58 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 19, 1883. 
beautiful; height 3 feet. Does best in light soil and not too moist, 
as it is not very hardy in wet positions.—G. Abbey, Paxton Parle , 
Hunts. 
CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES AT CHELSEA. 
Periodical displays of certain classes of plants, together with the 
never-failing standing attractions, maintain a constant interest for 
visitors to Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea Nursery. Amaryllises, 
Orchids, Gloxinias, and many others, each in their turn provide a special 
feature, the Carnations and Picotees, of which such a large collection 
is grown, being at the present time the prevailing attraction. A number 
of beds near the Brompton Road entrance to the nursery are devoted to 
these plants, which are now fast approaching their best condition, as, 
although the weather has been unfavourable to them, they have suffered 
very little, and some varieties are quite uninjured, the flowers clean and 
the colours bright. Several beds of self Carnations are exceedingly 
beautiful, proving the value of such varieties for massing where a bold 
effect is desired. The flaked varieties are also beautiful, the bizarres 
requiring rather closer inspection to duly appreciate their beauty ; while 
of the Picotees the heavy-edged varieties are far bolder and striking 
bedded out than the light-edged forms, though the exquisitely delicate 
beauty of the latter must always render them favourites. So many of 
the best varieties in each class being seen together visitors have an 
excellent opportunity of comparing their respective merits and selecting 
those most suited to their taste or requirements ; and during the present 
and following week will be the best time to inspect them. 
The following is a selection of the most noteworthy, though necessarily 
in so large a collection many fine forms are omitted :— 
CARNATIONS. 
Selfs. —Virgo (new), a charming variety, pure white, very even and 
neat in form, one of the best. Milner is another grand white, exceed¬ 
ingly free and pure. The Bride, a well-known variety, also white and 
useful. Gloire de Nancy, a pure white, is distinguished by the great 
size and substance of the flowers. 
Yellows are now represented by several beautiful varieties, very 
clear in tint and admirable in the form of the flowers. Florence is 
a floriferous yellow self, certificated last year; Stanstead Beauty, 
Chromatella, Canary Yellow, and Sulphur King being also charming 
varieties, differing slightly in depth of tint. All are good, but the 
first two are especially so. Niphetos and Lady Rosebery are also clear 
shades of yellow. 
Scarlets are abundant, many extremely rich and bright varieties 
being included in the collection. Robert Burns (new), dwarf and 
useful for marginal rows in large beds, rich deep scarlet, and exceed¬ 
ingly free ; forty to fifty buds on a plant. Magnum Bonum is a very 
free and beautiful variety, the bloom of good size and substance. 
Amethyst (new), dark crimson-scarlet, almost maroon, handsome, bold, 
and striking. Coroner is a fine true scarlet; Sir Archibald Grant of 
a crimson-scarlet hue, being similarly good. Heaton Bank Scarlet is 
one of the best of its class. James Wilkins (new), of a very bright 
light shade, most effective. Other fine scarlet seifs are Duke of Welling¬ 
ton, Fireman, Fire-eater, and Dan Godfrey. 
Purple and rose seifs possess considerable attractions, the richness of 
the former and the delicacy of the latter being highly pleasing. One of 
the best of the purples is Royal Purple, a grand variety of excellent 
habit, very free, and the blooms warm crimson-purple ; a most valuable 
variety for bedding. Auctioneer is another superb variety of the same 
class, very free, and of a rich crimson-purple hue. Walter Ware is a 
deep blue purple, quite distinct from the preceding, but equally good, 
the blooms being of exquisite form. Perhaps the best of the rose seifs is 
Mary Morris, which was certificated last year, and has been repeatedly 
mentioned in these columns; its large clear rose-coloured blooms are 
produced in great profusion. Lothair is a pale delicate pink, but pretty. 
Gertrude Teigner has small pink flowers, but freely produced. Mrs. 
Teigner, very similar in colour, but larger. The Governor is a charming 
blush self, the bloom of great size and substance. Blush Clove, a charm¬ 
ingly tinted variety of the old Clove, possessing all its fragrance, is also 
notable in this class. 
