m 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 10,1894. 
meadows, or when the hedges are cut, left standing to grow and fruit 
there. In some districts, where the soil is of a stiff though rich nature, 
the trees grow very fast, and are in good bearing in a remarkable short 
time after the seedlings are planted. Under the above conditions the 
fruit gets to a large size, and is of a luscious fleshy nature, always 
commanding the best prices in the market. In other districts, where 
the subsoil is composed chiefly of soft sandstone, and is of a brashy 
character, the fruit does not get so large, but it is harder and firmer, and 
keeps much longer after gathering, therefore finding its way into the 
market after the rush is over. 
An average crop used to be considered to pay the best, as when the 
trees everywhere were laden with fruit the prices fell so low as to hardly 
pay for gathering. In latter days, however, since jam factories have 
become so popular, and Damsons have been so extensively used in the 
manufacture of dye, there appears to be a ready sale for all that can be 
produced, as agents and dealers come from the manufacturing districts, 
and eagerly purchase all they can. When the fruit is ripe, “ Damson 
getting" is quite an industry, and experienced hands can earn good 
wages. In districts where Apples and Pears do not seem to thrive I 
think the Damson should be given a trial, and would in most cases, I am 
surCj prove a successful experiment.—G. H., Alton Towers. 
Eose Show Fixtures in 1894. 
June 13th (Wednesday).—Colchester.f 
„ 20th (Wednesday).—Isle of Wight (Shanklin). 
„ 26th (Tuesday)—Westminster (R.H.S.). 
„ 27th (Wednesday).—Windsor (N.R.S.) and Richmond (Surrey). 
„ 28th (Thursday).—Canterbury, Eltham, and Sutton. 
., 30th (Saturday).—Sittingbourne and Brockham. 
July 3rd (Tuesday).—Farningham, Bagshot, and Diss. 
„ 4th (Wednesday).—Croydon, Reigate, and Tunbridge Wells. 
,, 4th (Wednesday).—Ealing. 
,, 5th (Thursday).—Hereford and Norwich. 
„ 7th (Saturday).—Crystal Palace (N.R.S.). 
„ 10th (Tuesday).—Gloucester and Wolverhampton.* 
„ 11th (Wednesday).—Hitchin and King’s Lynn. 
„ 12th (Thursday).—Bath, Harleston, Woodbridge, and Worksop. 
„ 14th (Saturday).—New Brighton. 
„ 17th (Tuesday).—Helensburgh. 
„ 19th (Thursday).—Halifax (N.R S.)., Halesworth, and Trentham. 
,. 2Ist (Saturday).—Manchester. 
„ 26th (Thursday).—Southwell. 
„ 28th (Saturday).—Bedale. 
* A Show lasting three days. f A Show lasting two days. 
Any date of Rose shows, or of other horticultural exhibitions where 
Roses form a leading feature, not named above, I shall be glad to receive 
as soon as fixed, for insertion in future lists. — Edward Mawley, 
Rosebank, Berkhamsted, Herts. 
Early Roses. 
We have every appearance of an abnormally early Rose season. 
While looking through the garden at Saltwood Castle, near Hythe, last 
week, I saw beautiful blooms of Gloire de Dijon, Mar4chal Niel, and 
Heine Marie Henriette growing on the inner part of the Castle wall. I 
have no doubt by the time this note appears there will be scores of buds 
open, not only on the varieties mentioned, but on many others, which 
were looking very promising. The Teas in the open beds were all 
showing good plump buds. Of course the garden is very much protected 
by the old outer wall.— JAS. B. Riding. 
Austrian Copper and Fortune’s Yellow, with Banksians, many of 
the hardier Teas, and such Hybrid Bourbons as Charles Lawson and Sir 
Joseph Paxton, are in bloom by the second week in May, so we may 
certainly look upon the present season as exceptionally early. Gloire de 
Dijon and Madame Falcot are quite showy, and blooms of Abb6 Brameral 
may open any morning. Although we have had a few frosts during the 
past week, they have not been severe enough to harm the more forward 
growths. These are naturally in the most sheltered positions, and it 
therefore needs more frost to seriously affect them. Other varieties are 
moving along in an equally early manner when we take into consideration 
their relative positions and characteristics. Although we can by no 
means consider ourselves clear from a spell of chilly weather, there is 
every prospect of a season almost, if not quite, as early as last. Then 
where are our blooms to come from for any show later than that at 
Windsor? With the advantage of a fortnight or so later in season we 
shall in all probability have to play second fiddle to our northern friends 
again, not at the later dates only, but throughout the entire Rose season. 
—Practice. 
Banksian Roses. 
