October 24; 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
311 
but all superfluous growths were thinned so as not to touch 
each other: had they been 5 or 6 feet apart probably a more 
free circulation of air about them would have helped to check 
the disease. Hathaway’s Excelsior is an excellent Tomato, 
being very prolific, and having smooth, handsome, and highly 
coloured scarlet fruit—A. HARDING. 
DRESSING CARNATIONS. 
Iv is now nearly thirty years since Carnation growers in the 
morth commenced to exhibit their flowers on cards, and I well 
remember the observations that were made at that time by 
those who had not done so. This was at a provincial show 
«where I used usually to put in an appearance. It was some- 
what strange that the year after, at the exhibition held at the 
same place, those who had objected the year before exhibited 
sttheir flowers on cards. One of them, an old and esteemed 
‘friend of mine long since dead, said to me that it was no use 
standing out against what was called at that time the “ London 
fashion,” as it was an improvement, and as such was sure to 
become general. How true his ‘observation was everyone 
‘knows ; and I believe that I am not wrong in saying that if the 
votes of Carnation growers and exhibitors (who ought to know 
‘best) were taken as to the adyisability of dispensing with the 
card and dressing, they would be nearly unanimous in favour 
of both cards and dressing. 
I see that ““WYLD SAVAGE” has answered my questions in 
the Journal of Horticulture, but if he does not dress Roses 
does no one else do so? and as to exhibiting them, do nota 
great many exhibitors show them on a bed of moss? And this 
is done simply because the moss acts as a foil to the Rose and 
makes the tlower appear finer than it otherwise would do if 
shown on a board. Consequently the moss is to the Rose what 
the card is to the Carnation. 
As to dressing, I consider that to remove an outside petal 
(decayed or stained) is as much dressing to the Rose as turning 
back the calyx of a Carnation or pulling out a self petal. 
With respect to those who can grow Carnations but not dress 
them, I am afraid their flowers if put into the hands of the 
most experienced dresser would be unable to win at an exhi- 
bition, The art, if art it must be called, is so simple that let 
anyone try with even a skewer there is no doubt but some im- 
provement will be made in a flower. 
With regard to Mr. Douglas not dressing his Carnations, 
‘knowing him well and intimately I can say without fear of 
contradiction that he can and does dress his own flowers ; but 
when a man has to exhibit, as I have known Mr. Douglas do, 
about two hundred blooms, it is utterly impossible for one pair 
-of hands to get through that quantity and have them fit. Con- 
“sequently Mr. Douglas does, as others do, presses anyone who 
mnay be present to assist him so far as they can. I well re- 
‘member an instance that occurred where four or five of us were 
‘staying for one of the National exhibitions. My friend had 
‘his flowers all dressed and in the stand ready for the exhibition 
mext day. He placed them in the drawing-room. Of course 
‘there was any amount of visitors to see the flowers, and I am 
not sure if the gas was not lighted—the night was warm ; the 
result was that fully one-half of the flowers withered up. In 
the early morning my friend cut another lot of flowers and 
swas able to get them ready with some little assistance, without 
which he would haye been unable to make up the number of 
flowers he wanted. In dressing I have frequently timed my- 
self to see how long it takes to dress a flower, and found that 
the average time taken is ten minutes per flower. This being 
the case, where an exhibitor has upwards of two hundred 
Gowers to stage he is compelled to have some assistance to get 
them ready. 
The flower which was premier at Manchester was a fine 
Rose, aad when euvt was too young to dress, young flowers 
being difficult to manipulate owing to the brittleness of the 
petals and their tendency to split when touched. There was 
‘some dispute by one or two as to whether it or a flower in Mr. 
Booth’s stand was best, but the decision was in its favour. 
After beiag judged the cutler florist dressed it and brought out 
the hidden beauties, when there was no cavilling as to its being 
the best flower in the exhibition. As to gum being used to the 
Carnation I never saw it, and, in fact, I do not know what use 
it could be put to. Ihave seen it used to Verbenas, which I 
suppose is the mode in which they are dressed. 
A botanist friend of mine some twenty years ago used to 
say that all florists’ flowers were monstrosities, and, of course, 
would not grow any of them, but preferred a common Dog 
Rose or a single Carnation to the lot. However, as time 
passes on it brings changes. My friend is a florist; he has 
grown Carnations, Picotees, Auriculas, and Pansies ; lack of 
room only prevents him from growing more. Of those who 
cavil so much at the dressing of the Carnations and Picotees 
1 can only say this, Let them become growers, and I for one 
fully believe that they will become dressers. They will pro- 
cure a pair of ivory tweezers and placing them and a flower 
together ; they are so easy to handle, and the flower looks so 
much better for having the best petals made to show them- 
selves, that the grower who has a good flower would, in my 
opinion, be very foolish not to show it to the best advantage. 
