76 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
been mainly through the exertions of Mr. Whitwell, Barton Hall, 
along with a few influential gentlemen in Darlington to assist him. 
All may congratulate themselves on the result of their labours, and 
the success achieved may be attributed considerably to the influence 
of the promoters and the central position Darlington commands. We 
hope this may induce the inhabitants of the town to hold an exhi¬ 
bition yearly, as horticulture is well represented in the neighbour¬ 
hood. Referring to the Exhibition, it was considered by gentlemen 
well fitted to form an opinion that it is the best that has been 
held this year, the only one approaching it being that held at 
Kensington on the 4th inst. 
Nurserymen's Classes .—In Division A, for forty-eight Roses, single 
trusses, there were seven entries. The first forty-eight were far in 
advance of the others in size of flower, colour, and form, these being 
from Mr. B. R. Cant, Colchester, who had fine examples of Duke of 
Edinburgh, very large and rich in colour, nearly G inches in diameter; 
Marie Baumann, Elie Morel, Madame Charles Wood, Alfred Colomb, 
Madame Hippolyte Jamain, Etienne Levet, Triomphe de Lorraine, 
Madame Gabriel Luizet, Countess of Rosebery, A. K. Williams, Com- 
tesse de Paris, and Mrs. Harry Turner. Messrs. Paul & Son, Old 
Nurseries, Cheshunt, were second with some fine blooms of Marie 
Baumann, Pride of Waltham, Madame Victor Verdier, Reynolds 
Hole, Exposition de Brie, La Duchesse de Morny, Duchess of Bedford, 
and Comtesse de Choiseul. The Cranston Nursery and Seed Com¬ 
pany, Hereford, were third, their best flowers being Constantin Tretia- 
koff. A. K. Williams, Perle des Jardins, Countess of Rosebery, Pride 
of Waltham, Hippolyte Jamain, and Madame Hippolyte Jamain. 
In the class for twenty-four flowers, three trusses, there were also 
seven competitors. Mr. George Prince, Oxford, Messrs. Cant and 
Cranston were the respective winners. The first stand contained 
good flowers of Baronne de Rothschild, La Duchesse de Morny. Annie 
Wood, La France, Due de Rohan, Souvenir de Madame Pernet, Alfred 
Colomb, Due de Rohan, Madame Marie Verdier, very fine ; Mdlle. 
Marie Finger, Louis Van Houtte. The second lot contained Duke of 
Edinburgh, La France, Madame Eugenie Verdier, Madame Marie 
Finger, Countess of Rosebery, Dupuy Jamain, Horace Vernet, and 
Fisher Holmes. 
In Division B, for thirty-six single trusses, Messrs. Davison & Co., 
Hereford, won chief honours with fine blooms of La France, Victor 
Verdier, Eugene Verdier, Mons. Etienne Levet, Mons. E. Y. Teas, 
Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Duke of Connaught, Belle Lyonnaise, 
Ferdinand de Lesseps, Mons. Noman, Mrs. Laxton, Senateur Vaisse, 
Madame Charles Wood, and Mdlle. Thfirese Levet. Mr. John House, 
Eastgate Nursery, Peterborough, was second ; Mr. Thomas Horseman, 
Ilkley, third ; and Mr. Frettingham, Beeston Nurseries, Ndttingham, 
was awarded an extra prize in this class. For eighteen Roses, three 
trusses each, Messrs. Davison & Co., Hereford, were first, followed by 
Messrs. Frettingham and Harkness. The former had good blooms of 
Baronne de Rothschild, Marie Baumann, Alfred Colomb. Horace 
Vernet, La France, Peach Blossom, Louis Van Houtte, Ferdinand de 
Lesseps, Marquise de Castellane, and Mons. E. Y. Teas. 
For twelve Teas or Noisettes, distinct, Mr. B. R. Cant and Mi’. 
Prince were placed equal first. Mr. Cant had good blooms of Souvenir 
d’Elise, splendid; Gloire de Dijon, Madam Brown, President, Marie 
Van Houtte, Niphetos, and Anna Ollivier. Mr. Prince had Catherine 
Mermet, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Souvenir d’un Ami, Rubens, Anna 
Ollivier, and Souvenir d’Elise, all good. No second prize was awarded, 
Messrs. Paul & Son being third. A plant of the new Noisette Rose 
William Allen Richardson was shown by Mr. John House, Peter¬ 
borough. It is of an orange-yellow shaded saffron tint, and attracted 
much attention from the northern Rose-growers. 
Amateurs' Classes .—In Division C Messrs. Whitwell and Burrell 
carried off the pi-incipal prizes. Both have been already very suc¬ 
cessful this year at all the leading exhibitions which have been held. 
For thirty-six single trusses Mr. E. R. Whitwell was deservedly first. 
He had large fresh blooms of La France, John Stuart Mill, Marie 
Rady. Alfred Colomb, Due de Rohan, Dr. Andry, Marie Finger, 
Camille de Rohan, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Bouquet d’Or, Prince Arthur, 
Marie Baumann, and Gfinfiral Jacqueminot. Mr. Thomas Hall, Chester, 
and Mr. G. Hawtrey, Slough, Bucks, took the second and third prizes, 
both stands being much inferior to the first collection. For eighteen 
single trusses Mr. Whitwell also secured the first award, followed by 
Mr. Grant, Ledbury, the first-named showing excellent flowers in 
this class. 
In Division D Mr. Burrell of Heighington, near Darlington, was 
first for twenty-four single trusses, showing very fine flowers of John 
Stuart Mill, Franpois Michelon, Emilie Hausburg, Marie Baumann, 
very fine ; Exposition de Brie, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, A. K. 
