July 12, 1383. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
27 
monotony of the other exhibits. The Tea Roses were as a rule numerous 
and very good. The new exhibition label recommended by the National 
Rose Society were numerously used, and gave a finish to the boxes much 
better than written labels on white card.— Rosarian. 
P-S.—It is very curious to notice how the successes or non-successes 
of exhibitors influence their view of a show as a whole. My own idea is 
that it was, taken as a whole, the finest show we have held since the 
St. James’ Hall show—that is, judging of the flowers as the Judges saw 
them, and taking their average quality. 
The most striking feature of the whole Show appeared to me the high 
•average quality of the blooms, there being scarcely a single really bad 
box, I should say, in the Exhibition. The weather shortly before the 
'Show was too forcing to allow the plants to fully mature their flowers, 
and when cut many grand blooms must have everywhere been cast aside 
•as useless at the last moment, owing to the heat of the previous day and 
night, and also of the morning of the Show. Had air been freely ad¬ 
mitted all round the tents (it was a calm day) there can be no doubt the 
blooms would have stood better than they did. Then the dashiDg rains 
of the previous night were, of course, against the permanence of the 
Roses when cut, during their transit to the Show. I thought the Roses 
looked much better—the flowers uninjured by the heat and close atmo¬ 
sphere, I mean—under the subdued light under canvas than in the raw 
light from the windows of the arcades last year. There is one fact that 
might be noticed, and that is the unprecedented event of the “ wolf ” 
■being filled to overflowing with cut Roses. 
The nurserymen’s exhibits will no doubt be better later on. Of my 
own few maidens only three or four plants have yet flowered at all, and 
most will not be in flower for about another week, I should say. As to 
the competition for the amateur grand challenge trophy, it is veiy diffi¬ 
cult, owing to the forcing weather—and I did not see the flowers when 
first set up—to judge as to their position if compared with similar 
exhibits in former years ; but the opinion I formed was that the Roses in 
the two leading boxes were not equal to those shown by Messrs. R. N. G. 
■Baker and T. Jowitt in some of their contests for the Cranston challenge 
cup. Mons. Noman was, I noticed, frequently and well shown. It 
would be interesting to know what was thought of the Show by rosa- 
jrians generally. Will those who can do so send a note to the Journal ? 
—An Exhibitor. 
I have been asked by one of the Honorary Secretaries of the National 
Rose Society to give you my impression of the great Show recently held 
at South Kensington. Your reporter’s account was so very full and 
good that it would not have occurred to me to have tried to supple¬ 
ment it in any way. It is to me a matter of wonder and admiration 
■how any reporter could, in the short space of time during which it 
is possible to take notes, furnish such a report. I am afraid that my 
impression of the Show as a whole is not a very favourable one. Being 
engaged in judging most of the time, I had very little opportunity of 
taking notes, but from what I saw of the Roses I should say that with 
regard to quality it was the worst Show the Society has held. With 
regard to quantity it was of course a very great success, but I do not 
think any of the exhibitors showed in their best form. This to me is 
quite accounted for by the very hot and stormy weather we had on the 
•days immediately preceding the Show, particularly Monday. This day 
was very appropriately described by one of the amateur exhibitors as a 
■“ ghastly ” one—the blooms were over before they had well nigh fully 
opened. The great amateurs that we are accustomed to see in such 
force at this Show were nowhere. Mr. Cant was the only nurseryman 
who showed in first-rate form, with the exception of Mr. Prince’s Teas, 
which were superb, as were also Mr. George Paul’s. Amateurs were 
principally noted for their Teas. My old friend, the Rev. A. Foster 
Melliar, had a most beautiful box, and so had his friend who was 
bracketed with him. 
Mr. Paul’s prize for baskets of Tea Roses turned out to be a very 
popular one. I would suggest that another year, for the sake of effect, 
he should allow Ferns to be introduced, then I think these baskets would 
prove to be the most delightful exhibits of all. The great drawback to 
the Show was the want of freshness discernible everywhere except in 
the Teas. It is wonderful what a much greater amount of heat these 
Roses will bear than Hybrid Perpetuals. 
I found Teas doing well in the gardens at Kandy, Ceylon, side by 
side with Allamandas, Stephanotis, Gardenias, and Bougainvilleas. It is 
to be hoped that another year we may be able to have our Show in 
the arcades, for though Tuesday was by no means a hot day, yet the 
heat of the “ Wolf ” tent was very great.— Wyld Savage. 
