14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 3, 1884. 
followed in the order named with collections of nearly equal merit. In the 
class for four bunches of Grapes, two black and two white, Mr. R. Grindrod, 
Whitfield, Hereford, was the leading prizetaker with remarkably fine, but 
not quite ripe. Muscats and good Black Hamburghs, Messrs. Wallis and 
Dawes following closely in the order named. Mr. Grindrod was also first 
with two bunches of black Grapes—splendid Hamburghs, Messrs. Johnson 
and Edmonds following. Mr. Grindrod was once more first with white 
Grapes—fine Muscats, Messrs. Sleightholme and Sunley being second and 
third respectively. Mr. Jefferson, gardener to J. Garside, Esq., Carlton 
House, Worksop, was first for a Pine, and Mr. T. Hare, gardener to R. H. C. 
Neville, Esq., Wellingore, Grantham, second. Mr. W. Wallis took the first 
prize for a dish of Peaches, Grosse Mignonne, and Mr. J. Eastwood the 
second prize. Mr. Sleightholme was awarded the first prize for a dish of 
Lord Napier Nectarines, second Mr. R. Dawes for Violette Hative, the third 
prize going to Mr. Thos. Hare. Melons were numerous and good, Mr. J. A. 
Mann obtaining the first prize, Mr. J. Edmonds the second, and Mr. T. Hare 
the third. The first-prize was a seedling, for which a certificate was awarded 
—the first, probably, ever granted for a fruit that was not cut. Prizes were 
not offered for vegetables. Cucumbers excepted, and for which Mr. Clark, 
Rodley, secured the first prize. Such is the character of the Leeds Show— 
the pioneer, we trust, of even better exhibitions to be held under similarly 
bright auspices, which rendered it a well-won success, nearly 14,000 persons 
having visited the Exhibition. 
STAGING ROSES. 
Like “ Ayrshire Amateur,” I think no additional foliage should he 
staged Muth Roses, and I also think it would be a step in the right direction 
to have the blooms raised more above the boxes or moss on which they are 
placed than the followers of the orthodox fashion advocate. This would 
necessitate some means of support, as even the strongest H.P.’s would 
droop a little after being on the exhibition table for some time. I am not 
an exhibitor of Roses, and perhaps I am treading on dangerous ground in 
daring to make a suggestion to the knights of the queen of flowers, who I 
daresay know their business better than an outsider. 
The “ Ayrshire Amateur’s ” question in last week’s Journal reminds 
me that I have seen Roses staged 6 inches above the boxes, and supported 
by wires so arranged that they are scarcely observable, 
and the green foliage thus introduced gives the boxes a 
better and less formal appearance. These supports are 
very easily and quickly made. Get some wire just suffi¬ 
ciently stiff to keep in position the majority of Rose stems. 
Cut it in to 6 or 8 -inch lengths. Now get a piece of wood 
similar to that represented at A in the accompanying 
sketch. It should he about 6 inches long, half an inch in 
diameter, perfectly round and smooth. Take three stout , 
tacks with broad heads and drive into the piece of wood ^ ! 
in the position indicated at a, h, c, leaving about half an I ; 
inch space between each, and projecting from the wood I 
about one-eighth of an inch. The end of the wire is ^ (' 
placed between the nails, tmmed at right angles at 
twisted round the piece of wood and again turned round c, A 
and so brought straight down from the latter. Ic is then pig. 4 . 
eased over the head of the nail at c and slipped off the 
wood at the bottom end. The result is a support similar to that repre¬ 
sented at B. In staging, the stem of the Rose is inserted sidewise into this, 
and the base of the bloom drawn down into the ring thus formed and 
tied at the bottom of the wire. It is then ready for placing in the tubes. 
The wu’e should, of course, he placed behind the stem when on the stand. 
A similar reformation might be tried in staging Chrysanthemums, as 
suggested by someone some time ago in your pages, and the same sort of 
wires would do for supporting them. How much better would a stand of 
the beautiful feathery Japanese look with their bold green foliage amongst 
them ? But here I must stop, as I have no wish to say anything that 
would sound like heresy in the ears of the professional “ dressers,” or in 
any way interfere with their mysterious art.—R. Inglis. 
REIGATE ROSE SHOW. 
