven the party left Colchester (Main) Station in a brake for 

 Mr. Benjamin Cant's Rose Gardens at Mile End. The culture of roses in this 

 district, both by professional growers and amateurs, has attained great perfection. 

 The ancient and interesting town of Colchester is as far famed for its beds of 

 roses as for the produce of its municipal beds of oysters in the Colne, and a visit 

 to these fragrant gardens in the month of June was a happy thought on the part 

 of the conductors. Colchester took the lead for roses even fifty years ago, when 

 one John Hedge, of Reed Hall, was the most successful amateur rose grower in 

 England ; Mr. B. R. Cant standing first among professionals. Mr. John Hedge 

 has long passed away, but we still have Mr. Benjamin Cant ; and although the 

 number of English rose growers has greatly increased, he still holds his 

 position as probably the most successful cultivator of this charming flower in 

 England. Mr. Cant has won the Grand Challenge Trophy of the National Rose 

 Society no less than six times. He won the Jubilee Champion Cup in 1892, the 

 Chiswick Challenge Cup 1891 and 1892, and altogether he has taken 1,780 first 



