14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 6, 1893. 
teld prisoners until the fumes of the cyanide have evaporated, when the 
wasps pass in and out as usual. I find also that it has not the slightest 
injurious effect on the larvm or young wasps, which alone will soon 
form a very strong nest ; but if a piece of turf be placed over the hole 
and pressed tightly in, it often prevents their escape. 
I have used cyanide of potassium in different forms—in the solid about 
the size of a small walnut, placed at the entrance to the nest; in its 
powder form as recommended by Mr. Molyneux, also dissolved in warm 
water, pouring it into the mouth of the nest. All these different 
methods of using it have produced precisely the same results, via., that 
of killing all wasps passing over it almost instantly, and preventing 
those inside from escaping till its fumes have evaporated, which takes 
several days. In the meantime it has no effect whatever upon the 
larvse. 
With due respect to Mr. Molyneux’s suggestion, I should like to hear 
the experience of others on the effects of cyanide of potassium in the 
d'estruction of wasps’ nests.—B. Beoady, Hooton Grange Gardens. 
ROSE SHOWS. 
NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. 
Geeat (Show at the Ceystal Palace, July 1st. 
Hose exhibiting as regulated by the fickleness of our English 
climate is a game of see-saw, the northern and southern exhibitors 
occupying each end of the plank, and rising gracefully up or coming 
heavily down according as the presiding genius throws its weight on 
the one balance or the other. The game is exciting to the participants, 
and diverting to lookers-on, the more so if among the fallen champions 
one is descried who had expressed roseate hues about his prospects long 
before the season commenced, only to have them dashed by some pecu¬ 
liarity of the weather later on. For three years past the southern 
growers have had the best of the play so far as the first “National” is 
concerned, for we have to go back to 1889 to find the great trade trophy 
out of Essex; but once more climatic conditions have given the 
northerners the advantage, and their southern rivals have been signally 
worsted. 
A glance back over the records of the six years 1888-93, shows that 
on three occasions victory has rested with the young and energetic 
exhibitor, Mr. Frank Cant of Braiswick, Colchester, his successes being 
achieved in 1888, 1890, and 1892, which goes to show that he lays 
himself out for biennial victories. In 1891 Mr. B. R. Cant was 
triumphant, and in 1889, as this year, the coveted prize fell to Messrs. 
Harkness of Bedale. Rose growers in the South will well remember 
the character of the season in which the first success of the York¬ 
shire nurserymen was achieved. We had such a long spell of hot, 
dry weather, that southern Roses were hurried on with alarming rapidity, 
and when show time came they were distinctly past their best. Then 
came a trio of late seasons, in two of which Messrs. Harkness were 
unable to stage at all, and consequently the Essex growers came up 
smiling. But if the season of 1889 was early owing to the hot and dry 
weather, what are we to say of 1893 ? It has out-Heroded Herod, and 
everybody put it down as a foregone conclusion that the trophy must 
once more, like Hatteras, face the North. The Cants must have felt 
themselves beaten before a bloom was staged, but they bravely did their 
best, and may console themselves with the reflection that they showed 
much better than the majority of people expected. 
With respect to the amateurs’ trophy it is a different story. Sub¬ 
limely indifferent to the character of the seasons Mr. Lindsell comes and 
conquers. He despises the climatic seesaw, and sails ever upwards. 
If it is a late season he wins ; if it is an early one he “ gets 
there ” just the same. With a sequence of four consecutive 
victories to point to, success for him appears to have become an 
institution. His chief opponent of last year. Dr. Budd, did not 
compete in the leading class, and throughout the Show there were 
«ome notable absentees. Where, for instance, was Mr. Prince, with 
those wonderful Teas of his, and where Mr. Burnside ? The latter was 
in evidence in the flesh, but in many classes where he is wont to show 
prominently he was not represented. Of the amateurs who exhibited 
more conspicuously than they have hitherto done may be mentioned 
Mr. Machin, Mr. Drew, Mr. Orpen, and Mr. Foster Melliar. 
And what of the Show as a whole ? Truth compels the admission 
that it was the worst for several years past, a large number of the 
flowers being not only undersized, but coarse and soiled ; still there 
were some brilliant exceptions, and the general opinion appeared to be 
that if below the average it was still a great deal better than might 
have been expected. The number of blooms appeared to be far less 
than at any preceding show of late years. A correspondent says there 
were 2000 fewer than in 1892. 
