T* 
204 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t August si, iks. 
two or three more, which are such indifferent growers that they 
are best in their first year, but there are only four in the National 
Rose Society’s catalogue that are so marked ; and it may perhaps 
surprise not only the uninitiated but Mr. W. Paul himself to hear 
that Mr. Baker of Exeter, who won the challenge trophy last year, 
never exhibited from maidens, and that his plants were four or 
five years old ; that Mr. Whitwell, who won the challenge trophy 
this year, does not grow maiden plants, and neither of them grows 
standards. Of course growers for sale, budding large quantities 
every year, have always plenty of maiden blooms, but it would be 
news to them that they threw away their plants 1 
It is not every grower who can visit large nurseries and see the 
plants in growth, and were he t) do so he is apt to get confused 
by the number. He has now, if he will depend on it, a reliable 
guide in the catalogue of exhibition Eoses issued by the National 
Eose Society, which has been carefully prepared, and in which 
every needful information is given.— Rosarian. 
SANDY AND DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
This Society, which from small beginnings now holds position as the 
chief horticultural society of Bedfordshire and the district, celebrated 
its fourteenth annual Exhibition on the 25th inst. in the grounds of 
J. N. Foster, Esq., Sandy Place, notwithstanding the persistently 
intermittent showers throughout the day, and which at 4 r.M. cul¬ 
minated in a heavy downpour of rain accompanied by thunder, drew 
large numbers of visitors, who were, however, chiefly clad in sober 
grey and black, showing that the fair sex were largely deprived of a 
pleasant holiday, and it is feared that the Committee, although backed 
by a good subscription list, must be financially sufferers. In every 
other respect the Show, which, somewhat after American fashion, 
embraces under its wings horticulture, farm produce, poultry, pigeons, 
birds, bees, and industrial work, was a repeated success. 
The show of plants at Sandy, although always a good one, not¬ 
withstanding the liberal prizes offered, does not usually attract much 
competition extraneous from the locality, the deficiency, however, 
being well supplied by the district. Mr. G. Parker of'the Rugby 
Nurseries has for several years past been the chief, if not the sole, 
representative of the professional large plant-growers at the Sandy 
Show, and on this occasion he well sustained his reputation by 
securing the first place in the open class for ten stove and greenhouse 
plants in flower, and although little novelty appeared in his collec¬ 
tion, his plants were fine specimens, wonderfully healthy, and well 
bloomed for the season ; Allamandas, Dipladenia, Statice intermedia, 
and Stephanotis being in most creditable condition. The second prize 
was awarded to Mr. W. Eabbitt, gardener to General Pearson, The 
Hazells, Sandy, for well-grown specimens, including a good example 
of Lasiandra macrantha, a beautiful Melastomaceous plant with violet- 
coloured flowers, but not frequently seen at exhibitions on account 
of the frailty of its blooms. For six stove and greenhouse plants in 
flower in the gardeners’ class, Mr. Redman, gardener to J. H. Good- 
games, Esq., St. Neots, was first with excellent specimens. In foliage 
plants Mr. G. Claydon, gardener to J. H. Astell, Esq., Woodbury 
Hall, St. Neots, had a good collection of six, containing a fine plant 
of Aiocasia Veitchii, and received first honours. 
In the open class for twelve Zonal Palargoniums Mr. Eabbitt had 
admirably grown and profusely flowered examples. Dazzler, Col. 
Holden, Jealousy, Chas. Seely, bright vermilion scarlet with white 
eye; and a very dwarf and floriferows variety named Ernest Favre, 
most distinct and striking flowers, white with a well-defined red eye, 
sent to Mr. Eabbitt as a gratis addition to a collection by Mr. Cannell, 
and from which it would seem that rubbish is not always given by 
the trade to compensate for carriage. A seedling semi-double Zonal 
Pelargonium named Emily Carbon, from Mr. Carbon of Peterborough, 
which had deep pink flowers and an apparent white centre, seemed 
distinct and promising. 
Fine stove and greenhouse Ferns were shown by Mr. Tillbrook, 
gardener to B. Brown,.Esq., Hemingford, Hunts, in the collection of six 
varieties, and for which he was placed first, the centre plant being 
a grand Dicksonia antarctica. Mr. Claydon was second with almost 
equally well-grown plants. For four hardy Ferns Mrs. J. H. Astell 
was first with Athyriums Filix-foemina plumosum and Victoria, 
Osmunda cristata, and Lomaria chilensis, all large and well-grown 
plants. 
Roses, considering the season and the recent rough weather, were 
in good form and force, Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, being placed 
first in the open class for forty-eight blooms, twenty-four distinct 
varieties, their best blooms consisting of A. K. Williams, Madame 
Willermoz, La Rosiere, and White Baroness. Mr. J. House, Peter¬ 
borough, w'as a good second, having A. K. Williams, Comtesse 
Serenye, and Madame Eugene Verdier, a good autumn Eose of the 
type of Lselia, in fine condition. Mr. G. Parker, Rugby, was third. 
Messrs. Paul & Son also showed a boxful of their new White Baroness, 
almost pure white, and of fine form. Mr. House also showed a box 
of the beautiful orange-apricot Eose, William Allen Richardson, 
a Tea-scented buttonhole variety, probably destined to be grown 
largely for market. In the amateurs’ class for twenty-four blooms, 
not less than twelve distinct varieties, the Rev. W. H. Jackson, 
Stagsden Vicarage, Bedford, was first w'ith fine large blooms, having 
good flowers of A. K. Williams, Baroness Rothschild, and Mdlle. E. 
