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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 29, 1377. 



in England. Long may they last. I can only say that my 

 informant was right — that St. John's Nursery " is a marvellous 

 place," and as seeing is believing, now I believe, and must add 

 that far from being overpraised it was the opposite. Mr. 

 Richard Smith has brought hononr npon horticulture, and 

 lives surrounded by the respect of his fellow citizens, and has 

 himself been honoured by the Lard Lieutenant of his county. 



WlLTSHIEE RECTOE. 



ROSE SHOWS. 



I have been much interested by the letter of " One of the 

 Public" concerning the above; but as another of the Rose- 

 loving public I should like to know for certain whether the 

 statement that Rose shows do cot pay is correct. I remember 

 " Wtld Savage" speaking (in joke, I believe) of " 4.d. balance 

 sheet," but I also recollect that someone else wrote directly 

 afterwards saying that at Hereford the balance for the last 

 two years was £3 odd and £14 odd. If this is a specimen of 

 the general result (financial) of Rose shows I should think they 

 do pay. I should like to hear what the Treasurers of the 

 National, Crystal and Alexandra Palaces, and the Aquarium 

 have to say on this point concerning this year's shows. 



As to the nurserymen, they now have two serious charges 

 laid at their doors. Mr. Hinton 6ays they refused to help in 

 the elections by sending lists, and thus advertise their ability 

 to supply the chosen Roses ; and now "One of the Poblic " 

 says they will not exhibit at the shows except for excessive 

 prizes ; though it remains to be seen whether the present prizes 

 are excessive. 



There is one great hindrance to metropolitan and suburban 

 nurserymen competing at the great shows which I should like 

 to see removed, and that is that there are no classes provided 

 expressly for them, and they have no chance in competing 

 with growers with pure air and superior soil. The same re- 

 mark, of course, applies to amateurs. At Birmingham there 

 used always to be classes for residents within a few miles of 

 the town, and also one for amateurs who had never won a 

 prize ; and at Hereford there is still a class or classes for 

 residents in that shire only. I did not see at the shows this 

 year a single exhibit, nor do I Eee one of the election lists, 

 from a less distance than ten or twelve miles from London. 

 Now, why cannot we have a class of twelve or eighteen trusses 

 for amateurs, some of twenty-fcnr or thirty-six for nursery- 

 men residing within five miles or so of the City ? I believe 

 there would be a good competition in such classes, and as I 

 suppose all exhibitors send their friends to the shows it would 

 increase the interest and patronage of the public. I believe 

 the National Rose Society holds its annual meeting early next 

 month, let them set the example in their next year's show. 



I see that what I have written looks like the grumble of 

 someone who thought he was going to win a big prize and 

 didn't, so I may just say that I never had enough of these 

 beautiful flowers to be an exhibitor, but am only — A Lover of 

 Rose Shows. 



P.S. — Can any of your correspondents tell me where in the 

 vicinity of London I can obtain the Bracken that is recom- 

 mended for the protection of Tea Roses out of doors ? 



SEASIDE TKEES IN NORTH WALES. 



Foeemost for robust and strong growth must be placed Pinus 

 austriaca (Austrian Pine). This is a true seaside tree, and 

 should be extensively planted in exposed situations near the 

 sea. Next comes the old Scotch Fir (Pinus sylvestris) ; this 

 also stands the eea blast well. Pinus Pinaster grows crooked 

 in the stem, which is a glaring defect, otherwise it grows freely 

 enough. Pinus insignis is a true seaside Pine, more inland it is 

 rather tender. It is very beautiful; the colour is unique. These 

 are the best of the Pines that have come under my observa- 

 tion along this coast. Evergreen Oak (Qaercus Ilex) is a 

 valuable tree for seaside planting in the most exposed places. 

 An enormous specimen of this Oak may be seen in the gardens 

 of Ynysmaengwyn, Towyn, Merioneth; the huge branches at 

 the time of my visit were supported by large props of wood. 

 This is more than a mile from the sea. 



Among deciduous trees the family of Acer is a valuable one, 

 Acer platanoides (Norway Maple) being good ; also the com- 

 mon Sycamore (A. Pseudo-PIatanus) and its variegated varie- 

 ties. The different varieties of Alder (Alnus) also are suitable. 

