August 8, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
107 
yet the results are very valuable and have been much acted 
upon by general cultivators when ordering Roses for the deco- 
wation of their gardens, for there is not much doubt but that 
the varieties placed high on the list as producing the best 
exhibition blooms are eminently suited also for garden and 
drawing-room embellishment. The elections, therefore, have 
‘been of great benefit to many, and Mr. Hinton has deserved 
and received the thanks hearty and numerous of almost all 
those who love the Rose for the labour he has incurred in con- 
ducting the elections. 
Tf we are to have another election this year it will certainly, 
i think, be in the highest degree authoritative if conducted on 
the principle projected on page 84. It is doubtful, however, 
that the relative positions obtained by varieties of established 
merit will be practically altered by the returns proposed. 
That some change will be made in the case of certain varieties 
is only what may be expected, but will the change be really 
useful? The position is this, that although one old Rose may 
tise a few points and another be placed a few points lower on 
the scale, still all must be grown by those who grow Roses for 
the great exhibitions. 
The varieties vary with the seasons. Last year Mons. Noman 
‘was well shown, this year it was seldom seen; it is, however, 
low on the list, possibly on account of itsinconstancy. Charles 
Lefebvre and Alfred Colomb, which are placed second and 
third on the list, have been by no means frequently exhibited 
‘this year, although a few fine blooms of them have been staged, 
yet no one can dispense with those Roses in a collection in the 
garden. Much finer, and more often fine, have been varieties 
much lower on the list, such as Mons. E. Y. Teas, Horace 
Vernet, Beauty of Waltham, Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Jean 
Liabaud (not in the list at all), Annie Laxton, Xavier Olibo, 
Mrs. Baker, and some others. The positions of varieties of 
established merit will vary slightly if their merits are re-esti- 
amated every year, but the varieties will still be good and must 
be grown as heretofore. 
What 1 think is a failing on the face of the elections is the 
injustice that is apparently done to the newer Roses. However 
good they may be they are years before they can win a high 
position in the list, simply because amateurs haye not grown 
‘them in sufficiently large numbers to be able to assess their 
merits. What Iethink is required is a tabulated estimate of 
the merits of the Roses that have been placed in commerce 
say during the past six years. New growers of Roses do not 
want to know which are good amongst the older sorts, they are 
willing to accept previous returns as to them ; but they want 
to know the comparative merits of sorts of recent introduction 
for the purpose of adding them to their collections. Ifa dozen 
of the principal growers and good judges were to direct their 
‘attention to determining the relative merits of new Roses as 
such, instead changing the positions by a few points of the 
‘old sorts, I think the returns would be of great value and 
interest.—AMATRUR ROSE-GROWER. 
NORTH WALLS. 
Mr. TAYLOR is quite right in supposing that Marie Louise 
‘Pear will succeed well on north walls. I have tasted fruit of 
‘that excellent Pear which had been grown on the aspect in- 
dicated of quite superior quality ; also fruit of the Jargonelle 
‘grown on the same aspect. It is well worth while trying a 
tree or trees of those and other early Pears on north walls, at 
least in the southern and midland counties, and in hot seasons 
itis very probable that they will produce fruit fully equal if 
not superior to that ripened in sunny positions—superior by 
being more juicy and less mealy. But apart from that, trees 
‘on north walls afford a valuable succession of Pears of sorts 
of such short duration as those named when the supply is 
wholly gathered from trees grown in warm sunny positions. 
The question of retarding the blossom of Pears is one of 
‘considerable moment, and by no other means can it be done so 
well as by having a Pear tree or two against north walls. A 
gentleman has told me that a Jargonelle Pear tree trained 
against the north wall of his garden has proved more certain 
in producing crops than a tree on the south wall. Late Pears 
‘will, of course, not ripen in such cool positions, but early sorts 
will ripen there just as well, as will most of the Plums named 
by Mr. Taylor. 
