JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
time they will be general favourites. Their only failing is the 
lack of scent.— ft. P. Biiotherston. 
PEACH BLISTER. 
Mr. Taylor’s notes in the last issue of your last volume added 
one more proof to the thousand and one already in existence of 
how all-important the protection of glass is to ripen the annual 
growth of Peach trees. If it be correct that well-ripened wood 
ensures the safety of the foliage from north-east and south-east 
winds—and I by no means grant that it does—how are we to get 
the wood ripened upon open walls in a wet summer ? If anyone 
will tell us that, or of a sure remedy for the blister, we shall be 
most grateful. 
Last year I called attention to the fact of some varieties of 
Peaches being much more 
liable to suffer from blister 
than others, giving ex¬ 
amples of trees in my own 
hands growing side by side 
under precisely similar 
conditions, some of which 
were quite crippled and 
stunted by blister, while 
others enjoyed a compara¬ 
tive immunity from it, the 
apparent cause being tissue 
sufficiently stout in the 
young foliage to withstand 
the attacks of cold blasts 
—growing quickly, and 
coming to full development 
without a blemish. Varie¬ 
ties possessing this valu¬ 
able property are what we 
require for open walls, for, 
however delicious and fine 
may be the fruit of varie¬ 
ties having tender foliage, 
they are not to be depended 
upon for an annual supply 
of it without the protec¬ 
tion of glass. Plant them 
by open walls, and for two 
or three years all may 
go well ; they may have 
become flourishing trees 
laden with heavy crops of 
fruit, but a change will 
inevitably come over the 
scene. Cold ungenial 
springs will occur, blister 
will affect the foliage, 
much of the blossom will 
prove abortive, and the 
trees will present a crip¬ 
pled, stunted, half bare 
appearance till the full 
strong growth of kindly 
midsummer hides the ra¬ 
vages of tickle spring. This 
summer growth fills the wall space, but it will not be well ripened 
unless the autumn prove exceptionally warm and fine. Two 
precious months have been lost by the crippling of the spring 
growth. If this meant only a passing disfigurement of the trees 
it would be immaterial, but it too often involves the loss of the 
fruit crop in the following year.— Edward Luckhurst, 
ABUTILON INSIGNE. 
A CORRESPONDENT informs us that he has received what he 
believes to be this plant under another name, and he assumes that 
others are in the same position as he is. The accompanying 
figure will enable anyone to identify the plant, which is distinct 
in the formation of its flowers from all other Abutilons, and is 
very handsome, with dark green persistent foliage. A. insigne 
(Handsome-flowered Abutilon) has branches clothed with dense 
down. The leaves are large, on long petioles, alternate, cordate, 
somewhat three-lobed, and coarsely serrated, palmato-seven-nerved, 
with reticulated veins. The flowers are about 2 inches in diameter, 
and grow in axillary racemes of three to seven flowers. The calyx 
is campanulate, with triangular acute lobes ; the corolla consists 
of five obovate cuneate petals, crisped, and plicate with erose 
margins ; they are of a lively rose colour, with deep-coloured 
veins. The ground colour of the large petals is 'white, but that 
is almost entirely obliterated by the rich carmine veining or 
reticulation both without and within, but brightest on the 
upper side. 
THE WEST OF ENGLAND ROSE SHOW. 
Hereford, July 7th. 
This, the fourteenth annual Exhibition of the Society, was not 
quite equal to some former shows, notably that of last year ; but, as 
was remarked of Mr. Baker’s Roses at the Palace, so at Hereford, it 
is impossible to speak too highly of the wonderful colour, lifelike 
freshness, and smoothness of his blooms. This is a fact generally 
apparent in this great exhibitor’s collection ; his chief weakness lay 
in the great size of the ma¬ 
jority of his blooms not 
being carried out through 
his collection—a specimen 
or two in a weak corner 
would crop up. Mr. Jowitt’s 
blooms, on the contrary, 
were large, well sustained 
throughout, and quite as 
well set up as Mr. Baker’s, 
but certainly lacking in 
colour and smoothness, and 
showing manifest signs of 
an unequal struggle with 
the elements, especially 
when called upon to bear 
the burden and heat of the 
day. Many of Mr. Jowitt’s 
delicate blooms evidently 
had had the shelter of glass, 
or otherwise they could not 
have been staged in this 
high state of perfection. 
Mr. Baker carried off the 
special prize, given by Mr. 
B. Cant (£5)., for thirty-six 
varieties, with a superb 
collection. The second 
prize was taken by Mr. 
Jowitt with admirable 
blooms. In eighteen varie¬ 
ties, three trusses, Mr. 
Baker had to change places 
with Mr. Jowitt in order of 
merit, the latter carrying 
off first prize; but the 
Judges must have had some 
trouble to decide, so superb 
in colour, size, and shape 
were both collections. As 
in the previous class, Mr. 
Baker’s Roses were superior 
in colour and freshness, and 
specimens of J. S. Mill and 
Duchesse de Vallombrosa 
were each faultless ; while 
in Mr. Jowitt’s winning 
collection the triple groups 
of Marie Baumann (a mar¬ 
vel of embonpoint symmetry) 
and good old JohnHopper (so fresh and hi ijht) could not be surpassed. 
In twenty-four varieties Mr. Jowitt, Mr. Baker, and Mr. Arkwright 
were awarded the prizes in the order named. Grand blooms were staged 
in these collections especially in Mr. Jowitt’s. In twelve varieties 
in a numerous class Mr. Jowitt was again first with a splendid large 
and level lot, Mr. R. Crossling second, and Mr. Baker third. Mr. 
Jowitt showed H.P. Henri Ledechaux, splendid; and Mr. R. Cross- 
ling H.P. Pierre Hotting, grand in colour and substance. Messrs. 
Cranston’s special prize for twelve blooms of any Rose was won 
by Mr. Jowitt with remarkable blooms of H.P. Prangoi.s Michelon ; 
while a similar prize, offered for Noisette Marshal Niel, failed to 
bring a single competitor. Three blooms of any English Rose, not 
yet in commerce was won by Mr. Talbot, gardener to Mr. Arkwright, 
who staged two varieties, neither of which appeared sufficiently 
distinct to require any especial notice. In the class restricted to 
amateurs living in Herefordshire, twenty-four. vars., single .blooms, 
the first prize (the special gift of Mr. Arkwright), was gained by 
Miss Bulmer with fine well-coloured blooms ; J. Pulley, Esq., M.P., 
second ; Mr. A. G. Grant third, and Mr. J. G. Woodhouse fourth. In 
this division the competition was numerous and close in every class. 
In the open class for twelve new Roses sent out in 1877, 1878,1879, 
or 1880 Messrs. Curtis & Sanford gained the first prize. The exhibits 
in these classes were not up to the usual mark as regards quality and 
condition. The greatest acquisitions appeared to be H.P. The Bean 
of Windsor and Barthelemy Joubert in Messrs. Curtis & Co.’s collection, 
Fig. 15 .—Abutilon insigne. 
ft 
