November 14, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
365 
Faust are magnificent. The plants average about fifty blooms 
of high exhibition quality disposed with mathematical precision 
over the rich masses of foliage, which show them to such great 
advantage. The blooms are not more than 18 inches from the 
surface of the pots, and in form the plants resemble well-grown 
Pelargoniums. Mrs. G. Rundle, Mr. G. Glenny, Mrs. Dixon, 
and Lady Talfourd are also very fine. No other than the 
varieties named are grown in this section; but they are 
finished in a manner that places Mr. Hall high on the list of 
the best cultivators of the day. Like other really competent 
men the grower is “no churl,” andin the Journal of December 
7th, 1876, will be found a detailed account of how such plants 
are produced ; the plant there figured, however, good as it is, 
is quite eclipsed by the specimens of the present year. The 
Pompons—standards, pyramids, and “ flats ’—are also remark- 
ably well grown and trained. The former, Antonius, Calliope, 
and Mdlle. Marthé are on stems nearly 3 feet in height, and 
have well-formed heads about the same in diameter. Pyramids 
are also remarkably well formed and flowered, and the “ flats” 
are not monstrosities trained pancake fashion, but are flattened 
half globes, good in foliage and blooms, excellently grown and 
admirably trained. 
STORING POTATOES. 
Mr. TAYLOR’s notes on page 343 are seasonable. Asa prac- 
tical man he recognises the importance of selecting and care- 
fully storing the seedtubers. That, lam of opinion, is of much 
greater importance than the change of seed so often recom- 
mended, This is just the time of year when seed Potatoes re- 
quire special attention. The early sorts, especially if they have 
been stored in tolerably thick heaps, will now haye commenced 
growing ; and when once that is the case it is surprising how 
rapidly the sprouts elongate in their too often vain efforts to 
obtain light and air. If immediately the eyes are observed 
swelling the tubers are piled singly, as suggested by Mr. Taylor, 
in a light and cool place, where they are safe from frost, the 
eyes will move very slowly, and will attain great strength 
during the winter months. For more than twenty years I 
have adopted that plan with early Potatoes, and I have not 
in that time had a change of seed of what I deem the best 
variety ; neither do I think I shall require a change if I grow 
it for twenty years longer, for it is certain that it crops fully 
as well as ever it did. 
I have just been placing the tubers in their winter quarters. 
They have hitherto been in a dry shed, but are no longer safe 
there, and the swelling eyes too now require light—not the full 
elear light required by plants, but a subdued and moderate 
light, such as the light of a room. In a room lighted by side 
windows many tubers are placed in trays and on shelves, and 
others are placed in a pit where Geraniums are wintered, the 
tubers being placed (not spread anyhow) with their growing 
ends uppermost on the stage between the pots of Geraniums. 
By no other means known to me could that space be so well 
utilised. The tubers do no harm whatever to the Geraniums, 
nor the Geraniums to the tubers. A valuable variety of early 
Potatoes is well worthy of this care, and the tubers occupy 
their space quite as profitably as the Geraniums do theirs. 
The pit is not intended for ornament but for use, and is seldom 
entered by the family ; yet I observe, if they do enter it, it is 
quite as much for the purpose of seeing the Potatoes looking, 
as they say, “‘so comfortable,” as for inspecting the plants. My 
advice to all is, Look now to the early Potatoes, and store where 
they will improve, not deteriorate ; for no more valuable crop 
than this is grown in any garden.—OLD ASHLEAF. 
ROSE SHOWING. 
Now that the National Rose Society have held their pre- 
liminary meeting and have settled the dates of the next year’s 
shows, and we may suppose the various committees are think- 
ing about the forthcoming schedules, will you kindly again 
allow me a little space to speak about classes for residents 
within a short distance of London and our other large cities ? 
Last season the plan was partly carried out by the National 
Society providing a class of this description for amateurs, but 
still the suburban nurserymen were left out in the cold. I do 
not remember any remark as to the corresponding class at 
Manchester, but it was said that the class for suburban-grown 
Roses at the Crystal Palace was almost a failure, the competi- 
tion being very limited. The reason of this was, I believe, 
that the idea was a novelty, and scarcely anyone knew of it. 
