448 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND C0T1AGE GARDENER 
[ June 5, 1884. 
sajB, “ that Vines properly treated ought to be in a good bearing state 
the third year, at any rate for 8 or 9 feet up the roof.” ‘‘A Kitchen 
Gardener p said 12 feet the first year, and he therefore can he no disciple 
of Mr. Pearson. Mr. Pearson is, however, at one with myself in thinking 
that the more growth the stronger the cane, for he writes at pages 18 and 
19—“ Let the leader make all the wood-it -can—. . . the more healthy 
fully exposed foliage the Vine makes the more roots it will have, and the 
stronger it will grow.”— Non-Believer. 
BOSE HER MAJESTY. 
Your correspondent “ J. A. W.,” in his article on “ Big Roses ” in the 
Journal-tf Horticulture of May 15th, page 378, commenting on the Rose 
Her Majesty, states, “I can only believe the raiser looks on this as a 
monstrous curiosity,” and that it will not be sent out in this country. To 
both of these statements I give the fullest and flattest contradiction. 
“ J. A. W.” is quite unknown to me, therefore cannot have been in my 
confidence, and I consider his assertion unwarrantable.—H. Bennett, 
Shejjjjerton. 
MANCHESTER WHITSUNTIDE SHOW. 
Mat 30th to June 6th. 
Seventeen annual exhibitions have now been held at Whitsuntide in the 
gardens of the Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society at Manchester, 
and after such a long career it is pleasant to be able to record that their 
last Show was in many respects the finest they have ever held. It was 
undoubtedly the largest, the competitors being more numerous, and the 
general beauty Of the Exhibition has never been surpassed. There were of 
course a few weak classes, but the grandeur of the Orchids compensated for 
every defect of this kind, and the fine-foliage plants with Eerns were in 
admirable health. 
The most important portion of the display was that contained in the 
magnificent new exhibition house, which is the finest structure of its kind in 
the country. It is over 200 feet long and 50 feet wide, well proportioned, 
and elegant in design, having a central table and two side bed3. The former 
was occupied with miscellaneous groups—Pitcher Plants, table plants, 
bouquets, Ac., the side beds being devoted to the stove and greenhouse 
plants, fine-foliage plants, and Orchids. The last named formed handsome 
banks of richly and delicately tinted flowers ; but the grandest feature was at 
the end of this building, where Mr. Percival’s wonderful specimen Orchids 
were placed, with a background of Mr. Schloss’s superb Gleichenias—a con¬ 
trast of extreme beauty such as we have never seen equalled at a public 
ehow. In the other portion of the house the Crotons, Dracienas, and Palms 
formed the background to the numerous collections of Orchids, the stove and 
greenhouse plants being arranged near the entrance. 
The spacious marquee which contained the groups of plants arranged for 
effect, the Rhododendrons, Clematises, Roses, and some smaller classes. On 
the slope of the mound at the end near the entrance there was a ridge of 
Messrs. R. Smith <fc Co.’s charming Clematis, neat globular specimens 
beautifully flowered ; below these were Mr. C. Turner’s Show and Fancy 
Pelargoniums, fresh, healthy, profusely flowered specimens. Beyond these 
again was a central circular stage bearing Mr. Turner’s brilliant Azaleas, 
and surrounded by small Roses, Calceolarias, and Cinerarias. Very prominent 
•on the left looking towards the end of the marquee was a magnificent group 
of choice stove and greenhouse plants in flower from Messrs. Cutbush and 
Son, which attracted very much admiration ; then there were the groups in 
competition, Messrs. R. P. K$r’s tasteful contribution and Messrs. Birken¬ 
head’s exquisite bank of Ferns being the most important features ; while at 
the end were grand banks of Rhododendrons from Messrs. John Waterer and 
Sons, Bagshot, which furnished abundant shades of crimson, purple, rose, 
and scarlet. In this marquee, as in the exhibition house, the most careful 
attention had been given to the arrangement of the exhibits, the brightly 
coloured flowers being softened and contrasted with foliage plants in due 
proportion, producing a general effect of extreme beauty. 
In a long tent parallel with the exhibition house were the majority of alpine 
and herbaceous plants, which are never shown at any exhibition in England 
in such numbers and quality as at Manchester. Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, 
and a few miscellaneous collections, together with the fruit, and on Saturday, 
with the beautiful display of Tulips from the National Tulip Society, com¬ 
pleted the attractions of this tent, which added materially to the extent and 
interest of the Show. 
