JOURNAL OF HORTICLLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
62 
[ July 21, 1881. 
of the blooms. The specimens at Isleworth are grafted on clean 
stems 4 to 5 feet high, and have fine close heads 3 or 4 feet in 
diameter, of hemispherical form. The flowers are produced in 
great profusion ; indeed so numerous were they that the foliage 
was scarcely visible on some of the standards, and the pleasing 
purple tint already referred to is especially noticeable on a bright 
sunny day. The plant is unquestionably a really useful one, and 
deserves to be much more generally known.— Visitor. 
HITCHIN ROSE SHOW. 
The first Exhibition of the Hitchin Rose Society was held on 
Wednesday last under the favourable auspices of fine weather and 
fair Roses. The Society originated through the endeavours of the 
Rev. F. H. Gall, the Honorary Secretary. At present the scope of 
the Rose Society is limited to the locality of twenty miles from 
Hitchin ; and although Hertfordshire includes the gardens of several 
of the principal cultivators and exhibitors of the Rose, these, with 
the exception of Messrs. Francis of Hertford, who are chiefly occupiers 
of light land, are not within the radius. The hot chalky soil of the 
district is, perhaps, as unsuitable as any in the latitude for the growth 
of exhibition Roses, and consequently the drift or boulder clays of 
the neighbouring counties produced the blooms of at least four of 
the chief exhibitors, and it may be a question whether chalk and 
gravel-grown Roses should not in future be made the subject of a 
separate class at Hitchin. 
In the open class for twenty-four varieties Messrs. E. P. Francis and 
Co., of the Hertford Nurseries, were first with fine-coloured and regu¬ 
lar blooms, including Madame Victor Verdier, Antoine Ducher, and 
Elie Morel, the latter two being exceptionally good blooms of un¬ 
certain varieties. Messrs. Francis had also good flowers of A. K. 
Williams, Pierre Hotting, Marguerite Brassac, Reynolds Hole, and 
Marguerite Jamain, a light Rose of the type of Marguerite de 
St. Amand, but a little thin. The Rev. W. H. Jackson of Stags- 
den Rectory, Bedford, was second with several very fine blooms, 
but his stand was less regular than the last; his best Roses were 
Pierre Netting (very large, and which obtained the silver medal 
of the National Rose Society as the best H.P. in the Show), 
Madame Gabriel Luiset, an excellent light Rose, and almost constant 
this season as a good show variety; Baronne de Bonstetten, Jean 
Liabaud, Marie Rady, Madame Victor Verdier, and Marguerite de St. 
Amand. Mr. Laxton of Bedford was third, having A. K. Williams, 
Marie Rady, Souvenir d’Elise, Madame Prosper Langier, Comtesse 
d’Oxford, and Catherine Mermet amongst his best blooms. 
In the amateurs’ class for twelve varieties the cup (not the conven¬ 
tional two-handled useless piece of metal-chasing of wafer constitu¬ 
tion, but a good, substantial, plain English silver pint) fell to the lot 
of the Rev. E. L. Fellowes of Wimpole Rectory, Royston, who had 
the best and prettiest stand in the Exhibition, and well sustained the 
reputation of the Wimpole Roses. Horace Vernet, Paul Verdier, 
Auguste Rigotard, Senateur Vaisse, Reynolds Hole, Marie Van Houtte, 
Le Havre, La France, Marguerite Brassac, Sir Garnet Wolseley, and 
Marie Rady were all good alike, and Comtesse de Serenye as well as 
could be expected. Mr. Jackson was second, and the Rev. W. F. 
Jennyns, Knebworth Rectory, third. 
Teas and Noisettes were particularly good, and in the open class 
for twelve varieties Mr. Fellowes was first, his best blooms being Com¬ 
tesse de Nadaillac,on this occasion in her deepest colours, Triomphe 
de Rennes, Madame Caroline Kuster, Alba Rosea, and Catherine 
Mermet. Mr. Laxton was second, having good flowers of Madame 
Barillet Deschamps, pure white ; Triomphe de Rennes, Devoniensis, 
and Catherine Mermet amongst his best blooms. 
In the amateurs’ class for nine Teas and Noisettes Mr. Fellowes, 
who was again first, had Anna Ollivier. Perle des Jardins, Marie Van 
Houtte, Amazone, promising for exhibition ; Comtesse de Nadaillac, 
Souvenir de Madame Pernet, Jean Ducher, and Madame C. Kuster, all 
good. The Rev. W. H. Jackson was second, his fine bloom of 
Catherine Mermet being crowned with the bronze medal of the 
National Society as the best Tea or Noisette in the Exhibition. Mr. 
Jackson had also good flowers of William Allen Richardson, very 
distinct in colour, orange apricot, but thin ; Marechal Niel, Innocente 
Pirola, and Comtesse Riza du Parc. The minor classes were fairly 
well filled, but principally by locally-grown blooms from the chalk. 
Mr. Gall is to be congratulated upon his quiet, inexpensive, and yet 
most successful management, and not a few will be disappointed if 
there be not another and a long continuation of such Rose shows at 
Hitchin.—T. Laxton, Bedford. 
SUMMER-SOWN ONIONS. 
Strictly speaking, Mr. Luckhurst is correct in describing 
Onions that are sown in July as summer-sown, but he will no! 
change the old time-honoured and well-understood designation of 
such Onions. Winter Onions they have beeD, I believe, from 
time immemorial, and winter Onions they will remain, the term 
being clearly distinctive from spring Onions and intelligible. Of 
far more importance is his experience of the Silver Queen Onion 
for sowing at this period of the year, for it is a fact that Onions 
are often wanted in the spring before they are ready. My 
experience with the variety named is the same as Mr. Luckhurst’s. 
