Jane 29, 1876. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICUIiTUBE AND COTTAGE QABDENBB. 



507 



of the best of the tea-scented family, Exeter the Florence of 

 England, has once more held a brilliant court for the queen of 

 flowers — the fragrant, the comely, the glorious Rose. 



Here alone has the Show been held on the day originally 

 fixed, and here once more brother has joined hand in hand with 

 brother after an interval of twelve weary months, and faces that 

 have lived in the memory through months of bitter winter and 

 ungenial spring have again lighted up with pleasure as they 

 saw their old friends and foes once more engaged in that best of 

 all occupations, staging Eoees. Ah ! and what a treat it is to 

 see the hero of a thousand fights — the Eose-kiug of Cheshunt, 

 the man to whose care, and love, and labour we owe so many 

 gifts — Cheshunt Hybrid, that priceless boon, a red climbing 

 Tea Rose, possessing the hardiness of Gloire de Dijon, the colour 

 of Antoine Ducher, the rampant growth of an evergreen Rose ; 

 Duke of Edinburgh, the pride of Heavitree, the marvel and ad- 

 miration (as shown for seasons here) of hundreds of worshippers ; 

 Reynolds Hole, and a host of others— to see him setting up a 

 box of blooms, his coat oS, his wristbands turned up, bis whole 

 mind set on his work, now raising gently a Rose with the light- 

 ness of a mother's hand brushing a fly from the face of a sleep- 

 ing child, now standing back, and with head a little on one side 

 contemplating the work from a distance, as an artist looks at his 

 Academy picture, now changing a bloom that to our eyes appears 

 faultless for one that causes us almost to despair as we think of 

 our own productions. All this is, I think, a treat which alone 

 is worth attendance at the Show. 



The Exhibition was of a miscellaneous character, and had, 

 flo to speak, ramifications of various kinds. The Committee 

 were not content to depend alone on Roses ; but (having wisely 

 suppressed the spring show on account of its clashing with the 

 Tiverton Exhibition where the Devon and Exeter Agricultural 

 and the Tiverton Horticultural Societies held their shows at 

 Ascension tide), they gave most liberal prizes for stove and 

 greenhouse and specimen plants, and fruit and vegetables. But 

 this was not all, for close to the entrance to Northernhay, in the 

 Victoria Hall, was held a dog and poultry show, so that the at- 

 tractions for visitors to Exeter were of a numerous and varied 

 kind. 



But what we have to do with is the Rose Show, and not being 

 learned in specimen plants I need merely say that Messrs. Lu- 

 combe & Pince and Mr. W. H. Sclater surpassed themselves, 

 and perfectly astounded me with the size and beauty of their 

 productions. Messrs. Lucombe & Pince put together one of 

 the grandest collections of plants ever seen. They had two 

 splendid AUamandas (Hendersonii and grandiflora), two splendid 

 plants of Aphelexis, an immense Bougainvillea which was a 

 mass of colour, a Stephanotis floribunda which made many a 

 fair girl (and "my eyes!" as a school-boy says, what a lot of 

 those there were !) sigh with envy. 



Bat now for the Roses, " our Journal's pets," the flower of 

 flowers, what of them? Was the Show a success or a failure? 

 Were the Roses shown good or bad ? I answer. Both. The Show 

 was a success, because for the time of year and considering the 

 weather wo have bad, the mere fact of seventy-two good Roses 

 being shown made it so; but it was also a failure, because only 

 two or three nurserymen put in an appearance — viz., Paul of 

 Cheshunt, Curtis of Torquay, and Robert Veitch of Exeter. 

 The Roses were a little uneven, and a single glance at any stand 

 would tell us the same story — backward spring, cold nights, 

 bitter east winds. But some marvellous blooms were shown 

 and some of varieties which are rarely, if ever, shown well. 

