December 7, 1S76. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



483 



first two qualities is essential, and in the others desirable. 

 Judged by this standard Comtesse de Chabrillant is a model 

 variety, and accordingly we enter a respectful protest against 

 the low position assigned her by the electors. 



General Washington we would suppose worthy a place 

 among the chosen fifty. The flowers are large, very full, and 

 are produced in great abundance. The idea of attaching 

 raisers' names, and the year when a variety was sent out, is a 

 very useful feature of the table, and greatly to be commended. 

 We append our list of the best fifty varieties : — 



Eose. Age. Raiser. 



1. Alfred Colomb, h.p 1S65 .... Lacharme 



2. Catherine Mermet.T 1869 Guillot, fils 



3. Charles Lefebvre, H.p 1S61 .... Lachanne 



4. Comtesse de Chabrillant, h.p. . . 1859 .... Marest 



5. Countess of Oxford, H.p 1869 .... Guillot. pere 



6. Ferdinand de Lesseps, H.p 1869 .... E. Verdier 



7. Francois Michelon, h.p 1S71 .... Levet 



8. Gloire de Dijon, T 1S53 .... Jacotot 



9. John Hopper, h.p 1862 Ward 



10. La France, h.p 186S Guillot,- fils 



11. Louis Van Houtte, H.p 1S69 .... Lacharroe 



12. Madame Victor Verdier, h.p 1863 E. Verdier 



IS. Mdlle. Marie Rady, H.p 186 a Fontaine 



14. Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, H.p 1869 Guillot, fils 



15. Mareohal Kiel, T 1864 Pradel 



16. Marie Baumann, H.p 1863 Baumann 



17. Marie Ducher, t 1868 Ducher 



18. Marie Van Houtte, T 1871 Ducher 



19. Marquise de Castellane, H.P 1869 .... Pernet 



20. Rubens, T -. 



21. Abel Grand, H.p 1865 Damaizin 



22. Anna de Diesbach, h.p 1859 .... Lacharme 



23. Baron do Bonstetten, h.p 1871 Liabaud 



24. Baronne de Rothschild, h.p 1867 .... Pernet 



25. Belle Lyonnaise, T 1869 .... L6vet 



26. Caroline de Sansal, h.p 1849 .... Hippolyte Jamain ? 



27. Cloth of Gold, N 1843 



2S. Duke of Edinburgh, h.p 1868 Paul & Son 



29. Edouard Morren, h.p 1869 .... Granger 



30. General Jacqueminot, H.P 1853 Rousselet 



31. General Washington, H.p 1S61 .... Granger 



32. Lamarque, N 



S3. Madame Bravy, T .... Guillot, pere 



34. Madame Camille, T 1871 Guillot, nls 



So. Madame Levet, T 1869 .... Levet 



86. Madame Lacharme, H.p 1873 .... Lacharme 



37. MadameJIarie Finger, H.P 1873 Rainbaud 



38. Madame Noman, H.p 1867 Guillot, pere 



39. Madame Trifle, t 1869 .... Levet 



40. Marguerite de St. Amand, H.r. . . 1864 .... Sansal 



41. Marechal Vaillant, H p 1861 .... Lecomte 



42. Maurice Bernardin, h.p 1S61 .... Granger 



43. Paul Neron, h.p 18 s 9 Levet 



44. President Thiers, h.p 1871 .... Lacharme 



45. Prince Camille de Rohan, h.p 1861 .... E. Verdier 



46. S. Reynolds Hole, h.p 1873 .... Paul & Son 



47. Senateur Vaisse, H.p 1859 .... Guillot, fils 



48. Sombreuil, T .... Robert & Moreau 



49. Souvenir de la Malmaison, e 1843 Beluge 



50. Victor Verdier, h.p 1859 Lacharme 



— H. B. Ellwangek, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. 



AN ELECTION OF APPLES. 



As the election of Roses has been concluded in the same 

 manner as other elections — that is, satisfactorily to the winning 

 side and with the usual amount of grumbling on the other, but 

 on the whole more satisfactory than any similar elections on 

 account of the fairness by which it was conducted, cannot we 

 engage in other elections equally important to the horticultural 

 world ? For instance, great diversity of opinion exists on the 

 merits of Apples for the various purposes this fruit is used 

 for. Can it not, therefore, be divided into sections, and the 

 respective merits of each variety be fairly pointed out ? I may 

 be told that every nurseryman's catalogue does this, but the 

 same is also done with Roses. The question, therefore, arises 

 — Cannot the outside world be also invited to give an opinion ? 

