Msy 31, 1877. ] 



JODRNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND OOTTAQB GARDENER. 



401 



Ternet, Dr. Andry, and Madame Victor Verdier. I think I am 

 safe in saying that the whole of the forty-eight large bnehee 

 Btaged at the Crystal Palace and Regent's Park each measured 

 from 5 to 7 feet high and as many throngh, trained aa some- 

 what fiat-shape pyramids, and each individual bush had from 

 100 to 250 flowers — not "miserable starvelings," but grand 

 blooms, perfect in shape and of great substance, with very 

 healthy vigorous foliage trained down to the rims of the pots. 



These Roses it need scarcely be said were the admiration of 

 everyone, and is it possible that any person after being present 

 St such a glorious feast can but be fired with the zeal and 

 determination to go and do likewise? But of these large and 

 beautiful specimens I intend saying but little, for it must be 

 the work of years of laborious attention and painstaking love 

 to attain such size and perfection, and it is only within the 

 reach of a few to possess such giants. My object is rather to 

 refer to the admirable examples of Roses grown in 8 or 9-inch 

 pots as exhibited at the above-named shows, for snoh plants 

 are within the reach of everyone possessing a glass structure, 

 and who can command a little patience and bestow on them 

 the requisite attention. 



The classes offered by the metropolitan societies for twenty 

 Eoses in 8 or 9-inoh pots are always highly interesting, as it is 

 in these classes the rosarian can often find the greatest per- 

 fection of quality. They represent young, fresh, and vigorous 

 plants, and when such is the case good blooms must necessarily 

 follow, and it is also in these classes where the greatest variety 

 of sorts are to be found, and the rosarian can also find some 

 kinds which if he cultivates them out of doors can only expect 

 to have good in occasional and exceptional seasons. Monsieur 

 Lacharme would, I am sure, have gone into ecstasies had he 

 Been the perfection in which Mr. Turner exhibited Madame 

 Lacharme at the Crystal Palace. It was growing in a 9-inch pot, 

 and had from twenty to thirty perfectly expanded blooms with 

 great dehcacy of colour and as fresh as the morning dew. No 

 writer to the .Journal who has seen the plant alluded to will ever 

 wield his pen to say an unkind word against that fair lady again. 



I had written so far before the Journal of the 24th came to 

 hand, and as " W. S. P." wishes me to return to the subject 

 of Roses in pots again, I will carry on my jottings. That 

 "globular ecclesiastic" has been very conspicuous in more 

 than one place this year. Mr. Turner showed it well at the 

 Palace and finer still at the Park, and it surprised me to see 

 how large it had grown, as I had been told it was a bad grower. 

 It is in all respects a good Rose and very sweetly scented, but 

 mnst, in my opinion, give place to Eoyal Standard, which is 

 a larger Rose and even more globular than the Rev. J. B. M. 

 Camm. I hope the horticnltural societies will retain the class 

 for new Roses, for it was in that class at the Park that the 

 public could see that "wonderful" Triomphe de France, the 

 winner of the prize medal at the Lyons Rose Congress. Here 

 is my opinion of it : A coarser Rose baa never been sent out 

 during the last half century; it is of the same flatness as 

 Baronne Prevost, Charles Lawson, Juno, and others of that 

 class ; but a friend of mine, who has grown Roses for many 

 years, says it is the old Prince Luon. It resembles a. Turk's 

 oap of very large size, and it will surprise me if " Wyld 

 Sataoe " or anyone else over sets it up in their first-prize box 

 of twenty-four blooms. Of other new Roses shown at the 

 spring meetings two or three have certainly come well to the 

 front. The Duchesse de Vallombrosa, a very pleasing pink; 

 and a very fine dark Rose named Margaret Brassao. If Mar- 

 garet Brassac, as shown by Mr. Paul, retains the substance 

 and colour under outdoor culture it will ontstiip Charles Le- 

 febvre, and that is saying a great deal. — J. W. Moobuah. 



AUBICULAS AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW. 



We have received a long communication from Mr. Dodwell 

 which is occupied chiefly in discussing the merits of a warm 

 or a cool temperature in which to grow the Auricula. As this 

 was not the subject to which our correspondent referred last 

 week, we cannot find room to give publicity to it. As to the 

 difference in the numbers of exhibitors at the Auricula Show, 

 which is the question at issue between " D., Deal," and Mr. Dod- 

 well, the following is the statement of the latter; — " Twelve 

 competed ; from Middlesex two, Somerset two, Torkshire two, 

 with one each from Bucks, Essex, Norfolk, Cheshire, Rutland, 

 and Leicestershire. Of these gentlemen nine contributed 

 Auriculas, and awards were made to eight, as a reference to 

 your report wiU show — a report, I presume to say, you should 

 have studied before launching such a charge against me ; four 



contributed Polyanthuses (two having also Auriculas), and 

 one miscellaneous." 



