January 31, 1867. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



83 



whether they were not taking possession of a date which was 

 known to be that on which the Royal Horticultural Society 

 usnally held their great summer exhibition.] 



NOTES OF AND ABOUT ROSES. 



(Continued from page 47.) 



5. Exhibition. — Public exhibitions of any flower afford a 

 powerful stimulus to an improved culture of it; they also tend 

 to spread abroad a more general knowledge of it, to raise it in 

 the estimation of those who do not make it an especial object 

 of cultivation, and, by bringing together specimens grown in 

 different localities and on different soils, offer a ready means 

 of comparison under different circumstances to those who do. 

 This is pre-eminently the case with the Rose. There has never 

 been a public exhibition of any particular flower that has at- 

 fcacted more spectators, excited more interest, or engaged so 

 many persons in making it. It is, therefore, a matter of some 

 importance that Rose shows should be so managed that the 

 confidence of exhibitors should be secured, the excellence of 

 their productions fairly and impartially recognised, and that 

 the crowds of admiriug visitors who throng them should be 

 able to inspect the stands with as little inconvenience as pos- 

 sible, and without disappointment. These conditions secured 

 in the main. Rose shows will continue to flourish for years to 

 come. 



It would be saying too much to affirm that these conditions 

 are fulfilled, it would be etjually wrong to assert that they are 

 not. There is, therefore, a media via, which, though as stated 

 of old, the safest, is wide enough, nevertheless, to admit of dis- 

 cussion, with a view of testing the soundness of what is be- 

 Ueved to be good, and remedying what is thought to be de- 

 fective. Qnot liomiites tot sententicc. Inviting the opinions of 

 other correspondents interested in this subject, let us endeavour 

 to discuss it calmly, without prejudice, and in a friendly man- 

 ner. We may then hope to effect improvements where needed. 



Rose shows have been found to be paying-exhibitions ; the 

 very important consideration of ways and means is hence set 

 at rest. The next prominent points are the schedules, rules to 

 be observed by exhibitors, and the judging of the specimens 

 exhibited, to which may be added, as materially influencing 

 success, the most appropriate time for holding the exhibition. 



An equitable adjustment of the classes to the capacity of the 

 various growers ought to be a primary consideration in com- 

 piling the schedules. I have before me most of the schedules of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society, and of the Crystal Palace Com- 

 pany, for the years from 1861 to 1860 ; also, the list of awards, 

 with two exceptions, of the latter, for the same period. For 

 the earliest of these year.s the two schedules were nearly alike, 

 differing only in the number of trusses required in the highest 

 class for amateurs, being twelve more in the schedule of the 

 Koyal Horticultural Society than in that of the Crystal Palace 

 Company, and this difference has been maintained ever since. 

 There were also three classes in the former not inserted in the 

 latter — namely, twelve trusses of SenateurVaisse (open), twelve 

 of any other kind (open), and eighteen of Tea-scented. After 

 that year the divergence increases annually. Last year there 

 were only six classes identical. While, however, the Crystal 

 Palace schedules show no alteration, except in the number of 

 Roses in pots during the six years, those of the Royal Hor- 

 ticultural Society became more elaborate and suitable to the 

 progress of Rose culture every succeeding year, the schedule 

 of last year being the best that has yet been framed by them. 

 This speaks well for the Society, and shows that the Council, 

 or those who compile the schedule, are fully cognisant of the 

 increasing interest taken in Rose culture, and desire to give 

 the full weight of the powerful influence of the Society in pro- 

 moting it. 



There is not, that I know of, nor should there be, any anta- 

 gonism between the two shows. The same, or nearly the same 

 exhibitors contribute to form both. There is, however, a dif- 

 ference in the number of visitors attending the two shows. 

 Last year this difference was very marked ; while the Show 

 at Kensington was superior in many respects to that at Syden- 

 ham, the number of visitors who attended the latter was 

 greatly in excess of the number at the Kensington Show. This 

 circumstance should have some weight with the authorities at 

 the Crystal Palace to induce them to revise their schedule for 

 another season, if they wish to obtain a display satisfactory to 

 the visitors, and at the same time deserving the confidence of 

 exhibitors. 