Several of my own friends were kept from exhibiting in this 
way, and as I did not obtain a schedule until two days before 
the entries closed I did not know myself if there was to be such 
a class or not. I know of plenty of amateurs in the suburbs of 
London who will be glad to compete next year if it is known 
beforehand that there is to be a class expressly for them, and 
so 1 want to ask that there may be a word about it in the 
advertisement that appears in the Journal of Horticulture 
some months before, so that we may prepare for it. And can- 
not we have a class of twelve blooms as well as six, and a 
small one, say of twenty-four singles, for the hard-working 
suburban nurserymen? If so, I believe such firms as Cutbush, 
Chamberlain, Ware, and others would gladly compete ; but now 
if spoken to about it they say, ‘Oh! it’s no use our competing 
with the great guns who generally show ; they have ten times 
the number to select from, and far more favourable circum- 
stances.” If this plan were adopted I think the Rose would 
be in an exhibition, as well as other senses, the national flower 
indeed, but now it is merely a question of first, second, or 
third between about half a dozen nurserymen and the same 
number of amateurs, at least so it appears to the non-exhibiting 
but Rose-growing, Rose-loying public, and to—A LOVER OF 
ROSE SHOWS. 
DRESSING CARNATIONS. 
Mr. DOUGLAS on page 347 attributes to me an unworthy 
motive, stating that my only object in raising a discussion is 
to “ wound the feelings of a successful exhibitor.” Why should 
I attempt to “wound” one with whom I have never competed 
and against whom I have not the slightest cause for enmity, 
or why should I write recklessly against those whom I have 
never seen? I did not assail the honour of Mr. Douglas in 
any way: on the contrary, I said that I did not for a moment 
suppose that he would do anything he thought was not right. 
But what he considers mght others may deem wrong : hence 
the necessity for discussion. Mr. Douglas may not consider it 
wrong to have an expert to dress his flowers for him, and in 
that case he need not have been ashamed of answering the 
questions asked ; but equivocation gives rise to unpleasant 
thoughts. Iam told it is best to write to the secretary on the 
point at issue. Mr. Douglas must permit to say that he is 
hardly in a position to give me advice on the subject. What 
may be “best” for him may not be “best” for me; I there- 
fore adopt my own course. As to the gentlemen named by 
Mr. Douglas not complaining, I have simply to say that it was 
not on their behalf that I wrote. There is yet a question I am 
requested to answer—namely, why Mr. Douglas defeated Mr. 
B. Simonite? I presume it was because the loam and air of 
Loxford are better for the flowers than those of Sheffield. I 
have had bitter experience of growing flowers on the skirts of a 
town only a little less black than Sheffield, and I am far more 
surprised at the cutler florist’s success than I am at that of 
Mr. Douglas. 
But the real point at issue must not be lost—scent must not 
be diverted by Mr. Douglas drawing a red herring across the 
track. The question is, Has not Mr. Simonite visited Loxford 
and dressed Mr. Douglas’s flowers and thus aided him in win- 
ning prizes? If it is legitimate for great growers and dressers 
to unite their efforts to secure prizes it is only right and fair 
that the world should know it. It cannot be fair for such 
practices to be conducted clandestinely, and no exhibitor of 
repute can permit such a suspicion to attach to his name. 
Some years ago when Mr. Douglas was defeated by an 
exhibitor of Hyacinths who had been aided by another in 
producing the prize plants your correspondent had justice on 
his side when he exclaimed, “The hand of Douglas is his 
own,” &c.; but when he aids another to obtain a prize for 
Hyacinths, as he admits having done—for he has stated plainly 
that if “he had not dressed them they would have had no 
place in the prize list””—then even he must see that his words 
and acts contradict each other, and the public naturally ask 
for an explanation. I submit, and I know I am not alone, 
that the practice of one man aiding another to obtain a prize 
in whatsoever way it is done. whether by dressing Hyacinths 
or Carnations, is reprehensible. Overwhelming evidence has 
been afforded of the effect of dressing flowers in obtaining 
prizes ; therefore at the least every exhibitor ought in common 
fairness to dress all his own flowers. 
It appears to be convenient to Mr. Douglas to take no 
notice of anonymous writings. So be it, that does not affect 
me. So long as “ WYLD SAVAGE’S” suggestion and my direct 
