June 8, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
455 
paper, and that the fruits be then closely and firmly packed together in 
the cases, no padding whatever Icing vsed save just sufficient at the 
sides to prevent the fruits shaking out of place. The sides of the cases 
should be made of two parallel boards, with a space left between them 
to allow free exit of moisture and ingress of air during transit. The 
Committee attached the greatest importance to the words in italics. 
It should be mentioned that in both the Tumuc and Neilson parcels 
the Pears were all absolutely rotten, and arrived all in a mash ; whereas 
some sent a week or two earlier only wrapped in tissue paper, with no 
padding, but with side ventilation to the cases, were still in almost 
perfect condition. 
Under the third head, the varieties sent were London Pippin, 
Sturmer Pippin, Rome Beauty, Stone’s Pippin, Jonathan, and Adams’ 
Pearmain (it was said by a gentleman from Melbourne that Adams’ 
Pearmain was called Dutch Mignonne in Australia, but there was no 
question with the Committee that the fruits were Adams’ Pearmain, 
and had nothing to do with the true Dutch Mignonne). Of these 
varieties Sturmer had arrived in by far the best condition, leaving in 
fact little to be desired ; and London Pippin in the worst, there being 
very few perfect or even passable fruits. The other varieties were all 
more or less woolly. Jonathan is a very attractive-looking Apple, and 
if it could be sent over in a less mealy condition would no doubt sell ; 
but judging from the samples, Sturmer will prove by far the best 
market fruit. The same remark applies to Adams’ Pearmain as to 
Jonathan. 
With regard to the cases used the wood was considered sufficiently good 
for the purpose, but ihe ventilation at the sides, as in the Tumuc samples, 
was considered a sine qua non. It was incidentally remarked that much 
of the Tasmanian fruit lately sent has been spoiled by the very rough 
insides of the cases pressing unequally against the fruits. A specimen 
of a Tasmanian case was pointed out, the sides of which might be 
described as almost corrugated. Whether this be due to the very hard 
kind of wood used in Tasmania, or simply to the coarseness of the 
circular saw used in cutting the boards, the Committee were unable 
to say. 
Signed on behalf of the Committee above named — W. Wilks, 
Sec., B.H.S. 
Rose Show Fixtures in 1893, 
June 14th (Wednesday).—Earl’s Court*. 
,, 15th (Thursday).—Newport. 
„ 20th (Tuesday).—Westminster (N.R.S.). 
„ 24th (Saturday).—Reigate. 
„ 26th (Monday).—Hitchin. 
„ 27th (Tuesday).—Maidstone and Sutton. 
„ 28th (Wednesday).—Clifton,* Earl’s Court, and Richmond (Surrey). 
„ 29th (Thursday).—Eltham and Windsor. 
July let (Saturday).—Crystal Palace (N.R.S.). 
„ 4th (Tuesday).—Bagshot, Canterbury, Diss, and Gloucester. 
,, 5th (Wednesday).—Croydon, Dursley, Ealing, Farnham, Hereford, 
and Lee.* 
„ 6th (Thursday).—Bath, Farningham, Manchester, and Norwich, 
„ 11th (Tuesday).—Harleston and Wolverhampton.f 
„ 12th (Wednesday).—Earl’s Court and Tunbridge Wells. 
„ 13th (Thursday).—Worksop (N.R.S.), and Woodbridge. 
„ 14th (Friday).—Helensburgh. 
„ 15th (Saturday).—New Brighton. 
„ 20th (Thursday).—Bedford and Trentham, 
„ 21st (Friday).—Ulverston. 
„ 25th (Tuesday).—Tibshelf. 
„ 27th (Thursday).—Halifax, and Southwell. 
,, 29th (Saturday ). —Bedale. 
* Shows lasting two days. f Show lasting three days. 
During the present month a list of Rose Show fixtures will be issued 
each week, so that I shall be glad to have early notice of the dates of 
any shows not mentioned above, and also of any change of dates.— 
Edward Mawley, Rosebanh , Berhhamsted , Herts . 
Annual Dinner of the National Rose Society. 
We understand that the Very Rev. The Dean of Rochester, President 
of the Society, will take the chair at the annual dinner of the National 
Rose Soeiety on the 20th inst. at the Horticultuial Club Rooms, Hotel 
Windsor, Victoria Street, Westminster. 
Stray Notes. 
I HAVE turned to the Rose column of the Journal week after week 
in the hope of seeing an account from some well-known source as to 
how Roses are doing in this wonderful season, but, with the exception 
of the significant notice from Reigate, hitherto in vain. The season has 
been against writing, except when goaded by sparrows, for we have 
wanted all the daylight for work, and those who have been short- 
handed, or were in arrears, have had a busy time, for the position 
being nearly a month earlier than usual in some things, it follows that 
we have had since March to do four months’ work in three. In almost 
every other spring that I can remember there has been a time of greater 
or less duration, when it has been a common expression that “ everything 
is at a standstill.” Then poor laggards, like myself, have made up lost 
time, but this year things have always been getting forward from the 
sun and warmth, even if they could not grow much from want of rain. 
