JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 6,1882. ] 
11 
There is scarcely a finer hardy plant of tropical aspect, and now 
its immense umbels of white flowers make it extremely handsome. 
Before the seeds ripen the heads are cut off, as otherwise it would 
be a weed all over the garden, but in this way it is easily kept 
under control. The greatest luxuriance is attained where there 
is shade and moisture. It is commonly known as Heracleum 
giganteum.” 
- Mr. W. Iggulden, writing from Marston House Gardens, 
Frome, observes :—“ There is a remarkably fertile specimen of 
Abies (Picea) nobilis growing here. Several of the branches are 
carrying six or more handsome cones, but on one branch there is a 
cluster of ten large cones, and there are two more only slightly 
separated. They quite weigh down the branch, and I am afraid 
I shall have to remove them or lose the branch, which it is almost 
needless to say would much disfigure the tree. The fertile branch 
is about 30 feet from the ground.” 
- Mr. Peter Barr writes us as follows :—“ The partnership 
subsisting between myself (the managing partner) and Miss Fanny 
Pryor, under the style of Barr k Sugden, having ceased, I have 
commenced business under the style of Barr k Son at 34, King 
Street, Covent Garden, W.C.” One of the most extensive and 
varied collections of hardy flowers we have ever seen was staged 
by this firm on the occasion of the Rose Show at South Kensing¬ 
ton. The group occupied a length of tabling of upwards of 
100 feet, and consisted of fine masses of Liliums, Irises, Paris 
Daisies, Chrysanthemum segetum, Rhodanthes, Hydrangea pani- 
culata grandiflora, with a choice assortment of Delphiniums, 
Iberises, Ixias, Orchises, Calochorti, Gladioli, Funkias, Cloves, 
Pinks, a new white variety Peter Barr raised by Mr. Howard 
being particularly attractive, and many other flowers too nume¬ 
rous to mention. The collection afforded an agreeable change 
from the Roses in the corridor, and was much admired by visitors 
to the Show. 
- “ W. J. M., Clonmel," writes :—“ In your leading notes 
last issue you deservedly noticed some good things of recent 
introduction. Would you permit me to add HALVA moschata 
alba major, a new pure white Mallow, to those you name ? The 
Journal, while in no hurry to write down bedding and half-hardy 
plants, has never closed its space against the merits of herbaceous 
and hardy ones. I welcome this introduction of last year on this 
latter ground, and desire to give Mr. Cannell, Swanley Nurseries, 
the credit he deserves for adding it to our border flowers. If I 
remember rightly it was certificated by the Royal Horticultural 
Society in the autumn of 1881. It is, therefore, not as plentiful 
as it will be by-and-by. I have grown my plants in a cold frame. 
This attention they seem to like, but when more plentiful I shall 
give them a separate bed, and would recommend your readers to 
do so too.” 
- Relative to encouraging “all the year round” 
gardening amongst cottagers, Mr. W. H. Wharton, the 
Honorary Secretary of the Haslington Horticultural Society, 
writes :—“ In several Shows I am acquainted with, I notice that 
many competitors for the flower garden prizes embellish their 
flower beds a few days only before the Judges inspect them, 
allowing just sufficient time to establish the plants. This prac¬ 
tice is generally found to place at a great disadvantage other 
competitors whose gardens have been laid out and planted for 
a much longer period. The method we are now adopting will, 
we think, have a tendency to counteract this. The gardens are 
to be inspected during April, May, June, and July, and the 
period will probably be extended in next year’s competition. I 
do not know whether this plan is adopted in other districts, but 
if you approve of the principle, and deem it worthy of consi¬ 
deration, perhaps you will kindly commend it to others.” We 
approve of the plan and commend it, but when the competition 
is great and the district extensive we have found difficulties not 
infrequently arrive on the question of judging. 
NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. 
Bath, June 28th. 
This year’s provincial Exhibition of the National Rose Society was 
held under extremely favourable conditions in the Sydney Gardens, 
Bath. Nothing was wanting to insure success, as the citizens of 
Bath fully appreciate the queen of flowers, and the efforts of those 
who are the means of bringing together such quantities of Roses, this 
being very evident from the support in the shape of subscriptions 
given, extra prizes offered, and the large and brilliant assemblage that 
congregated to inspect the Exhibition. As we have before mentioned, 
the Sydney Gardens are most convenient and admirably adapted for 
an exhibition. The weather generally of late has been most unfavour¬ 
able for either exhibitions or the production of first-class Roses, and, 
indeed, of Roses of any description, owing to the prevalence and 
destructiveness of unusual numbers of insect pests. Hence the fre¬ 
quent remarks to be heard expressive of surprise at seeing so many 
excellent blooms staged. It is true, however, in nearly every case 
more or less the Roses staged gave signs of injury from excessive 
rains, this being more apparent in those of light shades. Many of 
these were faulty, and if staged as some exhibitions of the same 
magnitude would have spoilt the chances of the stands for the 
premier positions. A few of the well-known older varieties were 
conspicuously good throughout the display, and none more so than 
the Marquise de Castellane ; while Marie Baumann, Comtesse d’Ox- 
ford, A. K. Williams, Mons. E. Y. Teas, La France, Charles Lefebvre, 
Etienne Levet, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Hoi'ace Vernet, Alfred 
Colomb, and the Duchess of Edinburgh were largely and well shown. 