—GILLYFLOWER. 
THE ROSE ELECTION.—No. 5. 
In the following returns of seventy-two varieties the Roses 
are placed as the first best twelve, second best twelve, next 
best twenty-four, and second best twenty-four exhibition 
varieties. 
Messrs. KEYNES & Co., Salisbury. 
1. Marie Baumann 7. La France 
2. Alfred Colomb 8. Baronne de Rothschild 
3. Charles Lefebvre 9. Reynolds Hole 
4, Duchesse de Vallombrosa . Xavier Olibo 
5. Frangois Michelon . Niphetos 
6. Horace Vernet 2. Marguerite de St. Amand 
13. Auguste Rigotard . John Hopper 
14, Comtesse d’Oxford . Louis Van Houtte 
. Madame C. Wood 
Malle. Eugénie Verdier 
. Souvenir d’Elise 
. Souvenir d’un Ami 
. La Rosiére 
. Lord Macaulay 
. Madame Lacharme 
. Madame Victor Verdier 
. Mdlle. Marie Cointet 
2. Mdlle. Marie Rady 
3. Marguerite Brassac 
4, Marquise de Castellane 
. Monsieur Noman 
. Monsieur E. Y. Teas 
. Pierre Notting 
. Royal Standard 
. Dr. Andry 
. Duke of Edinburgh 
itienne Levet 
18. Ferdinand de Lesseps 
HHH 
NO ny 
Beauty of Waltham 
26. Camille Bernardin 
27. Capitaine Christy 
28. Comtesse Serenye 
29. Duc de Rohan 
Duce de Wellington 
31, Dupuy Jamain 
32. Elie Morel 
33. Felix Genero 
384. Fisher Holmes 
85. Jean Liabaud 
36. John Stuart Mill 
49. Anna de Diesbach 61. Madame C. Joigneaux 
50. Baron de Bonstetten 62. Madame Hippolyte Jamain 
51. Maréchal Niel 63. Madame Prosper Langier 
Madame Vidot 
Madame Vigneron 
Marie Louise Pernet 
52, Marie Van Houtte 
53. Centifolia Rosea 
54. Comte de Nanteuil 66. 
55. Edouard Morren 67. Monsieur Gabriel Tournier 
56. Emilie Hausburg 68. Pitord 
57. Madame Sertot 69. Reine du Midi 
58. Perle des Jardins 70. Sénateur Vaisse 
59, Général Jacqueminot 71. Star of Waltham 
60. Jean Soupert 72. Antoine Ducher 
Mr. C. TURNER, Royal Nurseries, Slough. 
1. Abel Carriére 7. Frangois Michelon 
2. Alfred Colomb 8. La France 
3. Baronne de Rothschild 9. Louis Van Houtte 
4. Charles Lefebvre 10, Maréchal Niel 
5. Comtesse d’Oxford 11. Marie Baumann 
6. Etienne Levet 12. Penelope Mayo 
13. Camille Bernardin. 19. Monsieur Noman 
14, Catherine Mermet 20. Royal Standard 
15. Devienne Lamy 21. Reynolds Hole 
16. Devoniensis 22. Sénateur Vaisse 
17. Horace Vernet 23. Souvenir d’ise 
18. Marquise de Castellane 24, Xavier Olibo 
25. Black Prince 37. Madlle. Eugénie Verdier 
26. Comtesse de Serenye 38. Mdlle. Marie Rady 
27. Duchesse de Vallombrosa 39. Mdlle. Marguerite Dombraim 
28. Duke of Edinburgh 40. Mdlle. Thérése Leyet 
29. Ferdinand de Lesseps 41. Marguerite de St. Amand 
30. Dean of Windsor 42, Miss Hassard 
31. Duchesse de Morny 43. Monsieur E. Y. Teas 
32. La Rosiére 44. Niphetos 
33. Le Havre 45, Pierre Notting 
34, Richard Laxton 46. Rey. J. B. M. Camm 
35. Madame Lacharme 47. Sir Garnet Wolseley 
36. Madame Victor Verdier 48. Star of Waltham 
49. Abel Grand 61. Alba Rosea 
60. Annie Laxton 62. Avocat Duvivier 
51. Beauty of Waltham 63. Dr. Andry 
52. Jean Liabaud 64, John Stuart Mill 
53. Madame H. Jamain 65. Madame Huzard 
64. Madame Willermoz 66. Madame Verlot 
55. Nardy Fréres 67. Oxonian 
56. Princess Beatrice 68. Souvenir de la Malmaison 
57. Souvenir de Spa 69. Sultan of Zanzibar 
58. Victor Verdier 70. Ville de Lyon 
59. Villaret de Joyeuse 71, Lelia 
60. Marie Louise Pernet 72. Francois Louvat 
