8 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ Jnly 7, 1887. 
all rosarians will be purchasing ife next season, mixing compost, 
chopping turf, and making new borders where needed to be planted in 
October and November. 
No book would be more useful for a beginner, and every old hand 
at Rose growing and showing might find advice and hints to improve 
his method of culture. Though I have been at Rose-growing near forty 
years I will promise to take a copy, and advise all my friends to do the 
same, simply because I am in the matter of Rose growing, Rose showing, 
Rose loving— Fanaticus Ego. 
[We grant the allowance; a “ command ”, perhaps may not be 
necessary.] 
We have received a printed protest signed by twelve seed firms 
against some statements respecting the English Retail Seed 
Trade and Sunday Postal Labour, which Mr. Martin J. Sutton wrs 
reported by the T>mes to have recently made before the Select Committee 
of the House of Commons. It is right to state that Mr. Sutton was 
the first to point out to us the inaccuracy of that report, which did not 
appear in our columns. The note we published on page 513 was 
inserted as a correct version of Mr. Sutton’s evidence, to which the 
protest referred to has obvtously no application. We may add, however, 
that the firms who desire to state they do not receive letters and despatch 
goods on Sundays are Messrs. Barr A Son, London ; James Carter & Co., 
London ; Drummond & Son, Dublin ; Drummond & Son, Stirling; 
Daniels Bros., Norwich; Charles Fuller, Reading: Harrison & Son, 
Leicester; Hooper A Co., London ; Kent A Brydon, Darlington; 
Lamoureux A Co., Plymouth ; Little and Ballantyne, Carlisle ; Oak- 
sliott A Millard, Reading. 
- Begonias and Annuals at South Kensington.— We under¬ 
stand that Messrs. John Laing A Co., Stanstead Park Nurseries, Forest 
Hill, intend making a large display of double and single flowering 
Begonias at the Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting on July 12th ; 
and Messrs. Carter A Co., High Holborn,a large display of annuals in pots. 
■- A very light shower fell in the neighbourhood of the me. 
tropolis early on Tuesday morning, but it was scarcely sufficient to lay 
the dust. It is the first rain that has fallen since June 3rd. and a heavy 
downpour is much needed by languishing crops. The air, however, is 
cooler, and in that respect the change is highly acceptable. 
-- The Newcastle-under-Lyme Rose and Horticultural 
Society will hold their third Exhibition in the Stubbs Walks,-Newcastle 
(Staffs) on Monday, August 8th, this year. Fifty-five classes are enume¬ 
rated in the schedule, sixteen being devoted to Roses, the prizes ranging 
from £3 to Is. First, second, and third, and in some cases fourth prizes 
are ofFered. The other classes are for plants, fruit, and vegetables, the 
prizes mostly of small amount. The Hon. Secretary is Mr. W. H, Ramm, 
Sutherland Chambers, Newcastle. 
- The fifteenth annual exhibition of the Wimbledon Royal 
Horticultural Society's Show, held on the Gth inst.; was one of 
the best the Society has had. The entries were very numerous, compe¬ 
tition brisk in many classes, and produce good. We are not able to 
insert a report of the Show this week. 
- Strawberry Fete at Chiswick.—I n answer to our inquiry 
on the subject we are authorised to state that Fellows of the Royal 
Horticultural Society have the privilege of introducing eight friends by 
written order on that occasion, or any ordinary day. As has been pre¬ 
viously intimated, the Fete takes place on Saturday next. 
- Mr. J. C. Arnall, Headington Hall, Oxford, writes:—* 1 1 shall feel 
much obliged if any. of your readers will kindly inform me where I can 
get a small packet of seed of Digitalis Mariana (the Sierra Morena 
Foxglove), and Digitalis Thapsi (the Mullein-like Foxglove). I only 
want about six plants of each for hybridising.” 