Bizarres. —The best of these are as follows :— Crimson. —Albion’s 
Pride, Gracilis, Lord Milton, Rifleman, Sir John Falstaff, Thomas Moore, 
and Young Milton. Pink and Purple .—James Taylor, Princess Beatrice, 
and Sarah Payne. Scarlet. —Admiral Curzon, Arthur Medhurst, Ben 
Simonite, Duke of Grafton, George, and Mars’ Son. 
Rose Flakes. Mrs. Laxton, Rosa Ann, Sybil, Mary Ann, John Keats, 
and James Merry weather. Purple Flakes.— Squire Trow, Mayor of 
Nottingham, James Douglas, and Doctor Foster. Scarlet Flakes.— Miss 
Bateman, Lord Lyon, Jupiter, Thomas Tomes, John Bull, and Dan 
Godfrey. 
PICOTEES. 
Though these are not so numerously represented a careful selection of 
the best varieties in cultivation are grown, and so well have they been 
chosen that nearly all the varieties possess merits of equal value. The 
following are the most notable for their good habit and floriferousness 
Crimson heavy edge—I. B. Bryant, Picturata, Lothair, Hilda, and 
Ensign. Medium edge.— Queen of Summers and Lord Valentia. Light 
edge. —Rev. F. D. Horner, Mrs. Keynes, Grosteen, and Emily. Purple 
heavy edge.— Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Medina, and Mrs. H. Chancellor. 
Medium edge.— Princess Dagmar, Rival Purple, and Mrs. May. Light 
edge .—Clara Benson, Baroness Burdett Coutts, Her Majesty, and Mrs. 
Langtry. Rose heavy edge .—Miss Gibbs, Royal Visit, and Mrs. Rayner. 
Medium edge. —Mrs. Summervale and Louisa. Light edge ,—Beauty of 
Plumstead, Lucy, Lady Boston, and Mrs. Fordham. 
All the above, both Carnations and Picotees, have been selected chiefly 
with regard to their effectiveness as border plants, the most floriferous 
the brightest or clearest colour, and those of best habit being only named. 
The whole collection is in fine condition, and very creditable to Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons’ trusted manager of this department, Mr. Swift. 
WEST OF ENGLAND ROSE SHOW. 
The seventeenth annual Exhibition of this Society was held as usual in 
the Shire Hall, Hereford, on Tuesday, July 10th, and in spite of the counter 
attractions of two highly popular Rose shows, which kept away some of the 
leading professional exhibitors, must be pronounced as quite up to the aver¬ 
age of recent years. Your correspondent had not the happiness of being 
present this year at the National Rose Society’s Exhibition at South Kens¬ 
ington, but he cannot here refrain from adding his mite of testimony to the 
truth of his friend “ Wyld Savage’s” remark, “that Roses this year are 
shown as a rule deficient in quality.” Some few blooms, doubtless, are 
unusually large, but the majority are decidedly undersized. Colour, like¬ 
wise, though occasionally brilliant, mostly is dull and lustreless ; while a 
general coarseness and lack of smoothness runs through most of the best 
collections. But surely these results are only what might have been expected 
from unseasonable cold weather, especially at night, retarding the develop¬ 
ment of early blooms, and more recently in the trying ordeal vegetation has 
experienced in fitfully passing through an almost tropical atmospheric 
humidity, to be suddenly varied with cold boisterous currents of wind. It is 
a fact, however strange, that Tea Roses have undoubtedly thrived the best, 
and are making such strong wood that a grand autumn bloom may be 
confidently expected. 
Messrs. Cranston & Co., whose maiden blooms are later even than usual this 
year, exhibited grandly at home quarters, and, as might be expected with so 
late a fixture, carried all before them, winning six first prizes, and only losing 
the first prize in the open Tea and Noisette class (not a very meritorious class), 
which an amateur, Mr. Grant, won. Mr. G. Davison took second prize with 
noticeable blooms of Abel Carriere (grand colour), Xavier Olibo, Duke of 
Wellington, Alfred K. Williams, &c. For thirty-six varieties, three trusses, 
Messrs. Cranston & Co. were first, Messrs. Keynes V Co. second, and Messrs. 
