May 23, 1695. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
459 
Rose Show Fixtures for 1895, 
June 19th (Wednesday).—York.* 
„ 20th (Thursday).—Colchester. 
„ 25th (Tuesday).—Isle of Wight (Cowes). 
„ 26th (Wednesday).—Richmond. 
., 27th (Thursday) —Gloucester (N.R.S.) and Canterbury. 
„ 28th (Friday).—Exeter. 
,, 29th (Saturday).—Windsor, 
July 2nd (Tuesday).—Diss, Maidstone, and Sutton. 
„ 3rd (Wednesday).—Brockham, Croydon, Ealing, Farningham, 
Lee,f and Sittingbourne 
„ 4th (Thursday).—Eltham and Norwich. 
„ 6th (Saturday).—Crystal Palace (N.R S.). 
„ 9th (Tuesday).—Westminster (R.H S ), and Wolverhampton.* 
„ 10th (Wednesday).—Chelmsford, Farnham, Hitchin, and Redhill 
(Reigate). 
„ 11th (Thursday).—Great Malvern (Hereford Rose Society), Helens¬ 
burgh, Woodbridge, and Worksop. 
„ 17th (Wednesday).—Derby (N.R.S.). 
„ 18th (Thursday).—Canterbury (Kent Hospital Fete) and Halifax. 
„ 20th (Saturday).—Manchester. 
„ 23rd (Tuesday).—Tibshelf. 
„ 24th (Wednesday).—Chesterfield and Newcastle-on-Tyne.* 
,, 25th (Thursday),—Trentham. 
* A show lasting three days. f A show lasting two days. 
I shall be glad to receive the dates of other Rose shows than those 
named above for publication in future lists, — Edward Mawley, 
MosebanJi; Berlihamded, Herts. 
Marechal Niel ox the Solpaterre Stock. 
Would you kindly name the enclosed Rose ? We have in the con¬ 
servatory here a Marichal Niel that has been budded many years ago. 
The circumference is 10 inches 1 foot from the ground, length upwards 
of 30 feet, and is quite free from canker. It has been in flower since 
January, and both varieties flower at the same time. The Mar6chal 
Niel grows excellently. I think the result of such a combination should 
be more generally known. The “ stock ” flowers come in clusters, some¬ 
times as many as eighteen in one spray, occasionally five or six being 
open at once, and others in bud. There were some dozens of shoots like 
the one sent. The Marechal is now over.—R. W. Smith, Baby Castle 
Gardens. 
[Mr. William Paul, who has seen the samples, says it is quite clear 
that this is a case of a Marechal Niel established on a Solfaterre stock.] 
The N.R.S. Southerx Provincial Show in 1897. 
At the Committee meeting of the N.E.S., held on Tuesday, May 14th, 
a letter was read from the Town Clerk of Portsmouth conveying the 
invitation of the Town Council of that borough to hold their southern 
show there in 1897, and the invitation was accepted with the thanks of 
the Committee, 
Roses at the Royal Botanic Show. 
We notice in your report of the flower show of the Royal Botanic 
Society, held on the 15th inst.,it is mentioned “ Messrs. Wm, Paul & Son, 
Waltham Cross, came second with a group of little less merit,” &c. 
This is a mistake, which we shall be glad if you will rectify in your 
next issue, as we did not exhibit in that class, but were given the highest 
award for our group of Roses— a silver-gilt medal.— Wm. Paul «k Son. 
Mar'chal Niel Rose under Glass. 
The system of growth recommended by *■ W. R, Raillem” (page 406) 
is the correct one for this Rose, no matter what “H. R. R.” says 
(page 430) to the contrary. I can speak with confidence, having tried 
many plans extensively. At a time when I bad an important object in 
view plants budded on strong Briar stems gave the only good and lasting 
results, and from these I have cut upwards of 19,000 flowers in one 
season. Grafted plants gave a few flowers, never so good in quality as 
the others, and for this reason they never made such free growth.— 
W, H. Divers, Belvoir Castle Gardens, Grantham. 
EXPRESS GRAPE GROWING. 
I have to thank Mr. Innes for his kindly remarks in the Journal of 
May 10th, With much that Mr. Innes writes I agree, but in one point 
I cannot see as he does. He says, “The only difference in Mr. 
Thomson’s case and mine was that he did not fruit his permanent Vines 
and I did, and was rewarded with a crop of first-class Grapes. ” Now I see 
a vast difference in Mr. Innes’ case. He planted his Vines in the middle 
of August; poor, starved canes, out of 3-inch pots. We planted ours in 
May, June, and July, all in splendid condition for planting. They 
received no check, and did splendidly ; all could have borne a good crop 
the next year if we had wished. I repeat that the remarkable feature 
in Mr. Innes’ case is, that Vines planted so late, and in such a poor 
condition, should do so well that they were able to bear a heavy crop 
the next year. Everything seemed against them at first. Poor little 
canes out of 3-inch pots, planted late in the season, they yet did so 
wonderfully well that they bore heavy crops the next season ! 
