February 26, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
177 
the Hybrid Perpetuals therein recommended as exhibition varieties are 
more than one hundred in number, and the Teas about forty. On taking 
again the catalogue of Mr. Prince, who must be considered, I think, as 
par excellence the champion of the Tea Rose, for by his introduction of 
the seedling Briar as a stock for it he has done more to popularise it than 
anyone, I find that he has upwards of 150 Hybrid Perpetuals in his 
list, and not half that number of Teas. And, moreover, in the list of the 
former there is not one that may not at some time be seen on a stand, 
while in the list of Teas there are many which are simply buttonhole 
Roses, such as Allen K. Richardson and others, which would never 
by any possibility be exhibited in a stand with which the owner hoped 
to win a prize ; and surely it is only reasonable that the class which so 
largely contributes to make up the backbone of an exhibition should 
have the larger share of the honours, but in truth, as has been observed, 
it has no exclusive class. The Teas may come in and often do, but 
it would be easy to show seventy-two Hybrid Perpetuals, and very 
difficult to show, even from a large collection, more than twenty-four 
Teas. 
But there is also another reason which I think ought to weigh in the 
matter. Everybody can grow Hybrid Perpetuals, but the successful 
growth of Teas out of doors is difficult and almost impossible in many 
parts of the country, except they are specially coddled and protected. It 
is true that we are getting what seem to be more robust forms, which may 
perhaps alter the case in time, but even with them the growth of Teas is 
in many places attended with difficulty, and consequently is not attempted 
except under glass, and by many growers of Hybrid Perpetuals is not 
attempted, the difficulty arising not from soil but from climate. Soil can, 
I think, generally be mastered in some form ; but climate, unless by the 
use of glass or walls, is an element in successful growing we cannot over¬ 
come. North of the Trent it presents so many difficulties that growers 
who are otherwise most successful will not attempt it. I strongly last 
year urged my excellent friend, Mr. T. B. Hall of Larkwood, Rock Ferry, 
to attempt it, assuring him that I thought they would succeed on 
raised beds. I remember his reply was, “ Well, there is my neighbour 
Mr.-; he has planted Teas for five years, and this is the first year he 
has been able to cut a decent bloom from them.” I notice, too, that when 
my friend Mr. E. R. Whitwell exhibits so magnificently at Darlington and 
Liverpool there is hardly a Tea in his box. Taking these matters into 
consideration, I really think that growers of Teas cannot very well com¬ 
plain of the amount of encouragement given to them. 
Nor is this altered by the list of the exhibitions. The number of 
entries in amateur classes in the Hybrid Perpetual classes (I know Teas 
are admitted in these) is always largely in excess of those in the classes 
for Teas, while on looking at the list of exhibitions, say at the National 
Rose Show at South Kensington, I can lay my hand on many collections 
which I kno sv to have been grown mainly and in some cases altogether 
under glass, while it is significant that a prize has been offered for four 
years for six suburban-grown Tea Roses, and has never yet been awarded. 
There is one point in connection with this I should like to add a few 
words upon, which has been alluded to—viz., the amounts awarded for 
prizes. I think all societies should be very careful over this matter. The 
£ s. d. side of exhibiting is somewhat perilous to the well-being of the 
flower we all love. Of course, it is very pleasant to win “ a pot of 
money,” but I contend that the exhibitor who looks to this mainly is no 
more a true lover of the Rose than the man who goes out for a day’s 
shooting and has only regard to the “ pot ” is a true sportsman ; it fre¬ 
quently leads to many “ unfair shots.” An exhibitor will look to see who 
his competitors are, and will show accordingly. I have seen exhibitors 
make such a calculation as this : If I show in Class X, twenty-fours, there 
is So-and-so, and he is sure to beat me, and I shall only get a second, worth 
£2; but if I show in Class Y, eighteens, I think I shall come in first, and 
the prize is £3, so I shall go for Class Y. Now, if the true spirit of an 
exhibitor had dwelt in him, he would have said, “ I entered in Class X, 
and there I must stay.” The National Rose Society has somewhat felt this, 
for instead of the rule being an exhibitor can only exhibit in Section A or 
B, it is now can only enter, so that he cannot, as I have seen over and 
over again, when he finds that he is not strong enough for the one, drop down 
on to the other, on the plea that he entered for both. But even this will 
not prevent an exhibitor from, we will say, findiug he is not strong enough 
for twenty-fours going into eighteens. Nor, again, ought it to be, I 
think, the object of societies so much to give large prizes as to give 
encouragement to all classes of growers. Where a Rose Show is held as 
a commercial speculation the object will be to get the largest display, so 
as to please the public ; but where a society has for its object the encourage¬ 
ment of the Rose, I do not think that this will be gained nearly as well by 
offering monster prizes as by encouraging all classes of growers. In cor¬ 
roboration of this opinion, I may mention that I knew two societies which 
offered a prize of £20 for the best seventy-twos, but it was the old story 
of the frog—they both “ burst.” 