Ic has been ” a run without a check ”—capital for those who could keep 
pace with it, but a little seasonable check would not have been lamented 
by one at least who could hardly keep up with the things which wanted 
doing. 
Between March 1st and May 21st we had only once (on May 2nd) 
sufficient rain to really lay the dust, and we still want it nearly as bad 
as ever. We tried long ago all the approved dodges which are usually 
successful in provoking rain, such as marking out the lawn tenuis court 
afresh, leaving comfortable chairs and even valuable books out of doors 
at night; but in vain, and had begun to talk of the advisability as a last 
resource of sending a deputation over to hang Professor Falb, who fore¬ 
told the drought, when luckily Jean Ducher came to the rescue by 
producing two fine buds in just the condition to be spoilt by a shower. 
We ceased watering, in the full conviction that if those buds did not 
tempt a prowling thunder shower nothing would, and that in that case 
I should at least see a good Jean Ducher in the open, which I have not 
done for many years. The bait took as I thought it would, but alas 1 
though it takes a very little rain to spoil a Jean Ducher, it would now 
take a great deal to quench our thirst; and we are, though a little 
refreshed, by no means satisfied. 
I expect we have all had some difficulties to contend with. I did not 
know what to do with my Rose beds, which were so hard they could not 
be hoed without being watered, and could not be watered without being 
hoed. I had to break them first with a pick. Then, to my shame, I was 
behindhand in planting out my Briar cutting stocks, and had to do this 
in April when the earth was like iron and the heavens as brass, and the 
plants themselves were green and growing. But there is a great deal 
in careful planting, and nearly all look better than I anticipated. I 
heard of one gallant rosarian who hired the town fire engine and twelve 
men for a week to keep his stocks alive; and of another who left off 
watering in despair. The Dutch hoe has once more proved an efficient 
substitute for the watering pot (though it is better still as an aid) in 
many places ; and, in general, stocks and all moved plants have been 
those that have suffered the most and required the greater attention. 
I hope that other Briar cuttings inserted last year do not look as bad 
as mine. 
As to caterpillars and grubs, I did not mean to suggest, when I wrote 
at pruning time, that there would be none, but that there would pro¬ 
bably be fewer than usual, and this is the case here in a marked degree. 
I fully expect that Mr. Mawley, w’hose statistics on these and other 
rosarian matters are so valuable, will confirm my opinion. A large 
majority of the buds look well formed and promising. The wood growth 
is naturally not great, but a harvest wdth good ears but short straw is 
not uncommon, and I hope this may be the case with Roses. 
I suppose Reigate has expressed the general estimate of the season 
by making their date a fortnight earlier ; but “ three weeks earlier than 
usual” would, I expect, be the prognostication of some localities. A 
great deal depends upon June, and I myself do not expect to be much 
more than a fortnight before the usual time. My standard Teas, espe¬ 
cially those which were buried, do not look as if they w'ould be forwarder 
than usual. I think the burying answered very well with all those 
which had to be pruned, but the Marfichal Niels do not seem to have 
approved of it. They are growing well and strongly, but show few 
signs of flowering even from the long w'ood of last year. 
It certainly seems as if some warmly debated questions as to the 
date of the National Show will be answered this year. We ought at 
least to be able to see what is to be seen of northern growers, and some¬ 
body at least will have the gratification of saying, “ I told you so.”— 
W. R. Raillem. 
GLOXINIAS AT SHROVER HALL. 
The finest Gloxinias I have ever seen are now growing in Sir William 
Pink’s garden, a few miles from Portsmouth. Many of the plants measure 
2 feet in diameter and carry fifty blooms, some measuring 4} inches in 
diameter. The bulk were of the upright section, a few semi-drooping. 
The foliage was luxuriant, one leaf measured being 11 inches in length 
and 8 inches in diameter. As we do not find Gloxinias so fine in every 
garden, a note on Mr. Hunt’s method of culture may not be out of 
place. 
The seed (Sutton’s) was sown in February last year, consequently 
the plants were sixteen months old at the time of flowering the second 
season. Last year they bloomed in July. The seed was sown in heat in 
the usual way, the plants pricked off and potted when ready. The 
corms were wintered in the Mushroom house in the pots in which the 
plants flowered. In February of the present year they were placed in a 
newly started vinery to make their first growth, the moisture required 
for the Vines just suiting the Gloxinias, Mr, Hunt does not approve of 