Never perhaps have the uncertainties of our climate been more apparent 
than in the present season. Three weeks ago, notwithstanding the mildness 
of the past winter and the consequent early growth of the plants, there 
seemed every prospect of a good bloom and a pleasant season for the 
exhibitor and the frequenter of our numerous Rose shows. Then came a 
week or ten days of dull, sunless, unpleasant weather. The buds stood 
still—they were fully formed and partly coloured ; they wanted hut a few 
days of showery weather and then the sun. Instead of that they had no 
rain—they had a cold and sunless time, the nights especially being very 
cold ; and then came an outburst of tropical sun. The buds were forced 
into opening before they had attained half their size, and when they did 
burst forth there came, not a “nipping frost,” but a hot blazing sun, and 
destroyed the hopes of many who had heretofore hoped to achieve success. 
It thus happened that the Reigate Show was not at all up to the mark, 
and but for the novelty introduced into it would have been a great dis¬ 
appointment to its promoters. The novelty was this. Three of the leading 
Rose-growers of Reigate—Mr. A. J. Waterlow of Great Doods, Mr. Baker of 
Holmfels, and Mr. Haywood of Woodhatch—entered collectively into com¬ 
petition with any Rose-grower for sale who might like to venture. The 
prize, which was subscribed by the three gentleman named, was £15, and 
the contest was looked forward to with much interest. The gentlemen 
were to bring together their best blooms, and a selection was to be made 
from them for a box of seventy-two. This was, as Mr. George Paul stated 
afterwards, perhaps too large a number for the amateurs, for nurserymen 
have so much larger a number of varieties to cull from that it must give 
them a great advantage. As it was, the nurserymen were the victors. 
the two stands of Messrs. R. B. Cant and Geo. Paul being considerably 
ahead ; but even they were not up to their usual excellence, and both in size 
and quality of the bloom showed the effect of the broiling sun we have bad 
for some ten days past. After a very close competition the prize was 
awarded to Mr. Cant for the following :—Queen of Queens, Msrveille de 
Lyon, Alfred Dumesnil, Ulrich Brjinner, Mons. Noman, Horace N^rnet, 
Louis Dord, John Hopper, Madame Victor Verdier, Edith Giffard, Catherine 
Mermet, Beauty of IValtham, Duke of Edinburgh, Marie Baumann, Caroline 
Kuster, Emily Laxton, Miss Hassard, Rubens, Princess Mary of Cambridge, 
Marie Verdier, Duke of Teck, Duchesse de Morny, Le Havre, Victor Verdiei, 
Souvenir de la Malmaison, Alfred Colomb, Edouard Mon'en, Baroness 
Rothschild, Annie Laxton, Madame Isaac Periere, Xavier Olibo, La Prance, 
Niphetos, Souvenir d’Elise, Dr. Andry, Perle des Jardins, Marquise de 
Castellane, Marie Cointet, Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Innocente Pirola, 
Madame Villermoz, Ville de Lyon, Madame Moreau, Earl of Pembroke, 
Belle Lyonnaise, Jules Margottin, Madame Nachury, Gendral Jacqueminot, 
Moird, Duke of Wellington, Louis Van Hoiitte, Madame Bravy, Gabriel 
Liiizet, Madame Eugenie Verdier, Marie Van Houtte, and A. K. Williarns. 