And, after all is said, I suppose that Rose societies will adopt the 
course which they think best suited for the interests of the clientele , 
whether exhibitors or the public, and knowing the energy with which 
most of them are managed, I think the interests of the Tea Rose may 
safely be left in their hands.—D., Deal. 
THE PINE APPLE AND ITS CULTURE. 
[An essay read at a Leeds Gardeners’ Meeting by Mr. Joseph Smith, gardener to 
T. Green, Esq., Asket Rail, Roundhay, Leeds.] 
The Pine Apple is a native of tropical South America, Peru, and 
Brazil, and was introduced into this country about the year 1690. Some 
say that it passed from Brazil to the West Indies, and thence to the East 
Indies, whilst others suppose, from the great abundance in which it is 
found growing in both the East Indies and Africa, that it is indigenous to 
these countries. As my object is not to settle this matter, I will turn to 
the culture of this noble fruit. I do not mean to give an exhaustive 
description of the different methods, but shall confine myself to the 
treatment Pine Apples receive under my own care. Before doing so, 
however, a question seems to force itself upon me, and that is, How is it 
that this very highly esteemed fruit is not more generally cultivated in 
this country than it is P in fact it seems as though its culture is on the 
decline rather than making progress. I know it resolves itself into a 
question of cost, which, no doubt, is a reasonable objection in country 
districts, where coal and other fuel is very dear, but in the vicinity of 
mines and towns where coal and coke can be obtained at a fair rate, I 
think that any moderate garden might devote one or two of its glass 
structures to Pine Apple growing. However well a nobleman’s or gentle¬ 
man’s garden may be furnished with vineries, Peach houses, greenhouses, 
and stoves, my idea is that it is greatly improved if in addition to these 
it has its Pine stove. No doubt imported fruits can be bought at a lower 
rate than we can grow them, but the flavour is much inferior. I was 
speaking only a few days ago with a gentleman whom I consider a very 
good authority, and he said, “We like good English Pine Apples when we 
can get them; there is no comparison between the two.” Foreign 
Grapes can be bought at a very cheap rate, but who would think of 
placing them before their guests in preference to those grown in their 
own vineries ? Again, what is there more attracting than a house of fine, 
sturdy, healthy Pines ? and what more interesting than to watch them in 
all their different stages, from the sucker to the time they show their tints 
of rosy crimson indicative of approaching fruit, the swelling of the fruit, 
and finally the golden fruit itself ? 
In order to grow Pine Apples to perfection it is necessary first of all 
o 
F 
Fig. 82.—A Pine Apple pit. 
to have a suitable structure set apart for them. In preference to all 
others I recommend a good span roof, running with its ends north and 
south, thus getting the full benefit of the sun, and as low as possible, leaving 
just sufficient head room for the development of their foliage without 
coming in contact with the glass, as by this means they will be prevented 
becoming drawn, one point particularly to be guarded against if strong 
plants and fruits are to be obtained. The internal arrangements may be 
a pit in the centre of the house, with a path all round, and about four 
rows of 4-inch hot-water pipes running through it equidistant, so as to 
equalise the bottom heat, these being in a chamber under the pits, and 
not in contact with the plunging material, which it will be necessary to 
have for the plants. The quantity of piping will be entirely regulated 
by the width of the pit, the number named being sufficient for one from 
8 to 10 feet wide. Another method, which will do equally as well, is (o 
have a pit on each side and a path down the centre. This is the arrange¬ 
ment of the house in which they are growing with me. I may say that it 
was not constructed for Pine Apple growing, or I should have had it 
slightly altered, the main fault being that the pits are too narrow for the two 
rows of plants which are grown in each pit. Notwithstanding this, and 
considering we have but one house for all, suckers, successional and fruit- 
bearers, it answers very well. In the section, fig. 32, A and b represent 
two 4-inch flow-pipes on each side in the chamber under the beds for 
bottom heat, c and D are two flows on each side of the path, e a flow cn 
each side of the house just below the side ventilators, and f the return 
pipe for all, under the path to the boiler, thus making it equal to a 
flow. 
We always begin the work for the season in February by taking all 
the plants out of the bark, tying up those which are to fruit during the 
season, and throwing out those that have fruited, after carefully taking off 
all the suckers required to carry on a succession, the strongest and best 
always being selected. They are then placed in the shed, where they re¬ 
main until we get the bark in the pits, which is passed through a half-inch 
riddle, leaving the rough portion in the pits and wheeling the fine out for 
manure. The house is well cleaned with hot water and a little softsoap. 
After thoroughly washing all the woodwork, glass, and walls inside, we 
give the house a good syringing with strong diluted petroleum or Fir tree 