The Committee and the Curator, Mr. Brace Findlay, deserve much praise 
for the energy they display in connection with this Society, which they 
have raised to a foremost position, and which in the north of England assists 
so greatly in fostering a love for horticulture, not only amongst the wealthy, 
but amongst the poorer classes. The appreciation in which it is held is 
abundantly proved by the numbers of visitors that assemble in the gardens 
during the holidays, and fortunately, though the weather was exceedingly 
gloomy on the first two days, it became brighter on Sunday and following 
■days, with the result that the Exhibition was, as usual, thronged, 
ORCHIDS. 
At no exhibition throughout England is such liberal provision made for 
Orchids as at Manchester, and as a natural result the display is larger, more 
varied, and more beautiful than can be seen elsewhere in the kingdom. 
Independent of the numerous other exhibits which render the Whitsuntide 
Show of such magnitude and interest, the Orchids alone constitute an 
exhibition of unequalled attractions, and one which would be worth a long 
journey to see. In the neighbourhood of Manchester there are a number of 
enthusiastic and wealthy amateurs, who usually spend large sums of money 
on purchasing the newest or choicest species or varieties, and in growing fine 
specimens, and the prizes are good enough to induce not only these to 
contribute their valuable plants, but also growers from a great distance. 
There is besides a great local interest and pride in their famed national 
show, and every effort is made to render it worthy of its name ; indeed, it 
is difficult to imagine a more beautiful display than that provided in the 
handsome new exhibition house, which, being properly heated, prevents that 
injury to the plants which is too often the result of staging such plants m 
the ordinary tents. A wealth of colours, from the brightest gold and scarlet 
to the richest crimson, like this could only be afforded by Orchids, and eveiy 
visitor on entering the house was amazed by the effect. 
Eight classes were devoted to Orchids, six being tor amateurs, with a 
total in prize money of £104; and two to nurserymen, with a total of £5-, 
the first prizes ranging from £16 to £3. In the majority of these the 
competition was keen, and the plants staged quite up to the usual standard 
—healthy and well flowered. The principal amateurs’ class was that for 
fifteen Orchids in flower, the prizes being £16, £12, and £7. In this there 
were three exhibitors, Mr. G. Beddoes, gardener to R. P. Percival, Esq., 
Clevelands, Southport, taking premier honours for grand specimens 3 or 
4 feet in diameter, comprising Lselia purpurata, with about eighty large 
flowers ; Cattleya Mendelli, with fifty flowers—fresh, bright, and even ; a 
large pan of Odontoglossum Alexandra, with about thirty spikes ; Den¬ 
drobium thyrsiflorum, with twenty-six grand spikes, very handsome ; Odon¬ 
toglossum vexillarium, bearing over forty magnificent racemes of richly 
coloured flowers ; Thunia Berisoriise', with two dozen growths, each with 
four or five rosy purple flowers ; T. Marshallise, very strong and healthy, but 
not quite forward enough ; Cypripediumbarbatum, with three dozen flowers ; 
Anguloa Clowesi, with twenty flowers ; Dendrobium nobile, 4 feet in 
diameter, with hundreds of flowers ; Dendrobium fimbriatum oculatum, 
similar; Oncidium concolor, in a basket 3 feet square; Vanda suavis, with 
two spikes ; and Dendrobium Jamesianum, with about twenty flowering 
growths. This was a magnificent collection, and well merited the award it 
received. 
Mr. J. Holmes, gardener to D. Schneider, Esq., Cromwell Range, Fallow- 
field, was placed second, his best specimens being Dendrobium Wardianum, 
with over 100 flowers of a fine variety; D. Dalhousianum, with two dozen 
grand spikes of six to seven flowers each; and Aerides odoiatum pui- 
purascens, with seven spikes. Mr. Swan, gardener to W. Leech, Esq., 
Oakley, Fallovvfield, was third with smaller hut healthy well-grown plants. 
For nine Orchids there were three exhibitors, Mr. Beddoes again taking 
the lead with a magnificent Denbrobium chrysotoxum, with over thirty spikes 
of ten or a dozen flowers each. Cattleya Mossise, Odontoglossum vexillarium, 
D. thyrsiflorum, and Cattleya Mendelli, all in fine condition, D. formosiim 
gigantemn being also very handsome with twenty-six large flowers. _ Mi. 
Holmes secured the second place with a neat fresh collection, comprising a 
very handsome C. Mossise ; and Mr. Mitchell, gardener to Dr. Ainsworth, 
Cliffe Point, High Broughton, took the third position with small fresh plants. 