- Last Thursday (June 30th) was a grand day'at the'CRYSTAL 
Palace, Sydenham, when it was visited by the Prince and Princess of 
Males, with the Crown Prince and Princess of Germany and a large 
party of distinguished persons. The floral decorations in the Royal 
dining-room were simple but tasteful, consisting chiefly of Marcchal 
Niel and Safrano Roses placed with their own foliage and Fern fronds 
on the cloth. In the centre were small vases filled with Odonto- 
glossum vexillarium and 0. crispum, the former having a most delicate 
appearance. The decoration of the Royal boxes was conducted by Mr 
W. G. Head, and an excellent effect was produced by narrow marginal 
borders of Roses in variety, Anthurium Schertzerianum, Gloxinias, and 
Ferns ; the divisional lines on the staircases being formed of Ferns, 
Palms, and Caladiums. Two bouquets were prepared for presentation to 
the Princesses, and consisted in one case of light and dark Roses, Bouvardia 
longiflora, Odontoglossum crispum, and Cattleyas, in the other of yellow 
and pink Roses with Stephanotis, In the evening the grounds were- 
illuminated in an exceptionally beautiful manner by some thousands of 
the Yauxhall lamps. 
- Mahonia Aquifolium.— A correspondent, “ Curious,” desires 
to ask if any reader of this Journal could oblige him with a receipt for- 
making wine from the fruit of Mahonia Aquifolium. 
- New Public Park, Bilston. —Mr. William Hall of Bilston,. 
having generously presented the town with 22 acres of ground within ten 
minutes’ walk of the Bilston Town Hall as a Jubilee gift for a public- 
park, it was decided to offer two prizes of twenty and ten guineas 
for the best design for laying out the same. The first prize has been 
awarded to Messrs. W. Birron A Son of Elvaston Nurseries, Borrowash. 
Derby, and the second to Mr. W, Milner, Crystal Palace School of 
Landscape Gardening, Sydenham. 
- “ X.” sends the following note :—“ At the Richmond Show 
(Surrey) last week the Table Decorations were not quite so good as 
usual, but considerable discussion was caused by what was generally 
regarded as a strange error of judgment on the part of the censors in 
that class. Mr. J. R. Chard, Stoke Newington, and Mr. Goodwin. 
Twickenham, were the principal exhibitors, and though Mr. Chard was 
placed second, his table was preferred by many persons. In the first, 
prize table Iceland Poppies were freely employed, but they were- 
arranged with other flowers too thickly, and constituted an almost 
impenetrable screen for persons facing the vases. The fruit also were 
very formally arranged. Mr. Chard’s arrangement was in his customary 
light graceful style, perhaps not finished with so much care as generally 
characterises his work, but admittedly superior in most points to that 
placed first. The Judges spent considerable time over the class, and had 
ultimately to call in a referee, but it was a case that would have well 
deserved the attention of the Committee, if it were not for their rule 
that the Judge’s decision is final. The undue interference of committees 
with the judges’ awards or the encouragement of protests is not desir¬ 
able, but instances like this sometimes occur, when a further appeal 
would be advantageous.” 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. William Suart, late foreman- 
at Hartsholme Hall, near Lincoln, has been appointed head gardener to 
Lord Monson, Burton Hall, near Lincoln. 
—— “Amateur” writes:—“I have a row of Pauline Straw¬ 
berry this year, which in several points is giving me much satisfaction.. 
It is early, productive, and the fruits eome of a good size, their distinct 
appearance rendering them attractive as a dish on the table. In flavour- 
it is not quite so good as might be desired, but this may be owing in some- 
degree to the unusually dry weather, as several other varieties are not 
up to their usual standard this season.” 
- A meeting of the members of the Wakifield Paxton 
Society was recently held at Councillor Lupton’s, the Saw Hotel. 
Councillor Milnes presided, and Mr. H. Oxley was in the vice-chair. 
Some of the members of the party who visited Studley Royal, the seat of 
the Marquis of Ripon, gave an interesting report with regard to their: 
excursion. On the motion of Mr. Herbert Chapman, seconded by Mr. 
John Fletcher, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Tom Mason, 
1 of Fountains Hall, steward to the Marquis, and also to Mr. Clarae, the- 
head gardener, for their kindness and courtesy to the visitors, who were 
permitted to visit the gardens and to look over the house, museum, &c. 
There was no essay read at the meeting last Saturday evening, but a 
long and interesting discussion took place on the Pyrethrum, the Pansy, 
the Viola, and other early summer flowers, of which there was an exceed¬ 
ingly good display on view. Mr. T. Garnett, head gardener to Miss- 
Edith G. Mackie, opened the discussion with some very interesting 
details with regard to the growth of Pyrethrums and Pansies. Alderman 