Cooling & Son third. For twenty-four varieties Cranston & Co. were first, 
Messrs. Keynes & Co. second, and Mr. W. Grove third. For eighteen varieties, 
three trusses, Mr. C. Whiting was first, Messrs. Cooling & Son second, 
and Mr. W. Grove third. For twenty-four varieties Mr. T. Griffiths was- 
first, Mr. C. Whiting second, and Messrs. Cooling & Son third. In 
this class Mr. Griffiths, Tillington Nurseries, exhibited a bloom of H.P. 
Constantin Tretiakoff of unusual size and perfect symmetry, smooth¬ 
ness and colour, quite unique, and the premier bloom in the exhibition 
hall. 
In Class D, collection of new Roses sent out by English nurserymen, 
and not in commerce previous to 1880, the most promising blooms appeared 
to be in the three competing hands ranged in the order given, Messrs. 
Cranston & Co., Messrs. Curtis, Sanford & Co., and Mr. G. Davison. H.P. 
Ullrich Brunner fils., already alluded to as useful and most promising j 
Pride of Waltham, a veritable duplicate of Marie Finger ; Lady Sheffield, 
of good size and bright colour ; Comte de Flandre, useful colour, and 
Helene Paul, a variety with which Messrs. Cranston & Co. took first prize 
for twelve trusses of any new Rose. Messrs. Curtis, Sanford <fe Co. second 
prize with Eride of Waltham. Not competed for third prize. For twenty- 
four trusses of any Rose, first Messrs. Cranston & Co. with glorious blooms 
of Alfred Colomb, second prize Mr. G. Davison with small but symmetrical 
blooms of Mons. E. Y. Teas, and third Mr. Giant with bold but small 
blooms of Alfred Colomb. 
In Class B, thirty-six varieties, open to the United Kingdom, Miss 
Bulmer, Broadlands, Hereford, won the first prize, which carries with it 
the distinction of the National Rose Society’s silver medal. Miss Bulmer 
also won the first prize given by J. G. Woodhouse, Esq., for the best 
amateur single bloom, H.P. Marie Rady. In this collection, which was admir¬ 
ably staged, and of good size and substance, the choicest blooms were Ullrich 
Brunner fils, Marie Rady, Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, Edouard Morren (smooth, 
and splendid), Comtesse d’Oxford, Duke of Edinburgh, and Mdlle. Gabriel 
Luizet. Mr. Grant, Ledbury, was second with fresh and compact blooms, 
and Mr. J. H. Arkwright, Hampton Court, Leominster, third. For twenty- 
four varieties, Mr. Grant, first; Mr. J. H. Arkwright, second ; Miss Bulmer, 
third. For twelve varieties, three trusses, Mr. J. H, Arkwright, first; Mr. 
Grant, second ; Miss Bulmer, third. 
Class C, restricted to Herefordshire, was well filled, and the collections- 
both in staging and in the freshness and general quality of the blooms, 
show a marked improvement. 
It is not usual, neither is it courteous, to criticise special prizes. The 
public, as well as competitors, do well to receive the good things offered 
them in silent gratitude; but a special offered two years running whichi 
fails to secure a single entry, to say the least of it is a puzzle, and an 
unattractive puzzle. Such, however, is the special prize offered by Cranston 
Company to the West of England Rose Society, which runs thus : “ Collec¬ 
tion of twenty-four English-raised Roses, not in commerce previous to 1879.”' 
Now it may be seen by the “Amateur Rose Exhibitor’s Text Book” issued 
this year by the National Rose Society, enumerating considerably over one 
hundred exhibition varieties, only five can be included as introduced into 
commerce since 1879. Could not Mr. Cranston prevail on the Company he 
so ably represents to give a cup, as individually he generously did, to the 
winner of the chief amateur prize in the schedule ? and there would be no 
lack of entries then. The competition in the floral decoration division 
was very keen, but hardly up to the mark of last year. The first prize for 
the drawing-room decoration, given by the Marquis of Bute, was artistically 
won by Miss Rachael Clowes, Burton Court; and second prize by Miss Alice 
Watkins, Willcroft. Miss Cypher, Cheltenham, obtained first prizes for 
both bridal and opera bouquets. The Judges were (over professional 
