July 20, 1912 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



555 



BASKETS OF ROSES. 



Within the past ten years or so the 

 Council of the National Rose Society has, 

 with commendable wisdom, devoted special 

 attention to the introduction of new 

 methods of staging roses with a view to 

 improve the exhibitions, and to ensure the 

 blooms being presented to public notice in 

 as varied and interesting a manner a;s pos- 

 sible. There has, from the first, been a 

 general agreement among the members of 

 Council that in the case of exhibition blooms 

 there is really no method of staging to sur- 

 pass the long-existing practice of present- 

 ing them to the notice of both judges and 

 visitors in boxes with sloping tops. This 

 manner of exhibiting roses is characterised 

 by a greater degree of formality than some 



kinds for both exhibition and decorative 

 I'oses, and the entries in the ehisses for 

 roses staged in vases form a pleasant fea- 

 ture, and are of special interest for the 

 diversity of charm they afford. The Council 

 have also greatly developed the decorative 

 side of the society's exhibition, and the 

 large marquee devoted to the decorated 

 dinner tables, ornamental baskets, bowls 

 of roses, and other arrangements, is an end- 

 less source of attraction to the visitors. 



It is not, however, the ornamental 

 haskets of ro^es that are to he foiuul on 

 the occasion of the annual exhibitions 

 within the Metropolis in the tent devoted 

 to the various examples of decorative art, 

 that we have now in view, but the plain 

 baskets that have been broiight into use 

 wuthin the past few years. The introduc- 



not this season shown a full appreciation 

 of so arranging the blooms that they stand 

 quite clear of each other. This year the 

 basket classes were considerably increased, 

 and the competition was keen throughout, 

 but unfortiuiately, in the classes in which 

 there was no limit to the number of blooms, 

 overcrowding; w,is rather prevalent, and 

 it would be inttw csting to know the cause. 

 With a view to demonstrate the d<^sirability 

 of moderation in filling baskets of this de- 

 scription we selected oiu^ for illustration 

 tliat wntained too many flowers. Finer 

 f^pecimens of the I^yon Rose have not been 

 stagtxl, and the colour effect, as seen from 

 a distance, was such as not to be readily 

 forgotten; but, unfortunairly. the blooms 

 were too closely arranged to admit of their 

 individuality being seen, and when close 



A BASKET OF THE LYON ROSE. 

 Shown at the National Eose Society's Exhibition. The blooms are finely developed, but too crowded 



authorities would wish, hut it is acknow- 

 ledged by all who have had experience in 

 competing at exhibitions that in no other 

 \vay can roses in a high state of develop- 

 ment be carried long distances with the 

 same degree of safety, and that the ortho- 

 dox exhibition boxes afford the fullest 

 Ppssihle opportimity for enjoying the dis- 

 tinctive claims of the individual hlooms. 

 fnese facts having been admitted it was 

 seen that the sameness which characterised 

 the older exhiibitions should he avoided by 

 breaking up the long lines of tables with 

 arrangements of roses of a quite different 

 style to the exhibition hoxes. 



Bamboo stands were requisitioned for the 

 twelve blooms shown in distinct colours, 

 and if these were not 



tion of these baskets has been one of the 

 most praiseworthy changes the Council quence 

 has yet made in their endeavour to obtain 

 as great a diversity as is practicable in the 

 society's shows. It has proved popular 

 with both exhibitors and visitors. The use 



of plain round baskets is extending at vari- 

 ous exhihitions in the provinces as the 

 result chiefly of the illustrations we have 

 given of the winning baskets at the Na- 

 tional Rose Society's shows. Such baskets 

 are light to carry, and really not diffi- 

 cult to arrange, and when placed on the 

 exhibition stage the hlooms can be 

 readily seen provided they are not over- 

 crowded . 



For the first two or three years the ex- 

 hibitors of roses in haskets were very care- 



quite so satisfactory 

 as one could wish they served a most use- 

 fm purpose. Then came vases of various reason, not easy to understand, they have 



under the eye the basket suffered in conse- 



G. 



ful to avoid overcrowdin'S, but for some 



Euphorbia Jacquiniaef lora..— 



Like the poineettias, this euphorbia requires 

 great care in watering, and resents much dis- 

 turbance at the root. Neither must it be sub- 

 jected at any time to such cool treatment as 

 the poinsettias. AVhen growing vigorously, 



however, later on iu the summer, a buoyant 

 atmosphere must be maintained in conjunc- 

 tion with warmth in order to ripen the wood 

 before flower buds appear. A light house 

 should be chosen for growing this euphorbia 

 in, a nd if o ne can be de voted to it 

 where bottom as well as top ventilation ca 

 be given, so much the 

 manures, if used at all,_ 



a weak state. In my opinion, there is nothing 

 safer, or more beneficial, than liquid sheep 

 or cow manure.— H. T. Martin. 



better. Artificial 

 must be applied in 