The competition was keen in the class for six Orchids, the best collection 
being those from Mr. Mitchell, in which the heaviest specimen was 1 halce- 
nopsis amabilis, bearing forty spikes of four or five flowers each, large and 
clean. Saccolabium prsemorsum with two spikes and Cattleya Mossirn with 
two dozen flowers were also noteworthy specimens. Mr. Swan was a c ose 
second, having Odontoglossum Alexandria and cirrhosum very handsome, 
Vanda suavis with three grand spikes, and Aerides Fieldingi with five large 
spikes. Mr. G. Waddell, Orchid grower to Joseph Broome, Esq., Wood Lawn, 
Didsbury, being third with a beautiful Vanda teres bearing thirty floweis, 
having others that were in full health though small. 
The interesting class for ten bonaf.de specimens brought four collec¬ 
tions, Mr. Beddoes winning first honours with Laslia purpurata bearing 
thirteen spikes of three and four flowers each, a healthy vigorous specimen ; 
Odontoglossum citrosmum with two spikes ; Cypripedium Dominianum with 
seven flowers ; Cattleya Sanderiana with two spikes of four and five flow eis 
each, grandly coloured; Cattleya Mossiie with thirty flowers and buds ; 
Vanda suavis with two spikes, ten flowers ; and Odontoglossum vexillamim, 
beautifully coloured, with sixteen fine spikes of six and seven flowers each ; 
Anguloa Ruckeri with eight flowers, and Cypripedium caudatum with eight 
flowers. Mr. Waddell was placed second ; his best plant, and one of the finest 
of its kind in cultivation, was Vanda teres 5 feet high and as much in diaapetei, 
bearing about fifty spikes of three or four flowers each. Several good Den- 
drobiums were included, D. Freemani being remarkably well flowered. Mi. 
Holmes was third with Dendrobium nobile intermedium, 4 feet high and 
through, having hundreds of light-coloured but pretty flowers. 
The nurserymen’s classes were not remarkable for any very large 
specimens, Mr. Cypher, Cheltenham, being first with sixteen specimens, 
mostly of moderate size; Dendrobium thyrsiflorum having fourteen spikes, 
Cypripedium Lawrenceanum eleven fine blooms, and Dendrobium I alconein 
on a raft, with very handsome richly coloured flowers, one of the bnest 
varieties we have seen. Mr. H. James, Lower Norwood, was a close second, 
his collection being slightly less effective than the other, but containing hne 
plants of Oncidium Marshallianum and Cypripedium barbatum. Messis. 
Heath & Son, Cheltenham, followed with well-flowered plants. In the class 
for ten specimens, however, Mr. H. James was a good first with a beautiful 
group, comprising Odontoglossum vexillarium, very deeply coloured ; Odonlo- 
glossum Alexandras, with six spikes of large beautiful flowers ; Cypripedium 
barbatum grandiflorum, with twenty-two flowers; Epidendrum vitellinum 
majus, with eighteen spikes; and Odontoglossum cordatum aureum, with 
six spikes. Mr. Cypher was second with showy well-grown plants ot 
Dendrobium Dearii, with three spikes of seven to nine flowers each ; Dendi o- 
bium thyrsiflorum, with sixteen spikes not quite out; D. Bensonise, and 
D. Wardianum finely flowered. Messrs. Heath & Son were third with small 
plants. Only two collections of three Vandas were staged ; Mr. M. Bailie, 
gardener to the Earl of Wilton, Prestwich, winning the premier honours with 
three handsome plants 4 feet high, two plants of V. suavis, and one ot 
V. tricolor with two spikes each. Mr. G. Jackson, gardener to S, l. 
Whalley, Esq., secured the second place with three plants of V. suavis - to 
4 feet high, one having one spike and two a pair of spikes each. 
Altogether it is doubtful if so large a public exhibition of Orchids has 
ever been seen, and most conclusive evidence was afforded of how high a 
position these plants hold in popular estimation, and the great care bestowed 
upon their culture. It is true that some might object to several rather 
markedly packed specimens of the “made-up” type, but they serve to make 
a good show, and this, by attracting the people, insures the^ success ot the 
Exhibition. However, to gratify those who prefer the bondfde single speci¬ 
mens a class was specially provided, and that is really all that can be done 
by managers of horticultural shows, as to exclude all others would be 
ruinous. 
