THE ELOEAL MAGAZINE 
NEW SERIES.] 
DECEMBER, 1873. 
EXHIBITION. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
November 12th, 13tit. 
The Council of the Society have listened to the 
suggestions of common sense, and instead of holding 
their meeting on the first Wednesday in November, 
postponed it until the second. They would perhaps have 
done better had they postponed it until the third 
Wednesday. The season is a backward one. The Stoke 
Newington Show was held on the same day — and indeed 
the 20th of the month is generally about the time when 
Chrysanthemums are at their best. However, the alteration 
of date and the liberal prizes offered by the Duke of 
Buccleuch, the late President of the Society, brought 
together the best exhibition of Chrysanthemums ever 
seen at South Kensington. The collection of Air. Row, 
gardener to Viscountess Clifden, Dover House, Roe- 
hampton, contained some magnificent plants ; while in 
Pompons, those staged by Alessrs. Cutbush and Son 
were admirably bloomed plants- — such varieties as 
Mrs. George Bundle, Guernsey Nugget, Prince of 
Wales, Alma, Beethoven, Jardin des Plantes, amongst 
the large-flowered varieties ; and Bob, golden, bronze, 
blue, and yellow Cedo Null! being conspicuous. We very 
much question, however, whether the beauty of the 
plant in the large-flowered varieties is not sacrificed to 
the desire to have large blooms, and a shoot with 
one huge bloom at the extremity, is not so pleasing an 
object as one with several smaller blooms. Tire display 
of cut flowers was not very large ; those of Alessrs. 
Veitch, however, were very fine, and contained grand 
flowers of Guernsey Nugget, Empress of India, Prince 
of Wales, Jardin des Plantes, John Salter, Lord Derby, 
Golden Beverley ; they also had a stand of the curious, 
and, in our opinion, very attractive Japanese varieties, 
including Erecta Superba, Elaine, Red Dragon, Chang, 
and the Sultan ; Elaine is a remarkably fine variety with 
broad and well arranged florets. There was also exhibited 
by Air. E. C. Mhrlters, a very beautiful sport from 
Airs. Rundle, of a pale straw colour, and as it retained 
the beautiful form of that variety, it will be doubtless 
a real acquisition ; it obtained a first-class certificate, as 
did also a fine double white Chinese Primrose exhibited 
by Air. Tomkins of Birmingbam, and called by him 
Alagnifica ; a first-class certificate was also awarded to 
a very curious Orchid, Batemaunia Burtii. Besides 
the flowers, the Show contained a remarkable collection 
[No. 24. 
of Fruit and Potatoes. Air. Scott, of Alerriot, Crewkerne, 
exhibited no less than 600 varieties of apples, and 
Air. Betteridge, of Chipping Norton, 125 varieties 
of potatoes. But there is no need of our referring 
to these except to protest against the uselessness of 
retaining so large a number of varieties of either fruit 
or vegetables. 
CRYSTAL PALACE. 
We are enabled to state that the days fixed for the 
very popular Flower Shows held at the Palace, for 1874, 
are Alay 16th for the great Flower Show, and June 
20th for the grand Rose Show ; while we believe it is 
contemplated to hold on August 29th, 31st, and 
September 1st, or else on September 6th, 8th, and 9th, a 
grand Autumn Show of Fruit and Flowers in connexion 
with the Aletropolitan Floral Society ; the date for the 
latter is not absolutely fixed, but the others are. All 
who have ever visited the Palace on these days know 
how grand is the display, and that no place affords so 
much comfort and convenience as does this popular 
place of amusement, while the exertions of the able and 
courteous Secretary, Air. Wilkinson, are ably seconded 
by Air. Wilson, the Alanager of the Natural History 
Department of the Palace. 
THE CULTIVATION OF TEA-ROSES. 
Considerable difference of opinion appears to exist as 
to the proper treatment of this beautiful class of Roses ; 
it has been generally considered that they require a warm 
south border, but a writer in the Journal of Horticulture, 
the Rev. E. Handley, says that he thinks this to be a 
mistake, and that they do not like the dry withering 
exposure of such a situation. Doubtless the difference 
of climate has a good deal to say to it ; in the more 
northern parts of our Island we imagine that such a 
situation is absolutely necessary for them, but in the 
south it is perhaps more questionable; in the north too 
it becomes needful to take them up and cover them, while 
in the south they merely require to be covered with fern 
leaves. And yet, after all, we are not perhaps wrong in 
saying that however well they may do out of doors, 
they do better under some protection. Air. George Paul, 
in his Catalogue, gives the plan of a protection of this 
kind which, while inexpensive, answers all the purpose of 
an effective protection to the Roses ; and the exceeding- 
delicacy of their tints can hardly, we think, be attained 
