208 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
l Fepfen.ber 4, 1890. 
the rare and notably diminishing species in order to draw the atten¬ 
tion of all benevolent “ preservers ” to them who try to aid the Society 
by their endeavours. It is quite time, for without assiduous atten¬ 
tion many species will disappear as many of their fellows have done 
in historical times, and in the majority of cases since a very recent 
date. Butomus umbellatus, which was still at Yuerdon at the beginning 
of the century ; the Calla; the Zannichellia tenuis, which is pro¬ 
bably a local form of the Z. dentata, and is no longer to be found ; 
Lysimachia punctata ; and many others it would be easy to mention. 
One must act under pain of seeing certain plants entirely disappear, 
like that unfortunate Psiadia rotundifolia of St. Helena, which witness 
of the captivity of Napoleon I. remains as the unique specimen in 
the world of its species, and its seeds will not grow ! 
Act, one may say ; but how 1 The Association for the Protection of 
Plants shows us a way, and a good way. It works in two ways. In the first 
place it has formed in the environs of Geneva a botanical garden for the 
exclusive culture of alpine plants, and which sells these plants to botanists 
and amateurs, hoping thus to deter them from pillaging mountains and 
valleys. This garden has proved a success, collectors apply there and 
are sure to find what they want at a cheap rate. The plants have 
nearly all been raised from seed. The Association sells seeds and plants, 
paying special attention to the culture of high mountain flora of the 
Alps, also of the Himalaya and Andes. It may seem strange that plants 
from great heights are successfully cultivated in the plains, yet, neverthe¬ 
less, such is the case. Generally the sowing is performed in autumn 
before the cold, and on this point the Association gives all the neces¬ 
sary instructions to those who buy seed and wish to make experi¬ 
ments in acclimatisation or extension in gardens or on mountains. 
To those who doubt the possibility of acclimatising alpine plants in 
the plain, I shall simply answer by mentioning the example of that 
horticulturist of Berne, who grew 30,000 plants of Edelweiss from seeds; 
the same Edelweiss which in Switzerland is only found at the level of 
the continual snow, is still prosperous at Geneva ; still more, it lives 
and flourishes at Paris and in the environs. In truth, it displays an 
astonishing toughness. 
An objection at once presents itself to the mind of the naturalist 
Admitting that one can really cultivate the Alpine species in the plain 
at a very different altitude, in a medium totally varying from the point 
of view of temperature, aeration, light, perhaps the chemical constitu¬ 
tion of the soil, &c., it is certain the plants will vary but little ; but 
slight differences will occur, owing to the change of medium which 
stimulates the natural variability of the plant, and the species perhaps 
will change in character from certain points of view. 
Such being the case, and as it is most probable, the naturalist will be 
overjoyed. In these conditions the Alpine garden of Geneva will render 
great services to science, and the botanist, curious to study the modifi¬ 
cations imposed upon the species by the change of medium, will find in 
this garden a real laboratory. It is not, at least, I hope, exclusively 
commercial, and those who direct it will doubtlessly understand the 
interest of the studies they can favour without injuring in any way their 
trade. But then one will object, If the acclimatised plants vary however 
little, it will not be the original species that are preserved, and the object 
of the Association is only half gained. The objection is well founded, 
but the Association seems to have anticipated it, and the second of the 
methods employed for the protection of the Alpine Flora springs from a 
knowledge of the necessity of maintaining and protecting the species in 
situ, in their normal or actual habitat. Th : s is attained by the creation 
of botanical gardens in the mountains themselves. In these gardens 
are to be grouped the rare species of the height), and they will be in 
normal conditions from the point of view of medium, and certain species 
which do not reach florescence in the plain will here receive special 
culture. These gardens supply the seed employed in the gardens of 
Geneva. 
One of these gardens—the Linnrea—was inaugurated last year in 
Valais, at Bourg-Saint-Pierre, on the route of St. Bernard ; others are 
to follow. It seems to us that there might easily be found in different 
parts of the Swiss mountains pieces of ground often unfit for agricul¬ 
tural purposes where certain species might be introduced and preserved. 
There ought to be communes, or even private individuals, who would 
allow acclimatisation experiments of this kind to be made in their pro¬ 
perty, and the Association could deal with them as the “ Jardin d’Accli- 
matation ” of Paris with regard to those to whom it confides cattle. 
However, it may be by the creation of the garden of Geneva the Asso¬ 
ciation certainly diveits from the mountains many botanists, amateurs, 
and sellers, and assures the preservation of rare species, and in the 
Alpine Gardens it completes its work by preserving plants in s tu. It is 
of importance that this last protection should be multiplied as much as 
possible. 
To the two preceding means others may be added. It is good for the 
authorities to decree interdictions and penalties, as they have already 
done in Switzerland in France. It is good particularly to make the 
majority understand the scientific, and often practical utility, of the 
protection of plants. Besides, a marked tendency is manifested in this 
direction. In England, France, and different countries many persons 
begin to comprehend and consider the question, as we can judge by the 
notes published in the Bulletin de VAssociation poiLr la Protection ties 
Plantes. 