 Mr. George Paul had the most marvellous bloom of Monsieur 

 Woolfield which I or my fellow Judges (Hercules and Mr. Beachey 

 of Torquay) declared never to have seen equalled. He had also 

 splendid blooms of Etienne Levet, and one treble of this Rose 

 was remarkably good ; also Monsieur Neman, that fickle incon- 

 stant Rose which will only bloom when wooed by the sun's con- 

 stant love ; Emily Laxton (his own sending out), and Sultan of 

 Zanzibar, Duke of Connaught (his own children), the former as 

 i""' should be, Rosa nigroque similia cijgno, the latter a splendid 

 Rose. Many old favourites too came to the front in an aston- 

 ishing manner — eg., Charles Rouillard, Exposition de Brie, 

 and above all others Xivier Olibo, Princess Mary of Cambridge, 

 and Fisher Holmes. Of course he was first for seventy-two and 

 forty-eight trebles. Always at Exeter he may boast, if he ever 

 did such a thing, " Veni, vidi, vici." He is not only one of the 

 most successful but one of the most generous of professionals, 

 for he positively gave i£10 to be given in prizes for Teas to us 

 amateurs ! The "Teas acknowledged at last ! the most graceful 

 offering, the most well-timed present ; for here the Teas are at 

 home, and the late spring has retarded them so much that now 

 they are at their very best. 



For his prize there was great competition, and I was left out 

 in the cold with my own particular friends. Mr. Jowitt brought 

 a box of blooms from Hereford cut twenty-four hours before his 

 rival's, and yet ran Hercules so bard that the Judges had to 

 give grave deliberation before assigning the rewards. He had a 

 perfectly exquisite bloom of Souvenir d'Elise, and also good 

 blooms of sorts which are rarely seen in stands, such as America, 



Rubens, Madame Willermoz with wonderful colour, and a 

 Catherine Mermet which enchanted me. But of course he 

 was beaten by Hercules on his own ground, for Mr. Baker is, or 

 at least for years has appeared to be, invincible. The latter had 

 lovely blooms of Cheshunt Hybrid and Marie Van Houtte, of 

 which varieties he showed whole boxes, and also Catherine 

 Mermet, Devoniensis, and Marcchal Niel. Of course, it is almost 

 needless to write it, that Mr. Baker was first for forty-eight, 

 and how he staged that number is a perfect marvel. I cut 

 every bloom in my collection and only staged twelve (for which, 

 by the way, I was a good second). But here comes Hercules 

 with a couple of cabs full of boxes, he himself smiling com- 

 placently from one, and feeling like Grace when he goes in 

 to bat at Lord's. Out they come, box after box. Bless you ! 

 weather does not aiiect him. In vain rude Boreas storms and 

 groans, he cannot enter his paradise. The zephyrs are allowed 

 to come in on sufferance there, but they must not be too 

 boisterous, or wo'n't they catch itfrom those guardian Elm trees. 

 The naturalist need never enter his sacred ground, for of cater- 

 pillars or aphides he wo'n't find enough to feed a jenny wren. 

 The rains of heaven may refuse to give their reviving moisture, 

 but what of that 1 " We," said the old gardener to me, with a 

 sniff of scorn at my puling plants, " we don't care about the 

 rain, we can sripply the rain ; it's that dratted sun we want." 

 For ail around that elysiam are cocks, and hoes, and cisterns 

 full of liquid manure, and everything that science can suggest or 

 money supply. And what is the result ? Why, he staged a forty- 

 eight which, though not in his best form, made me hide my 

 diminished head with shame as I contemplated my miserable 

 twelve. He had a bloom of Marguerite de St. Amand at the 

 corner of his box which one felt inclined to kiss, she was so 

 lovely. There were many, very many, fair Devon maids at our 

 Show whose complexions, beautiful indeed though they were, 

 were far short of his Marguerite. 