Nueseeymen’s Class. 
As is well known the principal class in this section is for seventy-two 
distinct varieties, single trusses, and which usually brings forth a keen 
competition. As we have remarked, the fight between the northern and 
southern growers for the premier position, with which goes the challenge 
trophy, was not, however, quite so close as usual. Messrs. Harkness and 
Sons, Bedale, were declared the winners without much difficulty for a 
collection of fine blooms. The varieties were staged as follows :—First 
box, back row : Ulrich Brunner, Duchesse de Morny, Charles Lefebvre 
(fine), Suzanne Marie Rodocanachi, Duke of Fife, Gustave Piganeau, 
(good). Middle row : Madame Caroline Kuster Barthelemy Joubert, 
Madame Bravy, Due de Montpensier (fine), Cleopatra, Dr. Andry 
(splendid). Front row: Augusta Rigotard, Comtesse de Serenye,Comte 
de Raimbaud (good). Souvenir de Paul Neyron, Sir Rowland Hill, and 
Innocente Pirola. Second box, back row : Exposition de Brie, Lady 
Mary Fitzwilliam, General Jacqueminot, Marquise de Castellane, Victor 
Hugo, Mrs. John Laing. Middle row: Margaret Dickson, A. K. Williams 
(grand), Princess Beatrice, Fisher Holmes, Boule d’Or, Horace Vernet 
(magnificent; the silver medal H.P. in this section). Front row: 
Madame C. Crapelet, Marguerite Boudet, Reynolds Hole, Btoile de Lyon, 
Harrison Weir, Madame B. Verdier. Third box, back row : Dupuy 
Jamain (fine), Madame G. Luizet, Gloire de Margottin, Ernest Metz 
(grand), Louis Van Houtte, Merveille de Lyon. Middle row : Marie 
Verdier, Charles Darwin (grand), Comtesse de Nadaillac, Earl of 
Dufferin (splendid), Catherine Mermet, Madame V, Verdier (grand). 
Front row : Beauty of Waltham, Viscountess Folkestone, Mons. E. Y. 
Teas, Merrie England, Le Havre, Violette Bouyer. Fourth box, back 
row : Camille Bernardin, La France, Etienne Levet, Madame H. 
Jamain, Due de Rohan (good). Baroness de Rothschild. Middle row : 
Souvenir d’Blise, Crown Prince, Francisca Kruger, Alfred Colomb 
(magnificent). Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Duchess of Bedford (good). 
Front row : Edward Andry, Mrs, Harkness, Prince Arthur, Jean Ducher, 
Duke of Wellington, and Countess of Oxford. Mr. B. R. Cant, Col¬ 
chester, was second, the best flowers in this exhibit being Alfred Colomb, 
Ethel Brownlow, Jean Soupert, Prince Arthur, The Bride, and Mar^chal 
Vaillant. Mr. F. Cant secured a third position with flowers good, but 
not up to the customary standard. Five exhibitors competed in this class. 
In class 2, for forty-eight, distinct, three trusses of each, there was 
a very strong competition. Again, however, the northern growers secured 
the leading position, the first prize going to Messrs. Harkness & Sons. 
The blooms were very good, and comprised the following varieties :— 
Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, A, K. Williams (fine), Margaret Dickson, 
Barthelemy Joubert, Souvenir d’Elise, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Dr. Andry (good), 
Dupuy Jamain, G6n4ral Jacqueminot, Madame Bravy, Duke of 
Connaught, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Marie Verdier, Charles Lefebvre, 
Duchesse de Morny (fine), Reynolds Hole (splendid), Etoile de Lyon, 
Duchess of Bedford (grand). Marquise de Castellane, Alfred Colomb 
(good), Suzanne Marie Rodocanachi, Fisher Holmes, Caroline Kuster, Sir 
Rowland Hill, Gustave Piganeau, Mrs. J. Laing (good), Horace Vernet, 
La France (fine), Prince Arthur, Catherine Mermet, Dr. Sewell, Mrs. 
