161 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Fetruory £G, 1891. 
supposed to be acquired ia a season. Nature will not be hurried in her 
processts, and the lesson of a given period is only to be perceived once 
ia the course of a year. But, after the man, the land must be studied 
and dealt with, and that opened up a wide vista for thought and 
argumen*’. 
Having dealt with the land, Mr. Baillie proceeded to speak of market 
aspects and arrangements, pointing out that whilst the producer must 
aim at both quality and quantity, it was absolutely necessary for 
success that he should insist upon quality, ife then spoke upon fruit 
preservation, and upon the various phases coming under this head, and 
spoke at length on British Apples as probably the staple product of the 
British fruit farm. During the delivery of the address several instances 
were given of failure and of blunders made by those who in their zeal 
had taken up the cult before they had fitted themselves for its needs. 
Some puzzles of horticulture, and hindrances and disadvantages were 
dealt with at length, and apparently to the satisfaction of the audience, 
who frequently emphasised the speaker’s remarks. 
Mr. Baillie concluded by pointing out that they had considered the 
matter perhaps too exclusively from a pounds, shillings, and pence point 
of view, but he had tried to bear in mind that he was treating the 
subject as an industry, and it was therefore necessary that they should 
keep their eye on the profit and loss account. But there was another 
side of the question, a most important side, for the future happiness and 
welfare of the nation could be largely influenced by an extended prac¬ 
tice of fruit growing, involving of course an implied effect of this 
system of cultivation, that, namely, of a largely increased uie of fruits 
as the food of the people. There weie weary eyes aching ever the 
needle night after night; to these there wis nothing to look at in this 
beautiful world but the dull dim street; there were heavy hearts which 
heard no music but the dinner bell at the factory ; there were languish¬ 
ing spirits in close crowded courts fainting for the breath of the breeze, 
and tollers in the towns whose lives were joyless and hopeless. Let them 
open the gates of Arcadia, lead the children out into a peopled Paradise, 
and how grandly would everything go in the way in which those who 
saw rightly and felt rightly wished. Coming face to face with the 
freshness of Nature one seemed to strike off the chains that bound 
humanity down to the dull routine of a sunless life where smoke and 
chimnies took the place of sunshine and trees, and the hissing of steam 
and fumes of chemicals tormented and stifled those who might find 
freedom and fulness of life in the work of the orchard and the garden or 
rest in the grove. (Applause.) 
Tue President, Messrs. Siddall, Wynne, Shepheard, Newstead, and 
others addressed the meeting, and one of the members displayed a 
collection of Pears and Apples in splendid condition to show in what 
state of preservation British fruits could be kept wdth ordinary care 
nearly through the entire season. A vote of thanks to Mr. Baillie 
brought an interesting meeting to a close. 
The PiOSAriah's Year Book. 
Y OETHY of more than a passing note, we have for some time past 
been seeking an opportunity for glancing through the pages of the last 
issue of the work of our respected coadjutor. Rev. H. H. D'Ombrain, 
with the object of indicating the character of the different chapters in 
the Rose columns of the Journal. Generally speaking the work may 
be fairly described as one of the best of the series, and if there are any 
Rose growers yet unsupplied with a copy they had belter at once tell 
their booksellers that the publishers are Messrs. Bemrose &; Sons, and 
thus ob'ain one, for there is certainly matter to interest, instruct, and 
amuse in its seventy.two well printed pages. 
The portrait of the year is an admirably executed photrgraph of 
Mr. George Dickson of Newtownards, a name that has become very 
prominent during recent years in the Rose world in consequence of his 
success in raising several varieties of Roses which the world will not 
willingly let die. The chief of these are enumerated by Mr. D'Ombrain, 
who also indicates their characters, and further tells us that Mr. Dick¬ 
son carefully hybridises about 300 plants annually, and sows about 
.3000 seeds. His gold medal Rose of last year, Margaret Dickson, is 
highly spoken of as likely to supersede Merveille de Lyon, one of its 
parents. Something is usually “going on in Ireland’’ that is apt to 
give rise to differences of opinion, but we apprehend there must be a 
very close approach to unity in desire that the sister isle will send us 
yet more beautiful Roses. 
The Editor passes in review the work of the National Rose Society 
during the past year, and finds it on the whole satisfactory. The 
Society has more members than ever, a surplus of income over expendi¬ 
ture, and bad very good shows, considering the singularly unpropitious 
weather during the show season. There appear to have been two 
champion amateur exhibitors during the year, for we are told that 
“ Mr. Lindsell, besides winning the challenge trophy, wmn twenty-six 
first prizes, fifteen seconds, three thirds, one fourth, one gold, and four 
silver medals ; and not less remarkable was Mr. Burnside’s record for 
Teas and Noisettes only, for besides the challenge cup and the Towns- 
hend Boscawen Memorial cup, he won twenty-seven first prizes, nine 
seconds, two thirds, with four silver medals, and the £5 cup at Wirral.” 
