July 8, 1880. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
23 
in a daily paper. Writers of books of travel often grow en¬ 
thusiastic in their description of its beauty in a wild state, often 
insisting that it is never seen in its full splendour in this country, 
and when they tell of its growing to the size of an Oak tree 
and being laden with thousands of its gorgeous flowers—a huge 
mound of vivid colour, we are inclined to agree with them. In 
Miss Gordon Cumming’s charming volumes “ From the Hebrides 
to the Himalayas,” there is an account of the Rhododendrons on 
the Hill of Jakko, Lower Himalayas, one or two sentences of 
which I must crave space for. “ The hill of Jakko is a perfect 
paradise. It is clothed from base to summit with the richest 
mixed timber, chiefly the Indian Oak, with a Holly-like leaf, and 
the dark glossy green of the Rhododendron trees with their 
gorgeous masses of blossom, the most vivid scarlet, shaded with 
deep crimson. The only thing to be regretted is, that their glory 
is so short-lived. Early in May they arc on the wane, and by the 
end of the month a few withered blossoms are all that remain to 
tell of their bright short lives. But when they begin to flutter 
down in the breeze they fall like a shower of fire, and alight on 
the richest carpet of Maidenhair Fern and blue Dog Violets, 
which everywhere clothe these hanging woods, so that you can 
scarcely set your foot on the earth without crushing a tuft of such 
treasures as would enchant the heart of an English gardener.” 
Such an enchanting scene we may not hope to achieve in the 
less favoured climate of this country ; but we may do much. We 
have already extended our flowering season to more than twice 
the length of these grand Hindoo wildings, and my especial 
object in writing this paper is to urge upon everybody having the 
requisite amount of space at their disposal to plant some of our 
best varieties singly in the most favourable situations for their 
development. Some of the earliest plants of the common R. ponti- 
cum are from 30 to 40 feet high in more than one garden. Is it 
too much to hope that another generation may see it become a 
tree “rivalling the Oak in height?” 
Let us also take good heed to turn it to fullest account as a 
shrub. It is impossible to plant it in the wrong place. On the 
most recherche terrace garden, by the side of woodland walks, by 
tbe margin of water, upon the hottest, driest, sunny slope, or the 
most exposed wind-swept promontory, in the densest shade under 
the drip of trees, it thrives alike—is equally ornamental ; and 
although it does not bloom when much shaded, yet the deep green 
finely shaped foliage is always pleasing. Had I to design a large 
public garden no inconsiderable part of it should be broken up 
boldly into banks and hollows clothed with Rhododendrons, 
Azaleas, and Kalmias, with walks winding about among them, 
and an occasional open plateau commanding the finest effects of 
massing and colour combinations. This should form a feature of 
especial importance quite distinct from and shut off from the 
rest by masses of lofty trees, at once a screen and a foil—a 
setting of soft green to enhance tbe brilliancy of the many 
coloured flowers during the too brief season of their expansion. 
—Edward Luckhurst. 
MR. JOHN DOMINY. 
On opening your esteemed Journal of to-day (July 1st), I was 
delighted to see such a truthful likeness of Mr. John Dominy, who 
has for so long been the valued director of the Veitchian nursery 
at Chelsea. In my humble opinion you deserve the thanks of all 
horticulturists for having given portraits of two of the most 
useful gardeners of the time—I beg to use the word gardener in 
its best and widest sense—Robert Fortune and John Dominy ; one 
a most successful collector, the other apart from his business 
tact and high cultural abilities, a man who led science by his 
practice as a hybridiser of Orchids and Nepenthes—the aristocracy 
of the horticultural world. We have had portraits of gardeners 
and horticulturists by tbe dozen, but you have struck a chord of 
sympathy with those of the two gentlemen I have named, both 
of whom have done so much in the quiet unostentatious manner 
so indicative of sterling merit. Poor Robert Fortune died before 
half the present generation of horticulturists knew his worth; 
fortunately we have John Dominy still with us. Shall his merit 
die with him unrecognised by his fellows, or will our brethren 
give him with their good wishes something like himself—simple, 
useful, and good, to remind him of the active part in the battle 
of life through which he has passed, and from which he has so 
recently retired ? All that is wanted is a token of good will 
from those who recognise his ability or revere him as a staunch 
and true friend. Those who know Mr. Dominy best will be 
aware how far his thoughts or wishes are from desiring anything 
in the shape of a “ testimonial,” yet anything of a spontaneous 
expression of good will on the part of his compeers is welcome 
to any man who feels that he has done his “ level best” to deserve 
it. That Mr. Dominy does deserve such an expression of respect 
is beyond question, and 1 shall be most happy to add my own 
mite towards such an object.— Dublinensis. 