Whether "D., Deal" has made a mistake of two in the 

 number of exhibitors is a matter of so little importance that 

 there is no need to occupy valuable space in discussing it. 

 There is one remark in Mr. Dodwell's communication which 

 we must notice, as it easts a reflection on ourselves. He 

 charges us with altering the sense of the introductory remarks 

 to his communication, and says, " I used no phrase of brotherly 

 love." We can assure Mr. Dodwell that he did make use of 

 that expression, and his original communication is still in 

 existence for him to see it if he pleases. We must therefore 

 decline to insert communications from one who is so un- 

 guarded in his statements as Mr. Dodwell appears to be. — Eds. 



OUR BORDER FLOWERS— HONETFLOWER. 



Hill the Honeyflower of the Cape been an expensive exotic and 

 required very careful treatment, in all probability it would have 

 been much more frequently met with. Being natives of the 

 Cape the Honej flowers are supposed to require the protection 

 of a greenhouse or pit, but that is not the case with the subject 

 of these notes. With me Melianthus major braves the winter, 

 and though the stems partially die down, it branches freely 

 from the collar and sends up shoots from beneath the surface. 

 Wben fully developed the foliage is magnificent, and it is a 

 splendid object as a single specimen on the lawn and for sub- 

 tropical decoration where large robust plants are required. 

 M. major ought to occupy a very prominent position, it being 

 a capital plant for trellis and wall, and it fills up a gap for 

 indoor decoration where fiue-foliaged plants are in demand. 

 It delights in a deep, rich, free compost, and the ground 

 intended for it to grow in should be broken up fully 2 feet 

 deep, and some good sandy loam and peat in equal quantities, 

 leaf soil and grit, or charcoal dust, well incorporated with 

 it before planting. The plants require much support, and 

 should be attended to with water in a dry time ; thorough 

 drainage must be afforded them. They are of strong habit 

 and require staking to prevent the wind from blowing them 

 about. A group of them in an open space in the shrubbery 

 when fully developed produces a good effect. In the herbaceous 

 border as a back-row plant Melianthus major has few equals. 

 Perhaps when better known we shall see it occupying places in 

 our wildernesses and other places, the large, glaucous, pinnate 

 foliage, and brown-coloured flowers having a grand effect. I 

 have not known it ripen seed here, and it is increased by 

 cuttings of the young shoots in sandy loam and peat in a cool 

 pit or frame.— Veritas. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We have received the schedule of the Great Summer Show 

 OF THE Royal HoRTicnLTUBAi, Society, which is to be held 

 under the large tent at South Kensington on the 19 th of 

 June. It comprises forty-nine classes, and from the kind of 

 plants that will be exhibited it will be a splendid Exhibition. 

 The Pelargonium Society will hold their Exhibition at the 

 same place on the same day, and Mr. Bull's cups will be com- 

 peted for on the occasion. 



The Centennial Meeting of the Bath and West of 



England Society, commencing at Bath on Monday the 4th of 

 June and extending over the four following days, will not only 

 be of special interest as marking an important epoch in the 

 history of the Society, but promises to surpass any of its pre- 

 decessors in magnitude. The Show yard, more than 40 acres 

 in extent, is situated on the Wells Road, about three-quarters 

 of a mile distant from the Great Western Railway station, and 

 the view of the city and neighbourhood on the way to the 

 Show yard is one of the most varied and interesting to be 

 obtained in any part of England. The horticultural tent will 

 contain an nnueually fine display of plants and flowers, con- 

 tributed by some of the most successful growers in the western 

 and midland counties ; and the arts department, in addition to 

 a fine display of Honiton lace, will be enriched by a local loan 

 collection of pictures and articles of virti'i, of which in the 

 neighbourhood of Bath there are many tine collections. 



The Reading Spring Snow which was held on the 24th 



inst. was a successful one, mauy excellent collections of plants 

 having been staged, and creditable fruit and vegetables. In 

 the class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants the prizes 

 went to Mr. Mearing, gardener to W. Whitley, Esq., Guildford ; 

 Mr. Lees, gardener to Mrs. Marslaud.Erleigla; and Mr. Mould, 