 And numerous as may be the growers of Roses, I feel sure the 

 growers of the Apple equal if not exceed them in number, 

 and the claim of utility lies vastly in favour of the Apple 

 cultivators. Would it not, therefore, be well if someone 

 would divide Apples into classes in some intelligible form, and 

 invite the opinions of growers on the merits of the respective 

 kinds adapted for each section ? Perhaps some classification 

 like the following might be adopted : — 



Class 1.— Dessert Apples from the earliest possible period to 

 the end of August. 



Class 2. — Kitchen Apples for the same period. 



Class 3. — Table Apples for September and October. 



Class 4. — Kitchen Apples for the same period. 



Class 5. — Table Apples for November, December, and 

 January. 



Class 6. — Kitchen Apples for the same period. 



Class 7.— Table Apples for February, March, and April. 



Class 8. — Kitchen Apples for the same period. 



Class 9. — Apples that are fit for table after April. 



Class 10. — Apples fit for kitchen use after April. 



Perhaps someone may suggest a better classification than 

 the above, and may possibly advise an exhibition class. My 

 object has been simply a utilitarian one, but I do not object to 

 the introduction of a class for exhibition purposes. Those 

 wishing for such a class would probably prefer the autumn 

 months when the greatest display can be secured, but many 

 modifications may be made in the schedule above given, and 

 it is only sketched as a rough idea on the score of utility. A 

 table might perhaps be drawn up giving the respective position 

 of each variety in respect of its free-bearing character. The 

 Apple is unquestionably the most important fruit we grow, and 

 is well worthy of being studied and its merits being fully made 

 known. I hope to hear as lively a discussion on the merits of 

 the respective varieties as has taken place on that of the Rose. 

 In this early stage it would not be advisable my giving an 

 opinion except in the most general sense, and whioh may be 

 expressed in the words of an eminent grower near here, who 

 " prefers bushels to dozens." The meaning of this will be 

 understood by most people. In conclusion I strongly advise a 

 competitive election of the best varieties of this most useful 

 of all fruits, and hope it will be the means of pointing out the 

 best we have in cultivation adapted for the various purposes 

 set forth.— J. Roeson. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



As you have been good enough to issue a supplement slip on 

 the subject of the Royal Horticultural Society, allow me to 

 say a few words upon it. 



We have now a long and influential list of names of the 

 best horticulturists throughout the country of all ranks, from 

 peers to professional gardeners, who are willing to join our 

 committee, or to be guinea Fellows or patron four-guinea 

 Fellows of the Society when reconstituted, and they cordially 

 support the movement. Had we time enough before us the 

 influence of their names would be powerful enough to bring 

 in the number of guinea Fellows we require. The end of 

 the present state of things cannot now be far off. May I, 

 therefore, urge upon all who have almost made up their minds 

 to join us to do so at once, and to use their influence over 

 friends to make them do likewise ? 



It may be Baid that the appeal should have been made by 

 the Council as the governing body, and not by either a self- 

 constituted committee or by individuals. But the Council is 

 in a not very easy position. Some of its body approve of the 

 guinea fellowships, others do not ; others doubt if sufficient 

 numbers will be forthcoming. They may think that out of 

 the number of two and four-guinea Fellows now in the Society 

 a considerable number may, from old association, or from 

 good will, or from force of habit, continue their subscriptions 

 after the gardens, for the benefit of which they at first sub- 

 scribed, have been given up ; that guinea fellowships might 

 disturb these subscribers, and that thus one probability might 

 be sacrificed for another. 



It is different with an outside committee and with indi- 

 viduals. I am convinced that guinea fellowships and patron 

 four-guinea fellowships will give the strongest form of Society 

 and will enlist the good feeling of the whole country, and that 

 the necessary numbers can be shown to be forthcoming. I 

 believe the most practical course now to take is to concentrate 

 our efforts to bring in enough would-be Fellows from all parts 

 of the country to make a Society representing those who love 

 gardening, and those who have most studied or take the 

 greatest interest in gardens and in horticultural science. 



The experiment in this district has proved that there are 

 abundance of owners of gardens in the country ready and 

 willing, if asked, to form a Society with a sufficient revenue 

 for all our wants. Letters in answer to the circular, which 

 has now been widely distributed, show that in England, Scot- 

 land, Ireland, Wales, and Jersey horticulturists adopt the 

 guinea fellowship, believe that it will produce a strong lasting 

 Society, and are willing to take trouble in canvassing their 

 neighbours. 



I for one would advise little change in the present executive. 

 It is both experienced and able. Why, the many good Councils, 

 who have devoted great labour and much more valuable time 

 to the affairs of the Society, with the result only of successive 



