JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 19, 1883. 
324 
Sucree I have not forced. I have Yicomtesse for first, President for 
second, Sir C. Napier third, and James Veitch for late. If I were 
compelled to grow only two varieties I should choose Keen’s Seed¬ 
ling and President, both good bearers and of excellent quality.— 
S. Taylor, Acacia, Raivdon. 
STIRLING CASTLE STRAWBERRY. 
In an article by Mr. L. Castle upon “ Extensive Fruit Farming,” 
page 170 of your Journal, the above variety is mentioned, and 
some doubt is expressed as to when and by whom it was raised. 
I would have answered the query sooner, but knowing that the 
raiser, now dead, had sons who are gardeners, I thought they 
might have observed the article and answered it. This Strawberry 
was raised here. It is a seedling from Keens’ Seedling, and was 
raised nearly forty years ago by Mr. William Laing, a market 
gardener in this town. As near as I can ascertain it was sent out 
in 1849. The original tree of that most excellent Apple Stirling 
Castle is still alive and carrying heavy crops.— G. McDougall, 
Stirling. 
ROSE SHOWS. 
The statement which continually crops up in your columns and 
elsewhere that amateur Rose-growers are wrong in using any 
plants but those on their own roots, will generally be found to 
come from one who does not exhibit. Exception has been taken 
by non-exhibitors to the results of shows of all sorts. For in¬ 
stance, live stock are said to be so fatted as to injure their repro¬ 
ductive powers. Dogs are said to be bred for appearance only, to 
the detriment of their qualities in the field ; and poultry for the 
sake of colouring without regard to their usefulness. I hope I am 
right in supposing that your correspondent, Mr. W. Simons, has no 
such objections to bring against Rose shows, though his expres¬ 
sions, “ the conceit of exhibition,” and “ the pleasure of a day 
would not satisfy me,” do not sound flattering to exhibitors. I 
do not see, by the way, the force of the latter remark. Have not 
exhibitors as many pleasant days of Roses as others ? 
The only objections I have ever heard against Rose shows are 
(1) that they have encouraged the production of scentless Roses, 
and (2) that the exhibition of fine blooms of weakly bad-growing 
sorts is apt to deceive and disappoint a beginner. As to (1), 
surely the principal charm of the Rose is its appearance. If Rose 
shows have not decreased the number of fragrant Roses they can¬ 
not be said to have done any harm in this case ; and can anyone 
possibly say that lovers of Roses have suffered by the production 
of the scentless Baronne de Rothschild ? As to (2), a beginner may 
find warning of weakly growing sorts from any work or catalogue 
on the subject, or may question any Rose-grower; and I fancy 
if it were not for Rose shows we should nowhere be able to feast 
our eyes upon such beauties as Xavier Olibo and the like. 
Surely exhibitors “ love a bright show of beautiful flowers in 
the open sunshine and upon their tables,” and also “ have them 
in natural luxuriance from June to November ” as well as others. 
And why should it be hinted that they are “selfish in their love 
of the flower?” Many, I should say most—perhaps all, amateur 
exhibitors take great pleasure in admitting their poorer neigh¬ 
bours to see their Roses, and one great professional at least (I 
speak only of my own knowledge) does the same. Exhibitors of 
Roses work very hard, and have much more trouble (considering 
the comparative value) in satisfactorily putting their specimens 
before the judges’ eyes than the exhibitors of live animals. A 
well-known breeder of Game fowls said to me one day, “ Why, I 
have no trouble at all about the showing of my birds. I put my 
bird into the basket, and off he goes alone by train, to Plymouth 
we’ll say. I read in the paper he has taken first prize there, and 
he comes back without any trouble on my part. He is brought 
to my house, I take him out of the basket, he has a little bread 
and milk, flaps his wings and crows, and back he goes into the 
basket again, and off once more to—Hull we’ll say this time, and 
takes the £50 cup there. It’s no trouble whatever.” 
Now, when I thought of my anxieties and disappointments, not 
only for days before, but especially from 4 a.m. of the day of the 
show till actually turned out of the tent by the judges (can this 
be “ the pleasure of a day ” alluded to by Mr. W. Simons ? At all 
events it’s a longish day), I began to think the Game-cock ex¬ 
hibitor had the best of it. But when I saw that long-legged bird 
himself, and reflected that it was the show system that had made 
him unfit even to cross with my Dorkings, I was comforted, tho¬ 
roughly believing that Rose shows have improved the Rose, and 
have not made exhibitors selfish. 