BUCKLAND SWEETWATER GRAPE. 
Talk about a sea of gold! These last few days in the bright 
sunshine I have been particularly struck with the grand appear¬ 
ance of three of the above Yines, which cover a fruiting space 
of 14 feet in length of rafter by 10 feet wide. One Yine, a single 
rod, has seventeen bunches; the second Vine, three rods, with 
forty bunches; the third Yine, with four rods, with forty-three 
bunches, making a total of .just 100 bunches, which I estimate 
to weigh 12.0 lbs. As you will see by this weight the bunches 
are not over-large, but suitable or ordinary purposes, and they 
have a beautiful appearance. The single-rod wire is bearing 
the best bunches and berries. I can see no perceptible difference 
in the three and four-rod Yines. The berries on the worst Yine 
measure 8^ inches in circumference, and they have a fortnight 
yet to hang before they are ripe. I am very pleased with the 
size, as I find Mr. Barron gives the natural size of berry in his 
valuable book a full inch in diameter. Strange to say, under 
the same treatment Black Hamburgh falls, the berries being just 
under 3 inches in circumference. This, while, however, being the 
size given by Mr. Barron, does not please me, nor does it come 
up to Mr. Taylor’s average. Still, as they have two or three 
weeks to ripen yet, and as I know they are swelling, hope to get 
them larger. The colour will be good. I have berries of Gros 
Colman quite as large now as the Black Hamburgh, so shall 
expect these to be full size according to Mr. Barron again, 
3J inches. — Stephen Castle, West Lynn. 
At a General Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
South Kensington, 10th July, James McIntosh, Esq., in the chair, the 
following candidates were unanimously elected Fellows—viz., V. F. 
Benett-Stanford, Mrs. V. F. Benett-Stanford, Hon. Mrs. Charles E. 
Bright, Joseph Parker, Miss Alice Edith Middleton, and Miss Jessie 
Caroline Middleton. 
- William Paul & Son announce that their collection of Roses 
is now in full bloom at the Nurseries, Waltham Cross, adjoining the 
Waltham Cross Station, G.E.R., half an hour’s ride from London, and 
an inspection is invited by the proprietors, also of the hardy trees, which 
are now in full beauty. 
- Mr. W. Godwin, jun. desires us to insert the following Appeal 
to Rose-Growers :—“ As one of the Committee of the Market Drayton 
Horticultural Society, I beg to ask the assistance of Rose-growers at our 
forthcoming Show. I know the time is rather advanced, and also 
that the prizes are not tempting ; but we are most anxious to resuscitate 
a show that was a great success some fifty years ago, and we have 
strained our funds in the hope that some of the large Rose-growers may 
be induced to add to the attractions of our Show, and so help us to give 
more worthy prizes another year. I can only say that to all who do 
visit us we shall be greatly obliged, and we will endeavour to find them 
every accommodation.” 
- By permission of the Dean of Westminster, who is President of 
the Association, the Society for Promoting Window Gardening amongst 
the Working Classes in the united parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, 
Westminster, held them seventh Annual Show on Tuesday afternoon in 
'the Dean’s Yard. There were fifteen general prizes open to working men 
and women, ranging in value from 10 a’. to 5s., besides 126 “ local prizes ” 
apportioned among the parochial districts, to he competed for by those 
not successful in the former division, Class 1 under this heading being 
devoted to adults, and Class 2 for children in parochial, national, infant, 
Sunday, and ragged schools. The flowers in pots and boxes, ranged on 
long stands, looked very well, showing evidences of considerable attention 
and skill in rearing and training, a result much to the credit of the 
Society’s laudable efforts to encourage the working classes in taking 
advantage of every opportunity for brightening their homes. The Earl 
of Shaftesbury subsequently distributed the prizes. 
- A BOUQUET OF Lilies was shown at Kensington on Tuesday 
which attracted much attention and received some condemnation also, 
although a vote of thanks was accorded it by the Floral Committee. It 
was chiefly composed of flowers of Lilium candidum, but some of these 
had been painted or stained pink and others blue—a piece of artificiality 
that was most displeasing. Nevertheless, the bouquet was greatly ad¬ 
mired by one distinguished lady, who, we believe, carried it in triumph 
at a ball that evening. 
- A correspondent in Lincolnshire writes :—“ Thunderstorms 
in this district have been fearful, and the damage done most serious. 
On some farms there will practically be no harvest, and several farmers 
will be ruined. One man’s losses are estimated at £3000, The hail or 