We prepared our Vines in the best possible way, had them strong, 
and splendidly rooted, planted them in good time, and gave them every 
chance. That they could all have borne a heavy crop the next season 
is just what we consider tie natural result of our treatment; but Mr. 
Innes’ case is different. The Vines he planted had much against them, 
and the results he recorded in connection with their vigour, and the 
crops they bore the very next year after being planted in such a poor 
condition and so late in the season, are really remarkable. “ Market 
Grower ” remarks that the recent articles on “ Express Grape Growing ” 
“ are of great interest to market growers, showing the wonderful crops 
that Vines well grown can carry.” I would remark that Mr. Innes’ first 
article was of greater interest because he showed what wonderful crops 
Vines, badly grown, could bear the next season after being planted so 
late as the middle of August. When I say “ badly grown,” I am only 
judging from the description of the Vines given by Mr. Innes himself. 
Had they been “ well grown ” they would have been considerably 
thicker than straws by the middle of August, and 3-iach pots would not 
have contained them. However, “ all’s well that ends well,” and we 
must regard these Vines as wonderful samples of Mr. Innes’ skill as a 
Grape producer. “ Market Grower” draws attention to a point in Grape 
culture for market that I have several times referred to when writing to 
the gardening papers, and that is the vast difference between well 
ripened and finished Grapes and badly ripened ones. They are as 
different as possible, and the Brit'sh public that only knows the taste of 
an overcropped, badly ripened Black Alicante or Gros Colman can have 
no idea what a splendid fruit a well-grown Grape really is. 
Alicante at best is not a high-class Grape, but Gros Colman can be 
vastly improved by good culture. If well finished Muscats Duke of 
Buccleuch, Black Hamburgh, Madresfleld Court, and others that could 
be named, are placed before people, then, and not till then, will Grapes 
be properly appreciated. Of course it may be urged with much reason 
that cheapness is much looked to by the puolic, and that if they get 
Grapes of any kind cheap they are satisfied. Until the public taste 
becomes sufficiently educated I fear they will be inclined to rest content 
with badly finished Alicantes and Gros Colmans, when they might have 
the same in better condition if they knew to encourage the proper cul¬ 
ture of these varieties, and to refuse to be supplied with samples of 
them that contain little of the virtues they might possess if well 
grown. 
Gros Colman is much more capable of being improved by proper 
culture than Black Alicante, yet even the latter can be made more 
palatable by good culture, and it should be put before the public in as 
good a condition as possible. Over-production seems looming in the 
immediate future in connection with Grape culture, but it would 
lessen the over-production of inferior quality Grapes if the public were 
able to discriminate betw'een well grown and badly grown samples. 
As one who desires that Grapes of all kinds should be supplied to 
our markets in first-class condition, I hope that the future will see a 
great improvement in the style of those generally sent forward for sale, 
and that every year less of the inferior quality of Grapes at present 
so much in evidence may be placed before the public. 
If Mr. Innes will exert himself in this direction he will be assisting 
to benefit the public at large. My desire is to see them well supplied, 
not only as regards quantity but quality. — John Thomson, 
Clovenfords. 
[A communication from Mr, Innes did not arrive in time for inser¬ 
tion in our present issue.] 
FRUIT AND EARLY VEGETABLES IN THE CANARY 
ISLANDS. 
The usual monthly dinner and conversazione of the Horticultural 
Club took place at the Hotel Windsor on Tuesday evening last week. 
There was a good attendance of members, the chair being occupied by 
the Rev. W. Wilks. The discussion after dinner was opened by 
Dr. Morris with a very interesting address on the “ Cultivation of Fruit 
and Early Vegetables in the Canary Islands for the English Market.” 
Of these the principal were Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Bananas. 
Oranges also are cultivated, but at present not to any large extent. 
Those produced are of a very superior quality, allied to St. Michael, 
if not identical with it. He described in detail the Tomato culture, 
the manner of packing, and the arrangements made with the growers 
for the sale and exportation of the fruit. He also described the method 
of irrigation, the most essential point of the whole culture in the 
Canary Islands; the care which was taken, the laws that regulate it, 
and the way it is supplied. The Tomato has, however, there, as in 
other places, been subject to disease, which threatens seriously to 
interfere with it, and therefore he regarded it as simply of temporary 
culture. The Canaries have been subject to these changes. 
Their palmiest days were when the cochineal insect was the great 
industry. The discovery of the aniline dyes completely extinguished it, 
as effectually indeed as did the Coffee fungus the chief industry of 
Ceylon. Dr. Morris stated that there can be no doubt that the fungus 