Such remarkable achievements deserve to be made widely known, as 
showing what can be done by earnest able men in the culture of the 
Rose. Mr. D’Ombrain regrets the loss of two or three exhibitors, but 
expects others are “ coming on.” He does not say that one of these did 
a foolish thing, but he does say “ Mr. Fowler must needs go and get 
manied just at the time he ought to have been exhibiting,” addingj, 
however, a sympathetic word, “so I suppose he must be forgiven, and 
make a better score next year.” This does not mean better than marry¬ 
ing, but in exhibiting, than be would have made last season if he had 
not, as they say in the north, “ bean and gan and gat wed.” 
But we must pass on. The Rev. A. Foster Melliar discourses on 
stocks for Roses, and relates his experience on going a-briaring. He 
tells us how Dean Hole was reminded of the proper time for this by the 
man who supplied him with standard stocks “ unexpectedly coming to 
church.” However, Mr. Foster Melliar evidently belongs to the muscular 
order of rosarians, for he determined to go head first into the hedges 
and dig up his own ; at least, he says he bent an old felt hat over his 
ears, because, to quote his own words, “ You must get your head into 
the very thick of it,” which is quite true ; and no doubt equally true 
that after working, we may be sure with great energy for a time, his 
dress was so tattered and torn as to be “ more fitted for a scarecrow 
than for a parson.” Though he had “ never seen a- professional stock 
collector at work,” he seems to have proceeded in a very professional 
manner, for he says, “ When going up hedges I laid the stocks out as ? 
got them, and collected them as I came back ; cut an Elm or Hazel 
shoot as a withe and made a faggot, which, utterly heedless of the- 
sufferings of the poor coat, I carried home on my back rejoicing.” In 
that way he collected 1800 stocks one winter, and it is just the way 
of professionals. But a professional would not have been surprised if 
he had gone into a shop for thick hedging mittens and found them “ a>l 
left-handed,” and if he had found one of them right-handed he would 
have known it was for a left-handed man—to hold the bushes back 
with and chop with the other and softer-gloved hand. This, it seems,, 
was explained to the tattered rosarian ; but perhaps he knew all about 
it, and we have a suspicion he did. However, be that as it may, he 
describes thoroughly sound practice on stocks and budding, and he- 
would evidently be a wise man who could teach him much on the sub¬ 
ject on which he writes so welh 
“ Tea Roses in North Yorkshire ” is the theme of Mr. John Hark- 
ness, who is evidently an enthusiastic Tea man. He tells how until 
recently Tea Rose growing in the north was confined to glass structures,, 
but experience has proved that all the best varieties adapt themselves- 
to the cold Yorkshire climate with “ no shelter to speak of save the- 
‘ grand auld hills ’ nearly twenty miles away.” Drawing the soil round 
the plants appears to be usual method of protection. It will be interest¬ 
ing to learn how they have fared during the present season, but as a 
rule cutting the plants down to the ground is followed by stronger 
growth. Tea Roses have served Mr. Harkness well, and to them he- 
mainly attributes his success in winning the Jubilee challenge trophy 
four consecutive years, the stands having contained one Tea to jthre& 
Hybrid Perpetual blooms. Mr. Harkness also gives a hint on spring 
planting that ought not to be lost. He says, “ All the Teas shown by 
us last year were cut from March-planted plants. They were awarded 
eleven first prizes, the premier Tea (Catherine Mermet) at the Crystal 
Palace, and the premier (Souvenir d’Elise) at Worksop. The plants 
were lifted before winter, laid in, and covered with mats, which is- 
described as a sure and certain mode of preserving them. His short 
well written paper contains many good hints. 
Mr. Alexander Hill Gray contributes a dozen pages of “ Rose- 
Jottings,” the greater part light and anecdotal; indeed, the “Year 
Book ” must come as a boon for relieving him of quaint sayings which 
he has treasured up. The rainy season last year did not suit his Teas, 
the blooms .being so besmeared by drops of rain as to remind of the- 
negro woman who disliked one of her children “ kase dat brat showed- 
dirt so easy ; ” and his Cloth of Gold on the Grifferiae stock looked as- 
melancholy as the “ auld wifie” must have been who, on being twitted 
on marrying a fourth time, exclaimed, “ Was ever wumman sae troubled 
wi’ sic a set o’ deem’ men ? ” But his paper is by no means all in that 
vein, and he pays an eloquent tribute to the memory of the late Henry 
Bennett. “ What pjeans of praise have been accorded to, among other 
of his triumphs, Mrs. John Laing, Princess of Wales, Her Majesty, Lady 
Mary Fitzwilliara, and Grace Darling we all know ; and though as 
time rolls on these also, with our other Roses of to-day, may have to- 
make way for ‘immortals’ yet unveiled—the name of Henry Bennett 
will ever deserve an honoured place in the niche of fame as the founder 
of pedigree Rose culture in Great Britain.” 
“ The Moss Rose,” writes Mr. T. W. Girdlestone, “ is the living expc— 
sit'on of the impotence of the florist,” and goes on to prove the truth 
of the told proposition. He says a collection of a hundred varieties of 
Moss Roses could be made at any moment, then asks and answers two- 
or three questions. How many of them are found better than the>-. 