If it ever falls to my lot to again plant fruit trees against a 
north wall for affording a supply of fruit for a gentleman’s 
family I shall certainly include a tree of Jargonelle, Citron des 
Carmes, and Marie Louise Pears, and the great bulk of the | 
wall shall be covered with Plums. Of trees that I planted a 
few years ago the only Plums this year bearing well are against 
the north wall; the bush trees and standards in the open 
garden being nearly barren, while Morello Cherries in the 
open are bearing quite as well as those against the north wall. 
If I were called on to cover a north wall in the most profitable 
manner—that is, with a view of raising the most money by 
the sale of fruit, I should plant Victoria Plums. No Plum, 
according to my experience, equals it for such a position. The 
fruit may not perhaps be quite so fine and highly coloured as 
fruit grown in the sun, but the trees on a north aspect bear 
prodigiously, and the fruit is very valuable and is purchased 
freely in the markets of the midland and northern districts. 
—A MIDLAND COUNTIES FRUIT-GROWER. 
THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY'S 
SHOW. 
THE reply which “ AN OLD EXHIBITOR” makes to his own 
query as to the usefulness of this Show (see page 23), proves 
that he does not understand its end and aim, and also that if 
he did he would hardly be prepared to accord it his sympathy, 
for he evidently can see no good to be derived from a public 
exhibition of his plants other than in competition for prizes 
after the usual fashion. To stand first in certain classes is the 
height of his ambition, and the feeling is unquestionably a 
laudable one. Nor can the time spent upon the culture of 
flowers, fruit, and vegetables for such exhibitions be regarded 
as time lost to an employer, for confined within just limits and 
devoted to the highest possible development of produce that is 
really useful, it renders a man more skilful and tends to pro- 
mote excellence in every department of the garden under his 
charge. That is the legitimate purpose of exhibitions, and the 
schedules of prizes issued by horticultural societies may be re- 
garded as good, better, best, according to the degree in which 
they encourage such purpose. 
Unfortunately the common tendency to follow a beaten track 
obtains a striking exemplification in the schedules of provin- 
cial societies. Take any number of them, and you will find 
such a wonderfully close resemblance that degrees of excellence 
resolve themselves into pounds and shillings, anything like 
originality being extremely rare. ‘‘ How I do hate the ever- 
lasting twelve stove and greenhouse plants! I don’t believe 
that more than thirty species are shown during the summer. 
One sees the same plants year after year, and one seldom, if 
ever, sees a plant that is very difficult to grow.” So wrote a 
friend to me the other day, and there is undoubtedly much 
truth in what he says. When one goes to report a show in a 
familiar locality one knows most of the plants beforehand. 
The never-failing Crotons, Palms, Ferns, Dracznas, Cycads, 
come before the public again and again, the prizes are shared 
by the same three or four, or at most half a dozen, exhibitors 
year after year, and the affair becomes somewhat tame and 
monotonous. Visitors come to the show, see, wonder, go away, 
and forget, for however much they may admire the elegance 
and beauty of individual plants, they find nothing instructive, 
gain no hints of culture or knowledge of plants that are really 
useful, but are rather daunted at the sight of plants so large 
that a couple of them would fill an ordinary greenhouse. 
What have they to do with such plants? Of course they can 
and do admire them, but then they want something more— 
they want to see plants as rich and rare as you please, but of 
an ordinary type as to size and form, arranged by skilled hands 
so as to show their true value and use. 
The Bath and West of England Society recognise this want, 
and have given expression to such recognition by placing full 
powers in the hands of the steward of the horticultural depart- 
ment, and by the energy and taste of that gentleman afford 
the public a magnificent display of plants and cut flowers that 
is quite unique. In the arrangement of the plants full effect 
is given to the contrast and harmony of colour, to blending 
form with form, to light and shade, and the result is a superb 
picture abounding with grace and beauty ; or rather it should 
be said a series of pictures, for as we go up and down the huge 
tent the eye is arrested by artistic combinations varying at 
every step, and yet there is a connection and flowing grace 
running through the whole. 
It was my privilege to watch the formation of those artistic 
plant groups at the late Oxford Exhibition, and as they grew 
into beauty under the skilful supervision of Mr. Boscawen, 
his prompt “No, no!” or hearty “ Well done!” guiding the 
work with unerring precision, a lesson of such value in plant 