In Class 1, for twenty-four varieties, Mr. Brown was first with a, 
good box of Etienne Levet, Marie Rady, A. K. Williams, Duchesse de yal- 
lombrosa, Emily Laxton, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Ulrich Brunner, Mrs. Baker, 
E. Y. Teas, Dr. Andry, Jean Ducher, Paul Jamain, La Prance, Edouard 
Morren, Pride of Waltham, &c., Mr. Slaughter being second. _ In Class 4, for 
twelve Teas or Noisettes, Mr. Girdlestone was first with a nice box consist¬ 
ing of Jean Ducher, Souvenir de Paul Neyron, Etoile de Lyon (very Kood), 
Caroline Knster, Madame Bravy, Souvenir d’un Ami, Niphetos, Perle des 
Jardins, Perle de Lyon, Marie Van Houtte, and Rubens. In Class 2 , twelve 
trebles, Mr. Sargent was first with Duke of Wellington, Marquise (ffi Castel¬ 
lane, Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, Marie Baumann, Star of Waltliam,_ Capitaine 
Christy, E. Y. Teas, Mrs. Laxton, La Prance, Lady Mary Pitzwrlliarn. In 
Class 10 Mr. Cuthell was first for six Teas. In Class G, for twelve varieties, 
Mr. Stone was awarded first prize for E. Y. Teas, Edouard Morren, Madarne 
Clemence Joigneaux, Franpois Michelon, Dr. Hogg, Charles Lefebvre. Mane 
Einger, Mrs. Baker, Marie Baumann, and Baronne de Rothschild. This box 
was also awarded the gold medal of the National Rose Society for the best 
box in the Show. In Class 10, for six Teas or Noisettes, the first prize was 
awarded to Mr. E. C. Cuthell for Marie Van Houtte, Caroline Kuster, Anna 
Ollivier, Jean Ducher, and two others. The silver medal for the best Hybrid 
Perpetual was awarded to Mr. A. J. Waterton, and for the best Tea or 
Noisette to Mr. T. C. Pawle. The first prize for anyone who had not obtained 
a prize before at the Reigate Show was awarded to Mr. Barrett. Three very 
pretty baskets of the latter, introduced by Mr. Geo. Paul at the Natiorml 
Rose Society, were exhibited, the first prize going to Miss Sargent, the 
second to Miss Baker. Some charming boxes of Teas and Noisettes were 
exhibited by Mr. Prince of Oxford, and were greatly admired. _ • j j 
I have only been able to indicate a few of the principal prizes ; indeed, 
it is very hard to get away from the genial hospitality of the Reigate folk, 
who are so well known for their kindness. The Exhibition was held in two 
tents in the delightful grounds of Mr. Hey wood, the President of the Society, 
and everything was done to make the day an agreeable one to the visitors, 
and the day being a lovely one the grounds looked perfection. The season 
was against the exhibitors, or there would have been, from, the number of 
good Rose-growers in the neighbourhood and from the experience of former 
years, a very excellent Show; as it was, the introduction of the class for 
seventy-two’s was a novelty, which excited so much interest that the gar¬ 
dener of one enthusiastic rosarian had to telegraph who was the conqueror. 
—D., Beal. 
CODONOPSIS. 
The Codonopsis, which now includes the genus Gossocomia, by 
which the species C. ovata has been known in gardens, are, I believe, 
confined to the mountains of the Himalayas. It is closely allied on the 
one hand to Campanumoea, a small genus confined to Java, and dis- 
coverei by M. Blume; and on the other to the genus Canarina, found 
only in the Canary Islands. In form and habit of growth, with the 
exception of the drooping flowers, it closely imitates our well-known 
Platycodon grandiflorum. The genus is small, including not more than 
six really good and useful garden plants. It is to be regretted that only 
two of the species are in general cultivation in our gardens. Like most 
of the Himalayan plants, they require a semi-shady situation and a fair 
amount of moisture during the growing season for their development. 
The soil should be light, with a small admixture of peat. 
C. ovata is a plant well adapted for either flower border or rockery. 
Bushy in habit, it seldom attains more than 18 inches in height. The 
stems are slender, straggling, and well clothed with oval-shaped bluish- 
green leaves, terminating with numerous drooping bell-shaped flowers, 
much the same colour on the outside as the Platycodon. In the inside 
the colours are various. The stamens rise from the base of the style, 
and between each one on small receptacles bright clear globules are 
nearly always present. The smell, although not repugnant, is anything 
but sweet. It flowers from June to August, and ripens seed freely in 
dry seasons. 
C. rotundifolia, known also as C. lurida, is a very handsome climbing 
or trailing plant of singular merit for rockwork or for draping tree 
stumps, &c. The shoots grow from 6 to 8 feet long. The leaves are 
nearly round, and the whole plant is covered with long rigid hairs. 
The flowers droop, as in the above, are much larger, cup-shaped, with 
the tips of the corolla divisions recurved. They are of a dull greenish 
colour outside, but brighter inside. It flowers from July to September. 
—M. S. 
RICHMOND SHOW. 
June 26th. 
Favoured by extremely fine weather the annual horticultural Show at 
Richmond was held in the Old Deer Park on Thursday last, the exhibits 