Verdier. The Rev. E. L. Fellowses, Wimpole Rectory, Royston, was 
second, his best flowers being Marie Van Houtte and Madame Sophie 
Fropot. C. E. Cuthell, Esq., Chapel Croft, Dorking, was third, Duke 
of Teck and Marie Van Houtte being very fine in his stand. For the 
six varieties, Mr. J. Burton, Sawtry, was first, his bloom of Pierre 
Notting being the best flower, and hi3 stand one of the prettiest in 
the Show. 
Dahlias, not for competition, were finely staged by Messrs. Paul and 
Son, some of the best being Christopher Ridley, Royal Queen (mauve), 
Lord Chelmsford, Jas. Vick (maroon), Mrs. Saunders (yellow with 
white tip), and F. Smith. An attractive stand of single Dahlias 
came from Mr. E. M. Jones, Cambridge, and Gladiolus from Mr. 
Parker. Asters were not good, but a fine stand of double Zinnias 
came from Mr. A. Chapman of Tempsford Mill, and African Mari¬ 
golds, as usual at this Show, were good, the best coming from Mr. 
P. Meyer of Orwell. 
Fruit was neither so good nor so largely shown as last year, but Mr. 
Tillbrook’s first-prize collection of six varieties, consisting of Muscat 
and Black Hamburgh Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums, were 
admirable examples of cultivation. In the amateurs’ class for four 
varieties Mrs. D. Brown, Langford, was the premier prizewinner. 
For two bunches of black Grapes Mr. Tillbrook was placed first with 
fine and well-coloured Alicantes, and Mr. J. W. Shephard, Great 
Staughton, Hunts, second with almost equally good Black Ham- 
burghs. For white Grapes the Judges had a difficult task in deciding 
between fine but not highly finished bunches of Muscats and very fine 
and well-finished bunches of Buckland Sweetwater. Flavour, however, 
carried the honours, which fell to Mr. Tillbrook, who was also first 
for his Alicantes ; Mr. G. R. Allis, gardener to Jos. Shuttleworth, Esq., 
Old "W arden, Beds, being second with Black Hamburghs in the same 
class. Peaches and Nectarines, although largely shown, were not in 
good colour, want of sun having evidently told on them. Apples 
included some very fine dishes of Lord Suffield. In Plums a fine dish 
of the Diamond was attractive, and Morello Cherries were well 
shown. 
V egetable3 were well represented in all the divisions, Potatoes 
especially so, and but slight indications of disease apparent. For the 
collection of eight varieties of vegetables Mr. C. Ellis, gardener to 
Mrs. Orr, Pemberley House, Bedford, was first, having large and 
handsome red Tomatoes, fine Superlative Peas, Cauliflowers, and 
Turnips in his tray ; Mr. G. Vines, gardener to H. Thornton, Esq., 
Kempston Grange, being a very close second. 
The best collection of Potatoes was shown in the market gardeners’ 
tent by Mr. E. J. Darnell of Sandy, and consisted of the following 
varieties, all of good size, clean, sound, and correctly named—viz., 
Woodstock Kidney, Early Hammersmith, Beauty of Hebron, Vicar 
of Laleham, Schoolmaster, Radstock Beauty, Myatt’s Prolific, Inter¬ 
national Kidney, Pride of Ontario, Snowflake, Grampian, Irish 
Flounders, Improved Peachblow, Early Shaw, Trophy, and Magnum 
Bonum. In this division the Judges had the good sense to give the 
preference to a good saleable sample of Magnum Bonum over a large 
and handsome dozen of International Kidney, which, although cap¬ 
tivating as an exhibition variety, is practically useless for market 
garden purposes. In the single-dish classes Schoolmaster continued 
to hold first position in white rounds; International and Magnum 
Bonum chiefly in white kidneys ; Mr. Bresee or Peerless Rose and 
Pride of Ontario in coloured kidneys ; and Vicar of Laleham and 
triumph as coloured rounds. Beauty of Hebron well to the front in 
both capacities, and from nearly all sources this is spoken of as the 
best of all the American type. Fillbasket seems to be a good new 
fiat round white of the Model class. Reading Russet as exhibited is 
a handsome pink-tinted flattish tuber, but showed no indication of 
russet on the skin. Not a single dish of Regent and only one of 
v ictoria was visible. 
In Peas it is noticeable that the prizes in nearly all cases at this 
season were awarded for dishes of the Omega and Ne Plus Ultra 
types, of which some fine specimens were shown. Onions were on 
the whole inferior and somewhat weathered. The only good novelty 
remarkable in this department was Carters’ Silver Ball, a good globe- 
shaped bulb with clear silver skin, shown sound, and having the ap¬ 
pearance of being a better keeper than the other white varieties. The 
best brace of Cucumbers, a good strain of Telegraph, came from the 
Rev. W. H. Jackson. 
The nomenclature at this Show was generally very defective and 
incorrect, and it is a pity that in a district where growers might be 
expected to profit by such an exhibition that more rigid regulations 
in this respect are not enforced. Some remarkable orthographical 
curiosities were observable amongst the Potatoes; “ Trofen per 
Taotto ” (Trophy Potato), “Buautey of Eberion” (Beauty of Hebron), 
“Pride of Tareor” (Pride of Ontario), “Inter Nashneiol,” and “Pride- 
taker ” being a few of the distinctions conferred on these worthy 
vegetables. 
Packing Fruit. —In the report of the meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society (page 183) it is stated Messrs. Rivers & Son 
exhibited Nectarines which tasted of the packing material—some 
rough moss, similar remarks also applying to the Pears sent. Were 
the fruits sent first wrapped in tissue paper or packed without this ? 
I have packed quantities in moss this season, but have heard no 