The Queen sown in July is most valuable for early use. So is the 
old silver-skinned pickling Onion. Let Mr. Luckhurst try this 
with the Queen as I have done, and he will, perhaps, be astonished 
at the fine bulbs he will have. Either or both of these so-termed 
small Onions ought to be sown in addition to, not instead of, the 
ordinary Tripoli Onions any time before the end of the present 
month, and an early and prolonged supply of fresh Onions will 
be had during the spring and summer, until the regular spring- 
sown crop is ready for pulling.—J. D. E. 
THE NATIONAL CARNATION AND PICOTEE 
SOCIETY.— July 19th. 
The Exhibition of the southern section of this Society was 
held at South Kensington on Tuesday last, and proved the largest 
that has been held since the Society commenced its new series of 
exhibitions. The flowers were finer than could have been ex¬ 
pected in such hot weather, whilst in Selfs and Fancies the num¬ 
bers staged far exceeded all previous exhibitions. The new 
flowers were remarkable, and the raisers deserve high commen¬ 
dation. Annexed are a few notes of the best flowers shown. 
In the first-prize collection of twenty-four Carnations Mr. E. S. 
Dodwell had fine examples of the following :—Fred, S.B., a very 
broad-petalled variety with bold markings, the same variety 
winning the prize as the premier Carnation in Mr. Douglas’s 
stand of twelve. Other scarlet bizarres were James McIntosh, 
a large high-coloured flower with a good petal ; George, S.B., with 
a petal similar in shape to Admiral Curzon ; Arthur Medhurst, 
S.B., excellent; Seedling, S.B., a full flower, with large petals full 
of colour. In crimson bizarres Master Fred Hewitt was fine, 
and Shirley Hibberd, too, was good ; Mr. Gorton, with the finest 
petal in the stand, lacked colour ; Harry Matthews, s.F., a large 
flower, was first-rate ; Mrs. Matthews, R.F., a fine flower, won 
first prize as a seedling. This stand altogether was fine, lacking 
only in the purple flakes, which, owing to the heat, had gone off. 
Mr. Douglas had fine flowers of Joseph Crossland, s.B., a seed¬ 
ling of Mr. Simonite’s, a full bold flower with deep maroon 
stripes ; Admiral Curzon, Robt. Lord, and Dreadnought, S.B.’s, 
were all fine; Wm. Spoor, S.B., a Newcastle variety, lacked 
purity in its white, in other respects it was a fine large flower. 
The purple flakes were quite a feature in this stand, and im¬ 
proved it very much ; they consisted of Florence Nightingale, 
Earl of Stamford, and Jas. Douglas. Mr. Charles 'Turner had 
also some fine examples, his best flowers being John Burnett, s.B.; 
Mars, s.B. ; Matador, a S.F. with large petal and very bold mark¬ 
ing, winning first in class ; they were, however, far past their 
best. Mr. J. Hines had a fine S.B. called Godbold ; this was 
extra fine. Mr. Douglas’s second-prize collection of twelve Car¬ 
nations included the premier bloom, Fred, s.B., a seedling raised 
by Mr. Dodwell, an extra fine flower. 
The Ficotees were very fine, Mr. Douglas winning first for 
twenty-four with fine specimens. Amongst the best were Jessie, 
L.p. ; Norfolk Beauty, h.p. ; Mrs. H. Chancellor, H.P., winning the 
premier place as the best Picotee in the Show. Thomas William, 
l.r.p., was here very good, as also in the classes, and no doubt it 
is the best light red in cultivation; Clara Penson, L.P., fine and 
large ; and Her Majesty, L.P., was also very fine. Mr. Charles 
Turner was second with handsome flowers of Mr. Payne, H.R. ; 
Dr. Epps, h.r. ; Thomas Jivens, L.R. ; and Tinnie, H.P., a seed¬ 
ling raised by Mr. Dodwell. In the twelve Picotees Mr. Douglas 
was first, and Mr. Dodwell second. Mr. Douglas had Princess 
of Wales, H.R., handsome ; Mary, L.P., was also extra fine. Mrs. 
Gorton, l.r., a seedling of Simonite’s, was also shown flue here. 
In Mr. Dodwell’s stand Marvel, h.p., was noteworthy ; also Mary, 
which won first prize as a seedling. Minnie, l.p., raised by 
Mr. Lord, was in beautiful condition. The Judges were Messrs. 
Llewelyn, Thos. Moore, Rev. F. D. Horner, Hewitt, Simonite, 
Rudd, Lord, Kirtland, Turner, and Ball.— Geo. Rudd. 
A list of the awards with the names of the principal varieties 
shown is appended, and the number of entries will convey some 
idea of the extent of the Exhibition. The blooms were arranged 
upon tables in the Council-room, some of the collections not in 
competition being placed in the corridor. 
Carnations. —Most of the classes were well filled and the quality 
good. The principal class was that for twenty-four blooms, not less 
than twelve distinct varieties. The premier prize was secured by 
E. S. Dodwell, Esq., 11, Chatham Terrace, Larkhall Rise, Clapham, 
with handsome blooms of John Ball, Master Fred, Fred, James 
McIntosh, James Cheetham, Mrs. Matthews, John Keet, Thomas 
Moore, George, Admiral Curzon, Mrs. Tomes, Arthur Medhurst, 
Harry Matthews, Squire Llewelyn, E. S. Dodwell, William Skirving, 
Mrs. Gorton, and Shirley Hibberd. Mr. J. Douglas, gardener to 