THE NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY, CRYSTAL PALACE. 
July 3rd. 
LTERNATE 
showers and sun¬ 
shine, which oc¬ 
curred for several 
days previous to this Show, 
are favourable for tbe de¬ 
velopment 'of Roses and 
especially for imparting a 
deep rich glossy colour to 
the dark varieties. We 
never saw Roses of this 
type more bright fresh and beau¬ 
tiful, although we have often seen 
them larger and fuller, than those 
staged at this great tournament, 
for great it was notwithstanding 
that there was little competition in some of the 
classes, while several prizes were withheld. It 
will be safe to say that for the majority of growers the 
fixture, like all other exhibitions of the Society that 
have been held at the same place, was some days too 
early. The Hereford Roses were indeed in fine condition, and conse¬ 
quently the greatest prize ever provided for Roses, the fifty-guinea 
silver challenge cup offered by Messrs. Cranston & Co. for forty-eight 
single blooms, was won after a close struggle by Thomas Jowitt, Esq., 
The Old Weir, Hereford. The first chance for this coveted trophy 
was secured by R. N. G. Baker, Esq., Heavitree, Devon, in 1877 ; in 
1878 Mr. Jowitt was in the premier position, and according to the 
conditions only these two exhibitors were eligible to compete for the 
final possession of the cup in 1879; but as, owing to the extreme 
inclemency of the weather last year, neither of them was able to stage 
collections worthy of such a prize, it was mutually agreed that the 
great Rose duel should be postponed until the present Show. The 
collections were worthy of the fame of the two celebrated cultivators, 
and so close were they in merit that the opinions of rosarians founded 
on a brief examination previously to the judging were about equally 
divided as to the verdict, the majority being perhaps in favour of the 
Heavitree blooms. The judging was done with infinite care by the 
President of the Society (Rev. Canon Hole), Rev. G. N. Pochin, 
Messrs. G. Paul, Cant, and Arthur Turner. Every bloom was closely 
examined and its points determined (six points being the maximum 
for grand flowers), a process which occupied considerably over an 
hour ; when on adding up the figures and giving a certain number of 
points to the Devonshire blooms for their brilliancy of colour, it was 
found that something under twenty points remained in favour of Mr. 
Jowitt. This out of a possible total of 288 shows how close was the 
race, and intense anxiety was manifested by the members of the 
Society who were entitled to a private view, which they enjoyed 
before the verdict was given. 
Mr. Jowitt’s blooms in the cup stand were Annie Laxton, Nardy 
Freres, Capitaine Christy, Duke of Edinburgh, Baronne de Rothschild, 
Mons. Noman (small), Beauty of Waltham, Madame Victor Verdier, 
Laurent Descourt, Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier, Marie Van Houtte, A. K. 
Williams (splendid), Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Sultan of Zanzibar, 
Etienne Levet, E. Y. Teas, Clotilde Rolland, Madame Charles Wood, 
Dr. Andry, Marechal Niel, Fisher Holmes, Franqois Michelon, Expo¬ 
sition de Brie, fine ; Abel Grand, splendid ; Franqois Louvat, Marquise 
de Castellane, Charles Lefebvre, Elie Morel, fine; Edouard Pynaert, 
full; Marie Finger, Comtesse d’Oxford, Marguerite de St. Amand, all 
excellent; Henri Ledechaux, Horace Vernet, rather small; Hippoly te 
Jamain ; Abel Garriere, very rich and good ; Madame Lacharme, very 
fine ; Lord Macaulay, Sir G. Wolseley, Souvenir d’Elise, a most beau¬ 
tiful bloom, the premier Tea Rose in the Show, to which was awarded 
the medal given by Mons. Renaerts of Antwerp ; Le Havre, Princess 
Beatrice, full; Louis Van Houtte, rich, good ; Marie Cointet, excel¬ 
lent ; Marie Baumann, grand; Madame Furtado, fine; Due de Wel¬ 
lington, Alfred Colomb, fine ; and La France. 
Mr. Baker’s stand contained splendid examples of Camille Ber- 
nardin, Sir G. Wolseley, Baronne de Rothschild, Marguerite Brassac, 
Catherine Mermet, Exposition de Brie, Marie Baumann, Charles 
Lefebvre, and Madame Charles Wood a magnificent bloom, as 
perfect as a Rose can be imagined, of A. K. Williams, the premier H.P. 
bloom in the Show, and awarded the medal offered by M. Renaerts ; 
Pauline Talabot, Duke of Connaught, Due de Montpensier, Alfred 
Colomb, Comte Raimbaud, Annie Williams, Marguerite de St. Amand, 