 The Poplars (Populus alba, P. macrophylla, and P. fastigata) 

 also succeed. The Turkey Oak (Quercus Cerris) and its varie- 



gated 1 vaiiety may be planted on the seacoast. In my last 

 notes I omitted to mention Hippophsfe rhamncides (Sea Buck- 

 thorn) as doing well near the sea. In the foregoing list I 

 have on]y named those trees and shrubs as doing well of 

 which I have cognisance. Doubtless there are numbers of 

 other shrubs and trees growing well near the sea in other 

 districts which would be a boon to the dwellers by the sea if 

 they were noticed in the Journal. No doubt some of your 

 seaside readers could kindly supply this boon. — Geoege Cooke, 

 Nannan Park Gardens, North Wales. 



ROYAL BERKSHIRE ROOT SHOW. 



Although Mangolds, Swedes, Turnipi, Kohl Rabi, &c., do 

 not come within the cognisance of many of the readers of the 

 Journal, yet there are departments of the Show connected with 

 the garden which cannot fail to be of interest, while all may like 

 to knawtbat tLis year's Show has exceeded both in quantity and 

 quality all previous exhibitions at Reading. Her Majf-sty the 

 Queen, peers, baroDets, and commoners, competed for the very 

 handsome prizes offered. Although the season has not been 

 favourable for the production of Mangold Wurtzel, yet twelve 

 specimens were exhibited weighing 310 lbs., the heaviest weigh- 

 ing 40 lbs. Marvellous specimens of Swedes, such as Sutton's 

 Champion Swede (for the prizes in which three thousand roots 

 were entered), Imperial Green Globe, and Purple-top Mammoth 

 were also shown. 



There is one department of the Show which has steadily been 

 increasing in interest year af teryear — that devoted to vegetables ; 

 and certainly the exhibits (comprising between twenty and 

 thirty collections) this year were such as I have not seen any- 

 where this season. The first prize was awarded to Mr. Wildsmith,. 

 gardener to Lord Eversley, for a collection of great merit, and 

 the Becond to Mrs. Crawehay of Cavershim. The vegetables 

 that most impressed me were the " Matchless Brussels Sprouts,"" 

 which indeed deserved their name; and the Golden Savoy- 

 beautiful in appearance and excellent for the table. The Mush- 

 rooms in Major Tboyte's collection were the most even and 

 perfect lot that can be imagined : they almost seemed as if they 

 had been formed in one mould, so regular were they. The 

 Reading Onions and Sutton's Snowball Turnip were also very 

 fine ; indeed it is difficult to particularise where all were so 

 good. 



Potatoes, too, were quite an exhibition in themselves, and. 

 certainly foremoBt amongst them comes out Sutton's Magnum- 

 Bonum, which for symmetry, productiveness, and quality seems 

 likely to take a permanent place. Seventy sacks have been 

 grown on half an acre of land, the tubers having been planted 

 in May, and when lifted were entirely free from disease. Past 

 experience should make ns very chary as to speaking of disease- 

 proof Potatoes, but unquestionably this variety has been singu- 

 larly free from it. Mr. Fenn also exhibited a collection of 

 varieties of his own raising; and I was happy to find that he is 

 pursuing his intelligent and scientific crossing with even more 

 ardour, and that we may Bhortly expect to see something in 

 commerce worthy of his name, as one variety has passed into 

 the hands of the Messrs. Sutton for distribution. 



A curiosity was exhibited by Professor Buckman of the Royal 

 Agricultural College — a small root of Mangold Wurtzel display- 

 ing the tap root, which had run down to the extraordinary 

 length of 4 feet 6 inches. 



The Exhibition was honoured on Friday at the private view 

 by His Excellency the Chinese Ambassador and suite, who were 

 much interested in it, and partook of luncheon with the Messrs, 

 Sutton after they had inspected the Show. — Lfc Roi Cabotb. 



DION^A MUSCIPTJLA. 



I do cot in the least degree blame Mr. Douglas for the 

 statement in the Journal of Horticulture for November 1st 

 respecting the Diona?a mnscipula and the potting of Mr. Fore- 

 shaw's plants, although I still feel the statement does me a 

 great injustice, and if Mr. Douglas will imagine himself in my 

 position I am sure he would feel as I do — indignant. I can- 

 not at all understand how Mr. Black could make such a state- 

 ment to a friend of twenty years' standing. I cannot speak 

 as to what Mr. Black Eays about the plants being much 

 stronger this year than they were when Mr. Douglas saw them 

 last year. I can only say that others think differently, and I 

 know that when I exhibited the plant at Preston in 1873 Mr. 

 Barnes, one of the Judges, pronounced it "the finest plant 

 ever seen." I will close by saying that as I bought the 

 Dionaaa muscipula and grew it from 60-sized pots into a 

 15-inch pan I feel I have a just right in claiming all the credit 

 due, and especially as Mr. Black, nor anyone else, never had 

 anything whatever to do with Mr. Foreshaw's exhibition plants 