Messrs. Curtis of Torquay showed some very good blooms, 

 particularly in his box of new Roses. He had a very fine bloom 

 ! of Star of Waltham. This novelty, raised by Mr. William Paul, 

 was also well shown by Mr. George Paul, and it appears to be a 

 most valuable addition to the crimson Roses. Its only fault is 

 that it is a little empty at the very centre of the bloom. Mens. 

 E. T. Teas (a most extraordinary name to give a Rose) was also 

 shown remarkably good. MarcL-hal Niel was shown in all classes 

 very fine. I was very glad to see the great improvement that 

 Mr. Robert Veitch has made in Rose-growing. He staged a 

 capital stand of twenty-four trebles. He had a very fine 

 bloom of Cenlifolia rosea, and also Annie Laxton. My name- 

 sake was in all the nurserymen's stands, and was very fine. It is 

 a little too much like Annie Laxton, but is a useful addition, 

 being also very fragrant. Madame Rougere — another new Rose, 

 very light pink with a rosette-like flower — was shown fine by 

 Mr. Baker. I believe we may reckon it as a prize. Captain 

 Christy has proved himself a wretched impostor (his namesake 

 I hope will excuse me). He is coarse and open and dirty, and 

 was condemned by all judges. I add the list of awards : — 



Nubsekvmen's Prizes. — Seventy two Roses, distinct varieties, 

 three trusses each — first, Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt; second, 

 Messrs. Curtis, Sandford, & Co., Torquay. Forty-eight Roses 

 first, Messrs. Paul & Son; second, Missrs. Curtis, Sandford, 

 and Co. Twenty-fourRoses— first, Messrs. Curtis & Co. Twenty- 

 four Roses, one truss each — first, Mr. E. T. Vtitch. 



Amateues' Prizes. — Dozen Tea-scented and Noisette R';ses, 

 distinct varieties, single trusses — first, Mr. R. N. G. Baker ; 

 second, Mr. T. Jowitt; thiid, Mr. E. W. Beachey. These prizes 

 were presented by MsEsrs. Paul & Son. Forty-eight single 

 trusses, distinct varieties — first, Mr. W. Cotton. Thirty-six 

 Roses— first, Mr. W. Cotton; second, Mr. Beachey; third, Mr. 

 J. W. Chard. Eighteen Roses— first, Miss L'.oyd ; second, Mr. 

 Beachey; third, Mr. Chard. Twenty-five Roses— first. Miss 

 Lloyd; second, Mr. J. C. Gould ; equal third, Mr. R. Shute and 

 Mr. Chard. Twelve Roses, three trusses- first, Mr. Ensor. 

 Twelve single trusses— first, Mr. T. Jowitt; second. Rev. J. B. M. 

 Camm; third, Mr. Eosor. 



Open Competition. — Twelve Tea-scented and Noisette Roses, 

 distinct varieties, single trusses — first, Messrs. Curtis, Sandford, 

 and Co. ; second, Mr. T. Jowitt. Twelve single trusses of 1874 

 or 1875— first, Mtssrs. Paul & Son ; second, Messrs Curtis and 

 Co. Twenty-four trusses any other variety — first, Messrs. Paul 

 and Son. Twelve trusses, H.P. DnkBofEdiuburgh-first, Messrs. 

 Curtis & Co. ; second. Miss Lloyd. Twelve trusses, Marcchal 

 Niel— first, R. T. Veitch; second, Mr. J. W. Chard. 



And now I have told you of the blooms and of the prizes, it 

 only remains to say that the company was very large and highly 

 select ; that everyone looked pleasant and happy and healthy, 

 and not bored to death and pale and tired, as in London ; that 

 we had the jolUest of dinners at Mr. Baker's, where Mr. George 

 Paul, Mr. Jowitt, and others talked Roses till almost the day- 

 light began to appear ; that we had the great pleasure of hearing 

 that most of the great nurserymen would be in for the Crystal 

 Palace, and that the only regret we felt was that so many 

 nurserymen were unable to come, and that we should have to 