These charming climbing Roses promise to flower unusually well 
this season; clusters of blossom buds are appearing over the entire 
surface of several large trees trained to the Castle walls here. Many 
strong shoots, which during ordinary English summers would not have 
become sufficiently well ripened to flower, will this year do so throughout 
their entire length. This satisfactory state of affairs is doubtless due to 
the long season of sunshine experienced last year, as the trees have 
received exactly the same treatment in the matter of pruning as daring 
the two previous seasons, when they flowered somewhat sparingly. 
I make a practice of removing the old worn-out branches in July or 
August, as well as any very strong or sappy wood, so that the remaining 
shoots are thinly disposed. The growths made later in the season are 
entirely removed. In the southern counties these miniature Roses 
flower profusely every year, and during April or May many a wayside 
villa or cottage presents a perfect sheet of white or soft yellow 
flowers, but it is by no means a common experience to meet with 
similarly well-flowered plants in the midland or northern counties. 
The slight difference in the climate, I believe, fully accounts for this ; 
it is advisable, therefore, whenever they are planted in the localities 
last named, to give them the best and sunniest positions. 
Plants growing against a south wall which receive the full glare of 
midday and afternoon sun will succeed, while others having the same 
aspeet, but being partially shaded in the afternoon by projecting build¬ 
ing or trees, will fail to flower, except in a spring which follows a very 
bright summer or autumn. Of this I have ample confirmation from 
plants growing in slightly different aspects.—H. Dunkin, Warwick. 
The National Rose Society’s Shows. 
I WAS very pleased to see so good an account of the Roses exhibited 
at the Drill Hall during the last two meetings, and they certainly 
deserved all the praise Mr. Grahame has given them. His persistent 
agitation in favour of early dates for our metropolitan Show should 
bring about good results ; there is great need of some alteration. I am 
under the impression that when this matter was threshed out in Com¬ 
mittee, and at our general meeting two years ago, the decision was come 
to that the first Saturday in July should be the recognised date. With 
every prospect of an early season, I, too, fear we shall have an indifferent 
display to what it should be our greatest endeavour to make the Rose 
Show of the year. 
It does not matter whether the season be abnormally early or not, 
I feel convinced that a favourable Rose season should see our best 
blooms in proper condition before the second Saturday in July. I never 
knew good Boses so late as this, the late date being altogether unseason¬ 
able for quite three-fourths of our rosarians unless we had a most 
unfavourably late spring, and in the latter case I do not imagine it so 
much matters to a week when the date is fixed. We also have provision 
made for such a contingency in our northern or provincial Show, and it 
is during very early years that the best of our Roses are so quickly past. 
If the first Saturday in July is too early, the third is not so very late, 
and would generally suit the majority of northern exhibitors. But how 
about such as the two last years ? In both cases we have Roses bloom¬ 
ing in April, and expect to be in abundance by the early part of 
June. 
Mr. Grahame has much reason on his side from whichever point of 
view the subject is met. In the average years of the last decade our 
northern growers, both amateur and professional, have had equal chances 
with the rest, yet some ask for a later date still as regards the Crystal 
Palace Show. In proof of this the nurserymen’s trophy (Crystal Palace) 
has gone to the Yorkshire growers three times, and the Jubilee challenge 
trophy (provincial) of equal value has been secured by the same firm 
four consecutive seasons from its establishment, and again last year— 
five wins out of a possible seven. Again, in 1887, 1889, and 1893, the 
three earliest years during the decade, we find the same firm carrying 
off the double event. Seeing we have a late date for the northern or 
provincial Show, it certainly looks as if the first Saturday in July or the 
last in June would be a fairer date for southern growers. If we are 
looking for good Roses before the middle of June, it is quite certain 
they cannot be cut from the same plants rather more than three weeks 
later; even the bulk of maiden plants will be over if the present 
prospects are realised. It is a vexed question, and seems a difficult one 
to handle satisfactorily. But I, for one member, do not see the necessity 
for deciding the exact dates months before we can form the remotest 
idea as regards the approaching season. 
As we can neither hurry nor retard our blooms to any appreciable 
extent, why should not the exact date be fixed at one of the May 
meetings? This would allow of our forming some idea respecting the 
earliness or otherwise of our uncertain seasons. The schedules might 
easily be drawn up and issued as at present, and seeing that only 
members are allowed to compete, it would not be much trouble or 
expense to send a post-card to each as soon as the date was selected. We 
should probably have a more representative meeting of Committee, and 
if only one-half attended there is little doubt but what a fair estimate 
of probabilities could be arrived at. Could no arrangement be made 
with the Crystal Palace authorities to give us the last Saturday in June 
or the first Saturday in July, if we gave them say two months’notice of 
the selected date ? A week may not seem much to those who do not 
realise how short is the time most Roses are at their best, but if it is 
doubtful we shall still find good blooms by the earlier date, it is obvious 
they will be missing by the second Saturday. lam not writing in this strain 
because I live in the south, but have honestly tried to look at the matter 
in an impartial spirit, and I am fully convinced Mr, Grahame does the 
same.— Practice. 