Most of the leading professional rosarians were represented, including 
Messrs. Paul k Son, Cheshunt; C. Turner & Sons, Slough ; Cranston 
and Co., Hereford ; G. Prince, Oxford ; Curtis, Sandford & Co. ; R. 
Yeitch & Co., Exeter; Cooling & Son, Bath, and others. While 
amateurs were well lepresented by Mr. Joseph Davis, Wilton, Salis¬ 
bury ; Mr. T. B. Hall, Rock Ferry, Cheshire ; Mi - . J. Scott, War¬ 
minster ; Mr. G. P. Hawtrey, Slough; Rev. J. H. Pemberton, 
Havering-atte-Bower, Romford; Miss J. Watson Taylor; Mr. A. 
Evans, Marston, Oxford ; the Rev. Alan Cheales, Brockham Yicarage, 
Surrey; Mr. C. Davies, Aynhoe, Banbury, and a few others. 
Nurserymen's Classes. —Great interest was centred in the class for 
seventy-two single trusses, in which the premier prize was a silver 
cup value £10, presented by the Mayor of Bath, with £5 added by 
the National Rose Society. This was easily secured by Messrs. Paul 
and Son, Cheshunt, their most formidable opponents’ Roses being 
scarcely up to their usual excellence. The Cheshunt Roses, though 
on the whole remarkably fine, still comprised several weak specimens, 
a difficulty evidently being experienced in staging so great a number 
f blooms, and this was still more apparent in the three other collec¬ 
tions staged. The best in the premier stands were the blooms of Francois 
Michelon, Etienne Levet, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Paul Neyron, Mrs. 
C. Wood, Charles Lefebvre, Guillaume Guillemot, Magna Charta, 
Catherine Mermet (Tea), Comtesse de Choiseul, Marquise ‘de Gibot, 
Marie Baumann, Marie Finger, A. K. Williams, Beauty of Waltham, 
Duchesse de Yallombrosa, Constantin Tretiakoff, Mons. E. Y. Teas, 
Comtesse de Nadaillac, Duke of Edinburgh, Ulrich Brummer, John 
Hopper, Ferdinand de Lesseps, La France, Xavier Olibo, Centifolia 
Rosea, Comtesse d’Oxford, Miss Poole, Alfred Colomb, and Prince 
Arthur. The second prize was awarded to Messrs. Cranston & Co. 
The Hereford Roses were of good size and substance, but bore unmis- 
takeable signs of adverse influences. The best were the blooms of 
Mdlle. Marguerite Mandin, Constantin Fretiakoff, Sir G. Wolseley, 
Marquise de Castellane, La France, A. K. Williams, Mons. E. Y. Teas, 
Comtesse d'Oxford, Beauty of Waltham, and Alfred Colomb. Messrs. 
Curtis, Sandford & Co. followed with much fresher but smaller 
blooms. Messrs. Parker & Son of Bristol were awarded the fourth 
prize, but most of their blooms were too far advanced. 
Messrs. Paul & Son were placed first in the next class, that for 
forty-eight distinct varieties, three blooms of each. Nearly the 
whole of the varieties mentioned as having formed part of their premier 
collection were again well represented. Messrs. Curtis, Sandford and 
Co. occupied second position with a collection inferior in size only, 
but at the time these notes were taken superior in freshness and 
colour, and less advanced than the Cheshunt Roses. The third prize 
was awarded to Messrs. Cranston & Co. for a creditable collection. 
With triplets of twenty-four distinct varieties Messrs. Paul & Son 
were again successful. Messrs. C. Turner k Sons secured the second 
prize in this class with generally good specimens. Messrs. Curtis, 
Sandford k Co. worthily occupied the third position. 
There were only two exhibitors of eighteen Teas and Noisettes, 
distinct, and in single trusses. Mr. G. Prince easily secured the first 
prize with a good collection, in which the best represented were 
Souvenir de Paul Neyron, Souvenir d’un Ami, Catherine Mermet, 
Francisca Kruger, Madame Lambard, Alba Rosea, Rubens, Amazone, 
Madame H. Jamain, and Moirfi. In Messrs. Paul & Son’s second- 
prize stand were good examples of Rubens, Comtesse de Nadaillac, 
Devoniensis, Souvenir d’un Ami, and Jean Ducher. Exhibitors in 
the foregoing classes were excluded from the three following. 