Williams, and Marie Rady. No second prize was awarded. For 
eighteen single trusses Mr. Burrell was also first with very good 
flowers. In Division E Mr. Cuthbert Laws, Ponteland, took first 
honours for twelve single trusses ; and for six Mr. Mawley, Addis- 
combe, Croydon was first. In the extra class for nine Teas or Noisettes 
Mr. Edward Mawley was first. His best blooms were Anna Ollivier, 
Marie Van Houtte, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Mons. Furtado, Innocente 
Pirola, Madame Bravy, Souvenir d’un Ami. Mr. Thomas Hall was 
second. For twelve trusses of any kind Hybrid Perpetual (dark) 
Messrs. Paul & Son were first with fine large flowers, even and well 
coloured, of the charming Rose A. K. Williams, which were deser¬ 
vedly admired. Mr. Prince was second with Alfred Colomb, which 
were also superb in size. For twelve trusses Hybrid Perpetual (light) 
Mr. B. R. Cant was first with Duchesse de Morny ; Messrs. Cranston 
and Co. second with Capitaine Christy. 
The marquee was decorated with plants for the occasion, which 
were kindly lent by Mr. J. Pease, Mr. A. Pease, M.P., Mr. H. J. Fry, 
M.P., Mr. J. Hodgkin, the Misses Pease, and Mr. E. B. Spence, nur¬ 
seryman, Darlington. Mr. E. R. Whitwell; the local Secretaries— 
Messrs. Gibson and Byers—with Mr. Burrell, Alderman Shaw, Mr. 
George Page, Mr. Bousfield, and other gentlemen who rendered their 
assistance, are to be congratulated on the result of their labours. 
The Rev. H. Hony wood Dombrain and Mr. Edward Mawley, the Hon. 
Secretaries of the National Rose Show, were also present, and rendered 
efficient service. 
SNOWDROP CULTIVATION. 
The majority of readers are without doubt thoroughly con¬ 
versant with the cultivation of this early-floweriDg bulb for deco¬ 
rative purposes in gardens ; but many are not acquainted with its 
cultivation previous to passing into the hands of the trade. The 
object of these notes is to clear away, if possible, the vague notions 
now entertained by many that the bulbs ready for sale towards 
the end of August are of continental origin. I do not intend to 
assert that none are imported, but the majority are cultivated in 
this country, and are larger and better than any I have seen im¬ 
ported. I iearn that the culture of these bulbs for sale is profitable, 
although the prices given to the grower per thousand appear small. 
In these days of depression the growth of Snowdrops might be 
extended with much advantage and profit, as thousands of these 
roots do not occupy much land. In fact, many are annually pro¬ 
duced from land planted with standard fruit trees and bush fruit. 
All are not grown in such positions, for they do not develope quite 
so fast or make such fine bulbs as when more liberal cultivation is 
given them in an open space ; but vast quantities are grown, and 
I am familiar with an orchard where thousands of roots have been 
grown and sold annually for the last twenty years or more. 
Perhaps my first occupation in gardening was to clean, lift, 
and select the saleable bulbs during my schoolboy days, and I 
have periodically visited the neighbourhood in which they are 
largely grown ever since. 
Lifting is done during the month of July. The bulbs are sorted, 
the largest being selected for sale, and the others retained for 
planting again. When grown in the open an early or second early 
crop of vegetables is taken from the ground. After the bulbs are 
sorted at the first opportunity the ground is dug and manured, 
unless that operation has been well performed for the preceding 
crop. Manure is not really essential, as Snowdrops will grow 
almost anywhere, but where great success is anticipated manure 
is given, as they grow stronger, and in the end the bulbs are 
larger and more numerous. The small bulbs are not out of the 
ground long, but are planted at the first opportunity in rows 
6 inches apart and about 1 inch between the bulbs as the digging 
of the ground proceeds. Others dig the ground first, and then 
draw out small drills, in which the bulbs are planted. Some 
plant closer than the distance I have given between the rows, but 
they cause more labour in keeping them clean when planted too 
thickly. All that is necessary for two years after planting is run¬ 
ning the hoe amongst them occasionally to destroy the weeds; 
at the end of two years they are again lilted and sorted as before. 
Those who grow large quantities generally have two lots, so that 
they have bulbs for sale every year. The ground upon which they 
have been growing if out in an open space can be utilised for 
spring Cabbages, autumn-sown Onions, or any such crop that is 
serviceable to the grower. It will be at once seen that their cul¬ 
tivation for sale is simple, and quite as easy as growing them in 
our gardens for flowering during the spring. 
Perhaps in no county are so many Snowdrops grown for sale 
as in Lincolnshire, and especially in that flat stretch of country 
known as the fens. The locality in which they are most largely 
grown is not so liable to be flooded as some other parts, but hun¬ 
dreds of thousands are grown within from one to four miles of 
land that was entirely under water two seasons ago and the Pota¬ 
toes never dug. In this locality there certainly is a risk, as with 
all other crops, and in very wet seasons the bulbs are liable to 
decay. This happens occasionally, but not generally, and, on the 
whole, they are more certain than many crops. The ground 
generally is fertile if it could be drained, and will produce in good 
seasons as fine agricultural crops as any land in the country. 
When Snowdrops can be grown to be profitable in what would 
appear an uncertain locality, what might be expected in many 
other more favourable parts ? There appears no difficulty in dis¬ 
posing of the bulbs, as the trade travellers visit the locality 
annually and buy up all they can obtain. It must be understood 
that many of the former grow them largely in spare corners of 
their little gardens and in positions where many other plants 
would not succeed. One cottager a short time ago remarked to 
