July 26, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
73 
beds were 4 to 6 feet wide, with an alley between. At each end of 
the alleys a peg was driven into the ground, and between these pegs 
galvanised wire, I think No. 10, was stretched about an inch from the 
ground, though it rested on the ground in some places. Before securing 
the wire to the pegs a piece of small chain about 12 inches long was 
secured to the wire by passing the wire through a ring at one end of 
•the chain, and at the other end of the chain was a swivel ring, such as 
is used for dog chains, only both the chain and rings were smaller. 
The cats were secured to the chain by small collars, and the cats could 
run the whole length of the Strawberry beds without let or hindrance, 
and that they answered completely their purpose was evident by the 
fine fruit, principally President, being unmolested. It is necessary to 
state that at each end of the “run” a drain tile (about 9 inches 
diameter) was laid on its side in the line of the run, and slightly sloping 
to it, and the end furthest from the run in both cases was closed with 
a board, whilst those next the run were left open, thereby forming a 
good shelter for the cats in inclement weather. Saucers replete with 
■milk and other evidences of food being supplied, rendered the arrange¬ 
ment complete.— G. Abbey. 
DISHONEST ROSE-SHOWING AT SHEFFIELD. 
As you have alluded to this case, which was sul) juiice when your 
•reporter left, I should like to give the details, for a more barefaced 
.attempt at fraud was never made. Attention was first attracted by the 
remarkable character of the blooms, which were said to have been grown 
within six miles of Sheffield, and also by the fact that the labels on these 
and on another stand which came from a town famous for its Bose- 
growing were in the same hand-writing, and the same errors were observ¬ 
able in each. It was mentioned to me, and I was requested as Secretary 
of the National Bose Society to take action in the matter. My reply 
was that I could not act on “ suspicion,” and that a charge must be 
made and evidence adduced. This was done, and one of the offenders 
•came into the Bose tent, where our President Canon Hole, Mr. Whitwell, 
and others were. In an evil hour for himself the man offered to show 
anyone his garden. This was just what we wanted. A gentleman 
present who was desirous of unearthing the whole matter offered to pay 
the cab hire ; a competent person agreeable to both parties was selected ; 
I directed the box to be taken out of the Exhibition and carried off to 
compare with the trees from which the blooms were said to be cut. In 
an hour’s time they returned. The culprit walked coolly into the tent 
and said as calmly as possible, “ They were not my own growing ; two 
or three of us thought we could manage it! ”—a piece of cool effrontery 
I certainly never saw equalled. He received a suitable lecture from 
our President, but I think some of those whom he had befooled to go 
four miles were much more inclined to apply stronger measures. I need 
not say the boxes were disqualified, and a card was put on each “ Dis¬ 
qualified for dishonest showing;” while the person who supplied the 
blooms, and who had got a prize in another class, was informed his prize 
money would be withheld. As these prompt measures were adopted I 
-do not think it well to give the names ; but assuredly these persons will 
never be allowed to exhibit at any future exhibition of the National 
Bose Society. The decision gave general satisfaction, as the parties 
had been long suspected ; and it was fortunate that this occurred at an 
exhibition of a society which was independent of all local influences, 
and shows the valuable influence exercised by the National Bose Society. 
—D., Deal, 
DARLINGTON ROSE SHOW. 
When some time ago I drew attention to the liberal schedule offered 
by this newly-formed Society, I ventured to prophesy that it would be 
sure to attract a goodly number of exhibitors, and that its promoter, my 
excellent friend Mr. Whitwell, might look forward to a good show, although 
the date fixed, July 18th, was somewhat late for the southern amateurs. 
I say amateurs, because they are mostly dependent on cutbacks, while the 
nurserymen with their large quantities of maiden plants are just as able, 
in fact better able, to show at the later as well as the earlier dates. My 
prophecy was amply fulfilled, and an extensive and excellent display of 
Boses was the result of the exertions that had been made ; in fact, I think 
the Exhibition was quite equal to that held at Darlington last year by the 
National Rose Society. 
The Exhibition was held in the same place, Southend Park, close to the 
town of Darlington, and in a larger and better tent than that used last year. 
The park had been kindly placed at the disposal of the Society by the 
Misses Pease, and was most suitable for the purpose. Of course, in such 
an Exhibition everything depends on the weather. A Rose show in a tent 
pitched on grass is a dreary thing in wet weather, and happily, although the 
weather had been very threatening and showery during the few previous 
days, yet it held up wonderfully until the evening, when a heavy shower 
fell. There was one circumstance that militated against the attendance, and 
that was the Boyal Agricultural Society’s Meeting at York, and on this day 
the ever-popular Prince of Wales was to lay the foundation stone of a new 
institute. This attracted a large number of the country gentry who had 
been attracted there, while there were excursion trains from all directions. 