I began to write, intending to answer your correspondent’s re¬ 
marks upon Roses on their own roots ; but I have been led into 
a long digression from fancying (unnecessarily, I hope) that Rose 
shows and exhibitors were mentioned in disparaging terms in his 
letter. Being now fearful of intruding on your space I will wait 
another week, in the hope that some more able advocate than I 
am will show the advantages and necessities of “ worked ” Roses. 
—A. F. M. 
P.S.—Some of my Roses which were pruned since the severe 
weather have bled considerably, the sap globules shining like 
diamonds in the sun, and in some instances running down the 
stem ; but the discharge has ceased, and I do not fancy much 
harm is done by it. 
GARDENERS’ BENEFIT SOCIETY. 
I QUITE agree with Mr. Peter Ferguson in what he says about 
a gardeners’ benefit society. I am glad that someone has at last 
brought it before the readers of this Journal. I have often thought 
I should like to mention the subject myself, but felt incompetent 
to do it, and I have as often wondered that there was not such a 
society in existence, as it would be the means of causing more 
unity amongst gardeners. It would also be the means of impart¬ 
ing knowledge one to another ; for instance, one may grow Grapes 
well and fail with Cucumbers, the same vice vei'sd, therefore the 
two would gladly help one another. I think if such a society 
was once properly started it would soon become one of the 
strongest in the kingdom ; but one thing I would like to suggest, 
if ever it does come to pass, that the meetings be not held at 
public houses.—J. Smith. 
NOTES FROM ASHTON COURT. 
There is always much to admire in the extensive gardens at 
Ashton Court near Bristol, Mr. Austin, the gardener in charge, 
being generally admitted to be one of the best “all round” 
gardeners. Everything that is taken in hand is well done, and 
pages might be written both upon the success attending the fruit 
and vegetable culture as there practised under by no means 
favourable circumstances; and also the fruit, vegetable, and 
plant culture in the many houses and pits in connection with 
the kitchen garden and pleasure grounds. At present my remarks 
will be brief, but later on I hope to have much that is instructive 
and interesting to communicate. 
ORCHIDS. 
Orchids of all kinds are in good condition, and appear unusually 
floriferous. Lately the most conspicuous is a remarkably fine 
specimen of Dendrobium Cambridgeanum, and which I believe 
has no equal in this country. The pseudo-bulbs produce their 
flowers on the current season’s growth, the foliage being still 
green, and these on the plant in question are from 10 to 11 inches 
in length, about sixteen in number, and carry on the average 
eleven blooms each, or in the aggregate upwards of 180. The 
habit of growth is drooping and handsome, the colour of the 
sepals and petals of the flowers rich orange, while the lip is 
principally crimson. The specimen has not been removed from 
the basket for years, but much of the compost, which consists of 
rough peat, sphagnum, crocks and charcoal, is annually carefully 
removed and fresh supplied. After flowering the plant is gradu¬ 
ally ripened off, and is eventually removed to a cool house, where 
it remains till it commences to form fresh growths. This takes 
place early in November, when it is returned to a light position 
and an ordinary stove temperature, and kept moderately moist. 
Under these conditions it annually perfects growth of a very free- 
blooming character. Unfortunately the blooms do not long retain 
their freshness, but are extremely effective while at their best. 
Among the Dendrobiums there are several imported plants of 
D. nobile, which, though smaller in flower than the ordinary type, 
are very highly coloured and free-blooming. D. heterocarpum 
also varies considerably, is less showy, but, being remarkably 
sweetly scented and floriferous, is deserving of general culture. 
D. Pierardi, D. macrophyllum in variety, Oncidium sarcodes, 
Cymbidium eburneum, Phalsenopsis Schilleriana, and Cypripe- 
diums in variety, all contribute to the enlivenment of the Orchid 
house. Cool Orchids are fully appreciated, and are being in¬ 
creased accordingly. These, which include many Odontoglots, 
Oncidiums, Lycastes, Lselias, Cypripediums, Ccelogynes, and Ada 
aurantiaca, are grown in a lean-to house with a northern aspect. 
Judging from their appearance the minimum of sunshine they 
receive is quite sufficient, as abundance of light (which is always 
the strongest on the north side), moderate-sized pots, and 
judicious watering are all that are necessary for the formation of 
sturdy growth and strong flower spikes. 
