476 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ June 7 , ms. 
hardly help being struck with the many fine examples staged of 
such fine sorts as George Lightbody, A. Meiklejohn, Acme, John 
Simonite, Lancashire Hero, &c. One very fine plant of Alex. 
Meiklejohn shown in the first-prize collection for pairs was very 
much admired, and but for the tube, I suppose, it would have stood 
well forward for the premium. This honour, however, was reserved 
for that hero of a hundred fights the redoubtable George Light- 
body, and a grand specimen it was, shown by Mr. Penson. 
In Mr. Ben Simonite’s collection were some very fine seedlings, 
one white edge especially, which “Ben” emphatically declares to 
be the white edge, and which he ran a narrow escape of losing, but 
he has succeeded after eight or nine years’ watching in bringing 
forward a very small example of it, which, however, speaks well for 
its future fame. Some of Mr. Horner’s grand seedlings were to be 
found in one or two collections. Sapphire, a gorgeously attired 
6elf of the brightest possible blue, also of fine shape and substance, 
was just such as to cause a short-lived pang of envy to shoot 
through the breast of the fancier who was not fortunate enough 
to be the possessor of a plant of it. Indeed the same may be said 
of all the seedlings shown, but long years must elapse before any 
of them will come within the range of a stinted income. Another 
fine self of Mr. Horner’s production was Ringdove. Both of these 
varieties were shown in very good condition by Mr. Wilson of 
Halifax. In the collection of Mr. Samuel Barlow was to be seen 
the new seedling self Adonis, which gained first honours in the 
class for seedling seifs at the National Auricula Society’s Show, 
South Kensington ; a very neat smooth flower, but in my opinion 
rather small. 
The Alpines were a great feature at this Show, Mr. Pohlman’s 
collection being quite first-rate. This gentleman is to be con¬ 
gratulated on his success in raising such a fine batch of shaded 
flowers. Although there is a decided partiality at this Show for 
shaded Alpines, yet I am glad that there are classes for unshaded 
flowers also, these dark colours and bright golden centres forming 
a most lovely contrast. A few of the most notable Alpines were 
Mercury, Spangle, Col. Scott, Thomas Moore, Mrs. Thomson, 
John Ball, and Sidney, all of them raised by Charles Turner of 
Slough. Two of Mr. Douglas’s varieties were extremely fine— 
namely, Florence and Prince. 
I was rather disappointed with the Polyanthuses. Such old sorts 
as George IV., Lancer, Cheshire Favourite, Exile, and Lord Lincoln 
were very fine, but the newer varieties to my taste were very much 
inferior; and as for the Fancy Polyanthus, I fail to understand 
why a class should have been provided for it at all. I do not 
think it will ever become popular, or the present taste for refine¬ 
ment in florists’ flowers will very much deteriorate ; and for effect 
in the flower border some of the dark self varieties are far in 
advance of it. The seedlings of Primula cortusoides exhibited by 
Mr. Geggie were beautiful, some of them showing a decided advance 
in the older forms. My time now draws to a close, so after taking 
one last longing look at my pets I took train for auld Scotland 
again, having greatly enjoyed my short visit.—W m. Marshall. 
THE OUTLOOK. 
Ik redemption of my promise in last week’s Journal I give the 
results of observations I have made in many Rose gardens within 
the past fortnight, notably amongst the best known ones in 
Reigate and Canterbury—places which have made themselves of 
note in the Rose world. The letters also which I have received 
from many valued correspondents have been taken into account, 
comprising as they do memoranda from all parts of the kingdom ; 
so that, with the Rose season well in view and within measurable 
distance of the first Rose show of the season, we may feel justified, 
I think, in forming a tolerably accurate estimate of our prospects ; 
and I shall not be found, I hope, a false prophet when I say that 
we may, unless some most unforeseen calamity comes upon us, 
calculate on the very best Rose season we have had for some 
years, although how much depends on the weather of the next 
three months every Rose-grower knows. Even now (June 4th) the 
late lovely weather has been succeeded by a cold north-easterly 
gale, in which Roses cannot make much way ; but knowing how 
rapidly they come on when the proper season arrives 1 hope that, 
notwithstanding that they are at present somewhat late, they will 
make up for lost time. 
At Reigate I had a leisurely stroll through the four most famous 
Rose gardens of the neighbourhood—Mr. George Baker’s, Mr. 
Waterlow’s, Mr. Haywood’s, and Mr. Wollaston’s. All exhibitors 
know what formidable competitors these are. The gardens all 
differ one from the other, but in all there was one common feature 
—the Rose is most carefully nurtured and its wants most dili¬ 
gently considered. 