This prevented the same amount of success as last year, still upwards of 
£150 was taken at the gates—a very notable result when compared with some 
other exhibitions which have been lately held. I have been at a good many 
Rose shows, but I may, without hesitation, say that a better managed 
one I never assisted at. Mr. Whitwell took the entire arrangement upon 
himself ; he was not hampered with a committee, and having an excellent 
staff of clerks at his disposal, all ran as smoothly as possible. Mr. Byers, 
the Assistant Secretary, had everything arranged in excellent order. The 
boxes were placed in the position in which they remained until the close of 
the Exhibition, the classes commenced at one end of the tent and went round 
in consecutive order to the other end, a numerous staff of Judges assisted, 
and at the appointed hour the public were admitted, the most difficult class 
to judge, the seventy-two, being the only one over which the Judges had 
to linger so long as not to be quite ready when the hour for admission 
came. The innovation introduced at Sheffield of appointing lady judges was 
again carried out, and Mrs. Whitwell ably discharged her duty—the critical 
eye and practised judgment, which so materially help in her home flowers, 
were invaluable in deciding on the merits of others, and in no case did I hear 
any complaint of the judgment. 
In going over the principal awards I proceed, as in duty bound, to the 
amateurs first; and here, as might be supposed, Mr. Whitwell, being at 
home and being able to cut his flowers in the morning, exhibited in mag¬ 
nificent style. I question if his box of thirty-six has been equalled this 
year, and, as far as my judgment goes, was much in advance of that which 
won the challenge cup at South Kensington. I have mentioned a bloom of 
Marie Baumann at New Brighton which seemed to me the best I had seen 
this year, but it was eclipsed by one shown to-day by Mr. Whitwell in this 
stand—equalling that in colour and form, but excelling it much in size. He 
had besides in this stand La France, Etienne Levet, Thomas Mills, Mar¬ 
guerite de St. Amand, Frangois Michelon, a grand bloom ; Alfred Colomb, 
Baron Hausmann, Madame George Schwartz, two excellent blooms of 
varieties not often seen now ; Dupuy Jamain, Capitaine Christy, a splendid 
bloom ; Camille Bernardin, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Louis Van Houtte, 
Duchesse de Morny, Ernest Prince, Comtesse de Serenye, A. K. Williams, 
very fine; Sultan of Zanzibar, a grand highly coloured flower; Charles 
Lefebvre, Due de Rohan, very good; Marquise de Casteilane, Senateur 
Vaisse. Annie Wood, splendid (I know no one who shows this variety as 
Mr. Whitwell does) ; Duke of Wellington, Le Havre, Mons. E. Y. Teas, 
Emilie Hausberg, very good ; Madame Victor Verdier, Paul Neyron, 
a moderately sized bloom and very good—not at all the monster that he 
usually is ; Madame Charles Wood, and John Stuart Mill. Mr. T. B. Hall 
of Rock Ferry was a good second ; but he was handicapped, as the expres¬ 
sion is, by the fact of his having had to cut his flowers the day before and 
bring them a long and tedious journey by rail. The third stand was dis¬ 
qualified for having no less than five Marie Baumanns in it. In the class 
for eighteen Mr. Whitwell was again first with Marguerite de St. Amand, 
Duke of Wellington, Due de Bohan, Baronne de Rothschild, Thomas Mills, 
Alfred Colomb, Dupuy Jamain, Madame Victor Verdier, Capitaine Christy, 
Annie Wood, Eugene Verdier, Frangois Michelon, Etienne Levet, Marie 
Baumann, La France, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, a splendid flower ; and 
Charles Lefebvre. Mr. Hall was again second, and Mr. Hanlin third. In 
the class for twenty-four Mr. J. Burrell of Heighington, Darlington, was 
first with an excellent stand of Devienne Lamy, Louis Van Houtte, Madame 
Gabriel Luizet, Le Havre, Duchesse de Yallombrosa, Jean Liabaud, Etienne 
Levet, Beauty of Waltham, Comtesse de Serenye, Duchess of Bedford, 
Marguerite de St. Amand, A. K. Williams, Marquise de Casteilane, Madame 
Victor Verdier, May Quennell (coarse), Marie Baumann, Comtesse d’Oxford, 
La France, Marie Baumann, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, Duke of Wellington, 
Eugene Verdier, Horace Vernet, and Countess of Rosebery. The Rev. J. H. 
Pemberton was second, and the Rev. J. Garnet, Christleton Rectory, third. 
In the class for twelve Teas or Noisettes Mr. C. Davies, The Grammar 
Schools, Aynhoe, was first with Souvenir d’un Ami, Souvenir de Paul Neyron, 
Madame Lambard, Alba Rosea, Anna Ollivier, Souvenir de Madame Pernet, 
Marbchal Niel, President, and Marie Van Houtte. Mr. Hall was second, 
Mr. Pemberton third, Mr. Whitwell fourth, and Mr. Mawley extra. The 
chief local prizes were won by Mr. McLachlan, and Mr. A. Pease, M.P. 
In the open classes the prize for twelve single trusses of any dark Hybrid 
Perpetual was won by Mr. G. Prince, Oxford, with a splendid box of A. K. 
Williams ; Messrs. Paul & Son were second with fresh but small blooms of 