It will not be deemed out of place here to remark, that all 

 who have seen and know the beautiful structure at Sydenham, 

 must have learned with the deepest regret the sad calamity that 

 has recently happened, by which a portion of the Palace has 

 been, let us hope only temporarily, destroyed by fire. What- 

 ever may be the arrangements for the forthcoming season 

 affecting horticultural shows, the Company may rely on the 

 sympathy and support of the horticultural body who have 

 hitherto contributed to these Exhibitions, and as regards the 

 Rose Show, the most popular of them, a considerable accessioa 

 of strength would, undoubtedly, be obtained liy simply adapt- 

 ing the arrangements to the reixuirements of the times. 



The classes in the schedule may be reviewed under three 

 sections — those assigned to growers for sale, to amateurs, and 

 the open or miscellaneous classes. 



As I hold it to be a primary consideration in the framing of 

 the schedule, that the classes be arranged to meet the capa- 

 cities of different exhibitors, I am impressed with the belief 

 that the compilers of the schedules for the Rose shows acted 

 upon this principle, by allotting the different numbers from 

 ninety-six to twelve trusses to different classes, for the purpose 

 of inviting the eompotition of growers .according to their stock ; 

 of those growers for sale with whom Roses form one of the 

 most important subjects of their business, as well as of those 

 with whom they are only a portion of the general stock ; for 

 those amateurs who have time and space for the cultivation of 

 several thousand plants, and can cut their forty-eight on any 

 given day in the season, as well as for those wiio with less of 

 either, yet feel the same pride in filling a box of twelve, on 

 what to them is the eventful day of exhibition. If this was, as 

 it ought to have been, the original object, it has been very de- 

 cisively nullified. In the list of awards at the Crystal Palace 

 Show, in 1861, will be found the names of sixteen different 

 nurserymen among the successful competitors in the various 

 classes, and eighteen amateurs. On turning to the last year's 

 list we shall find but seven different nurserymen taking twenty- 

 eight prizes ; of these, five names well known in connection 

 with Roses secured twenty-five prizes among them, the re- 

 maining three were taken by the other two ; one a third, value 

 20s., and a fourth, value l-5s., and the other a fifth, value 10s. 

 In the same award we also find twenty-five prizes taken by 

 eleven or twelve .amateurs. The time chosen for the Show last 

 year was rather too early, and probably influenced this result, 

 but only slightly. 



_ At the Show at Kensington, in the following week, when the 

 tinie was more appropriate, the whole of the nurserymen's 

 prizes, including most of those marked " Open," were taken by 

 names now so familiarly associated with the Rose, but by no 

 more of them than ran be counted on the fingers and thumb of 

 one hand. The reason of this has long been obvious. Those 

 gentlemen who are usually known as the great Rjse growers, 

 by their sedulous attention to culture, their long experience, 

 their enormous stock, and, generally, the favourable soil of 

 their nurseries, have distanced all other competitors, and 

 no restriction being placed on the number of classes in which 

 one exhibitor may enter, the classes assigned to growers for 

 sale have simply become a monopoly in their hands to be con- 

 tended tor among themselves. We all remember the mar- 

 vellous flowers exhibited by these gentlemen, and the praises 

 lavished upon them by the admiring spectators, and deservedly 

 too. 



Considering how much the great growers, or more correctly 

 speaking such of them as exhibit, have done for those shows 

 (for of late more than one respectable name has been missed), 

 would it be just to introduce any restriction in the nursery- 

 men's classes now, after being left so many years without any ? 

 Is it equally fair to shut out many respectable men who would 

 be willing to enter into competition with their compeers ? 

 Heroin is a knotty question. A similar inquiry may be made 

 respcQting the amateur classes. Of the four classes assigned to 

 amateurs at Kensington, exclusive of one or two others in the 

 miscellaneous section, entries were restricted to two. At the 

 Crystal Palace there has been no such restriction, yet at Ken- 

 sington it appears to have acted beneficially. Would a similfr 

 result attend a like restriction in the nmverymen's classes ? I 

 think it would, with some reservation, which is this — so much 

 is due to those gentlemen into whose hands the whole of the 

 nurserymen's prizes have by the force of circumstances fallen, 

 that to introduce any restriction without some corresponding 

 compensation, would not be dealing fairly with them, in con- 

 sideration of what they have done in past years to render the 

 shows successful and attractive. 