I have never seen the Rose3 at Mr. Baker’s at Holmfels (an 
honoured Vice-President of our National Rose Society) in better, 
nay, in as good a condition as at present. Their boundaries have 
been enlarged, more Roses planted, and still 1 believe there are 
new worlds to conquer. Mr. Baker prunes early and prunes hard. 
His chief enemy hitherto has been the late frosts in May, and as 
we have escaped these his plants are of unusual vigour. The 
Teas especially are very fine, and we may expect to see some fine 
stands from this garden. The beds were all heavily mulched, and 
the fine rich colour of the young shoots was most cheering, giving 
evidence of the health of the plants. Here the seedling Briar 
and the Manetti are both largely used, and many very fine plants 
on their own roots bore witness to the success which attends thi3 
method of growing by those who have patience to wait for it. 
Extensive as Mr. Baker’s collection is, it is not so extensive as 
Mr. Waterlow’s, whose able and intelligent gardener, Mr. Brown, 
has for so many years occupied a foremost place amongst exhi¬ 
bitors. The Roses here, being situated on a warm slope with 
light soil, are more forward than at Holmfels, and the Busselliana 
stock is here very largely used. I have written of this before, 
and in Mr. Brown’s hands it seems most admirably adapted for 
the soil and situation. Plants on it seem to be early and are 
vigorous ; but I think the most remarkable plants here are those 
on their own roots. These are now some four or five years old 
and for vigour of growth leave nothing to be desired, while there 
need never be the fear of suckers or underground shoots. Mr. 
Brown finds no difficulty in starting some sorts which are said to 
be difficult, such as Baroness Rothschild : the plants of this variety 
were quite as fine as those of any other. A good quantity of 
maiden plants was evidencing signs of coming beauties. Mr. 
Brown pruned all his Roses about February 17th, and they do 
not seem to have been at all injured by the severe weather of 
March. 
Mr. Ridouf, the able gardener at Woodhatch, the charming 
residence of the respected Treasurer of the National Rose Society 
(Mr. Haywood), has his Roses in two different positions. The 
cutbacks are mostly in the upper part of the ground, near the 
house ; the maidens in the kitchen garden, near the farm. And 
here, again, I saw the signs of advance. A far larger number 
of maiden plants were grown, and all the best varieties were of 
course represented, making it quite clear that it will not be a 
military promenade for those who may enter into the contest 
with him. Here, too, the seedling Briar is very largely used— 
indeed, everywhere it seems to be winning favour ; which, how¬ 
ever, in this, as in many gardens, it shares with the Briar cutting, 
of which Mr. Cant is the warm advocate. Mr. Wollaston’s garden 
at The Devons has for years contributed many a winning stand to 
the exhibitions. His Roses are principally on cutbacks, and 
looked in excellent condition ; while his Teas in the sheltered 
border in which he has them placed were forward and in good 
vigour. In all these Reigate gardens I was particularly struck 
with the cleanliness of the plants. Aphides were invisible, and 
the maggot not nearly so troublesome as in past years. These 
are two elements of success which augur well for the coming 
season. 
1 had the opportunity, through the kindness of Mr. W. Mount, 
of taking an afternoon’s stroll through some of the Rose gardens 
at Canterbury—his own, Mr. Peckham’s of Hall Place, Harble- 
down, and Mr. George Mount, the “harmonious blacksmith ” (for 
is he not organist of his church ?) who won such honours last year 
with his 8mall collection of Roses ; and in these, too, progress has 
been made. Mr. W. Mount’s garden, of which I wrote some years 
ago in the Journal, is most charmingly situated by the banks of 
the Stour; but its situation exposes it to many enemies. It is 
very accessible to frosts and to whirlwinds, which come down 
from the high buildings near, consequently his Roses do not 
look so vigorous as they might. I am inclined to think that they 
have been too long in the same place, and that the ground is too 
full of manure. Were it mine I think 1 should take out the soil 
and fill the beds simply with good turfy loam without an atom of 
manure, leaving that for the mulchings which I should give them 
in the spring after they had started for growth ; and from my 
own experience I should say, Lay them in until the spring, and 
then plant. He had a couple of hundred Roses last autumn, and 
of these, which were planted then, he has lost about forty. I had 
a hundred from the same place, which I planted in March, and of 
these I only lost four. 
Mr. Peckham’s beautiful place at Hall Place, Harbledown, 
looked lovely in the delightful afternoon sun. The flowering 
trees and shrubs were in great beauty, the spring bedding was still 
fresh and bright, while the glorious foliage of the trees was a 
picture in itself. The Roses here, too, which were many of them 
on low standards, were looking well, and, with the care bestowed 
on them by a good gardener, who has, however, a great deal of 