Harkness, Madame Verdier, Captain Christy, Exposition de Brie, 
Innocente Pirola, Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Ulrich Brunner, Madame G. 
Luizet, Senateur Vaisse, Madame Cusin, Countess of Rosebery, Merveille, 
Beauty of Waltham, Cleopatra, Merveille de Lyon, and Madame 
Willermoz. Mr. Frank Cant was a good second, the best flowers in this 
stand being Fisher Holmes, Marie Van Houtte, Xavier Olibo, Reynolds 
Hole, Souvenir d’Elise Vardon, and Ella Gordon. Mr. B. R. Cant 
followed with smaller flowers. There were four competitors in this class. 
Mr. Henry Merryweather, Southwell, Notts, was awarded first prize 
in the class for forty-eight single trusses, again proving that the 
northern growers have the season in their favour this year, the blooms 
being exceptionally fine. The varieties shown were Auguste Rigotard, 
Mrs. J. Laing, G^n6ral Jacqueminot, Jeannie Dickson, Marie Baumann, 
Baroness Rothschild, Charles Lefebvre, Duchess of Bedford (good), 
Madame Hauseman, John Stuart Mill, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Gustave 
Piganeau, Heinrich Schultheis, Sir Rowland Hill, Dupuy Jamain (fine), 
Victor Hugo, Gloire de Margottin, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Comte de 
Raimbaud (good), La France de 1889, Horace Vernet (splendid). Marquise 
de Castellane, Camille Bernardin, Marie Margot, Ulrich Brunner, Her 
Majesty, Earl of Dufferin, Merveille de Lyon, Jeanne Sury (good), 
Spenser, Alfred Colomb, Suzanne Marie Rodocanachi, Beauty of 
Waltham, Duke of Teck, Senateur Vaisse, Prosper Laugier, Ernest Metz 
(fine). Dr. Sewell, Etienne Levet, Duke of Wellington, Brightness of 
Cheshunt, Catherine Mermet, Madame H. Pereire, The Bride, Fisher 
Holmes, Francisque Rive, Abel Carriere, and Eclaire. Messrs. G. and 
W. H. Burch, Peterborough, were second in this class. These flowers 
were fresh, Horace Vernet, Camille Bernardin, A. K. Williams, Pierre 
Netting, and Charles Darwin being especially good. Messrs. Perkins 
and Son, Coventry, were third. Five competitors were forthcoming 
in this class. 
Mr. W. H. Frettingham, Beeston, Notts, was first in the class for 
twenty-four, distinct, single trusses, staging some grand blooms. The 
varieties shown were—back row : Ulrich Brunner, Jean Leli^vre, Com¬ 
tesse de Ludre (good), A. K. Williams (grand). Pride of Waltham, 
Alfred Colomb, Duchess of Bedford (richly coloured), Louis Van Houtte. 
Middle row : Due de Wellington, Her Majesty, Auguste Neuman, La 
France, Charles Lefebvre (fine), Duke of Edinburgh, Marie Baumann, 
Lord Macaulay. Front row ; Duke of Teck, Reynolds Hole, Madame C. 
Crapelet, Dinge Conard, Mrs. J. Laing, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Charles 
Darwin, and Mons. E. Y. Teas. Mr. J. Mattock, New Headington, 
Oxford, was a good second. This stand included some grand blooms of 
Marie Baumann, Mrs. J. Laing, La France, Ulrich Brunner, and Earl 
Dufferin. Messrs. D. Prior & Sons, Colchester, were third with fair 
blooms. There were four exhibitors in this class. 
In the class for twenty-four, distinct, single trusses, the competition 
was keen. Messrs. G. & W. H. Burch were awarded the first prize for a 
stand of small, but fresh, and well coloured blooms. The varieties 
shown were Her Majesty, Reynolds Hole, Marie Verdier, Earl Dufferin, 
Mrs. J. Laing, Gustave Piganeau, Marie Van Houtte, Fisher Holmes, 
Madame Rady, Exposition de Brie, Merveille de Lyon, A. K. Williams, 
Xavier Olibo, Innocente Pirola, Marchioness of Dufferin, Duke of 
Wellington, Senateur Vaisse, Comte de Raimbaud, Alfred Colomb, 