We can only applaud this movement, in which the Association has 
certainly a large share, but we particularly insist upon the scientific 
interest it presents. By preventing the disappearance of vegetable 
species, and assuring their protection and survival, and by furnishing at 
the same time the naturalist with means of stulyiag curious and im¬ 
portant facts, botanists and their friends do what zoologists regret not 
having done, when there was still time for many animd species. So 
many species disappeared, so many documents lost, leaves torn in the 
book of nature, and we cannot decipher this last with such ease as to be 
able to permit ourselves the whim of skipping a page here or there and 
risk omitting an important passage. 
The protection of plants is a work of public utility, because it is a 
w r ork of scientific utility, and this is why we have spoken on the ques¬ 
tion.— Henri de Varigny. — (Revue Scientifique.') 
The Crystal Palace Rose Show. 
“ Wanted, a single official at London Bridge Station, who can tell, 
even before the Crystal Palace train starts, from which platform it will 
go.” This was the despairing cry of two Ease Anglian rosarians on the 
cold wet morning of July 5th, and it was cried in vain. We missed the 
train, and had to kick our heels for an hour, which was sadly wanted, 
for one of us was showing in large classes. It was cold indeed—how 
cold 1 did not realise till I found myself seated at the base of a statue of 
Flora (who was doubtless much astonished at my occupation), trying 
with breath and budding knife to open a bloom of Annie Wood ! Those 
who are acquainted with that faithless Rose will understand that any 
assistance required by it in opening after a long summer night’s journey 
is a wonderful sign of the coolness of the morning, as described by 
“ J. H. P.” Tbe general character and quality of the Roses shown in 
the largest classes would probably be considered as hardly up to the 
average, the best growers having not yet got to their strongest H.P.’s, 
and the first flush of southern Teas being either over or spoilt by rain. 
There was a close contest in the nurserymen’s class for the cham¬ 
pion trophy. And here, with the sanction of “ D., Deal," I should like 
to offer a remark or two on the judging of seventy-twos in general and 
for the trophy in particular. Those who have never officiated in a 
class of these dimensions, and who may wonder at the time expended on 
it, must remember that a seventy-two is probably nearly 4 yards long, 
and that five seventy-twos in a row are approaching 20 yards long ; that 
the first general survey to see which, if any, of the stands require point¬ 
ing, must by no means be hurried (for firsc impressions go a long way), 
and should, I think, be independent, i.e , performed separately by each 
of the Judges ; and that if, for instance, in a row of five stands, Nos. 1, 
3, and 5 are pretty close together in merit and require pointing, a very 
considerable amount not only of time and labour, but also of patience, 
attention, and clearness of head are necessary. It should also not be 
forgotten that it is a responsible business ; that it is a serious matter to 
our good friends the nurserymen ; that a large amount of care, labour, 
and cost have been expended ; that it must be done within a certain 
time, not only because of the incoming of the public, but also because 
the blooms may change in an hour or less ; that, therefore, no pains 
should be spared in coming to as just a decision as possible, and yet that 
it must be done quickly. 
The rules for judging issued by the N R.S. teach us that in pointing 
a certain bloom should be chosen as the standard of three points. This 
is, I think, most important; I hope it is never omitted ; I cannot see 
how any accurate pointing can be done without it; and I think the 
bloom should be carefully chosen—not just the first fair one that comes- 
We must remember that this is the standard. Every Rose in at least two 
seventy-twos (equal 144), or perhaps three (equal 216) must be judgedi 
by this as the type or example of three points. It must be remembered, 
too, that if any seventy-two has a tail it is a gradual one ; not only 
because in setting up a man naturally puts his best Roses in first and 
his weanest when he is finishing, but also because he will do it 
designedly, if he has any weakness, since the smaller blooms gradually 
shading off will suffer less by contrast. Can anyone keep this standard 
accurately in his head through a gradually deteriorating scale of 144 
blooms without frequently referring to it ? My suggestion, therefore,, 
is that in a matter of closeness and importance the standard Rose 
should be carried by one of the Judges, and compared directly there is rv 
doubt as to the number of points any Rose is worth—a bother) no doubt ) 
but let us be as sure as possible in our decisions. 
Again, has anyone after handing in his judging card in class 1 with 
a light heart to the Secretary, remembered with a perfectly clear 
conscience that he and his partners (see Rules 4 and 6) are solely 
responsible on the question of duplicates in that class ? Are they often, 
or ever, sure that not only the same Rose but also the same name has 
not appeared more than once in the same stand ? It is too much to 
expect of them in the time, in my opinion. The seeing that the same 
name is not repeated in any one stand is purely clerk’s work, which 
anyone might do ; but even then the Judges ought to see how every 
Rose, even the best known ones, are named ; and I therefore suggest 
that, if possible, other persons should be appointed to look for dupli¬ 
cates, at least of names, in the big classes. 
In the competition for the amateurs’ trophy the contest was not quite 
