52 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ July 81, 1887. 
There were only five exhibitors in Class 2 for twelves. Mr. Wollaston won 
for a fine box the first prize, these were the Ros c s—Alfred Colomb, Jean 
Liabaud, Marie Baumann, La France, Baroness, Marie Kadv, Comtesse de 
Serenyi, Charles Darwin, Harrison Weir (a grand bloom), Louis Van 
Houtte, E. Morren, and Duke of Connaught. The Hon. H. D. Ryder took 
second prize for Lord BeaconBfield, E. Morren, Magna Charta, Alfred 
Colomb, Comtesse de Serenyi, Annie Wood, Catherine Mermet, Souvenir 
de James Gould, A. K. Williams, BelleLyonnaise, C. Darwin, Etienne Levet. 
The third prize was won by Mr. A. E. Perkins for a good box. 
In Class S, for six separate Roses, there were four exhibitors. Mrs. 
Leopold Seymour won first prize for E. Morren, Lord Beaconsfield, Marie 
Baumann, Marie Sisley, Mrs. Welch, and A. K. Williams. Mrs. Hatch took 
second place for The Sultan of Zanzibar, Baroness, Marie Rady, Fisher 
Holme?, Madame V. Verdier, and Duchesse de Caylus. 
The triplets in Class 4 were pleasing, but they should be in triangles, not 
in lines. Mr. Wollaston won first prize for Marie Rady, Alfred Colotnb, 
Captain Christy, Baroness. Mrs. Mortimer took second prize for Reynolds 
Hole, Baroness, Marie Baumann, and Madame G. Luizet. The third prize 
fell to the Rev. A Clieales—Frangois Michelon, Alfred Colomb, Mardchal 
Niel, and Marie Rady. There were two other exhibitors. 
In the six Teas, all alike, (Class 5), Mr. Chedes had it all his own way 
for a gleaming box of Marechal Niel, Mr. Cuthell came next for other 
Mardchal Niels, and Mr. Perkins for six small Comtesse de Nadaillacs won 
third piize. The gold medal was ruled to lie between the best boxes in 
Classes 5 and 6 . Mr. Cheales and Mr. Cuthell, through winning the medal 
previously, were not qualified. Consequently, as the medal could not go for a 
third prize, it was not awarded. The rule of the Committee requires 
alteration. 
For six blooms of any other one sort, Mr. Cuthell got first for Marie Rady, 
and Mr.Thompson second for the same Rose. Mrs. Leopold Seymour won third 
prize for six blooms of Her Majesty. When it has been said that they were 
enormous littlemore is left to be said. Two of the bloom 3 were each as big 
as saucers, and amazingly flat. This box received much attention, if not 
respect. There were four other exhibitors in this class. 
For twelve Teas, Mr. Cuthell won first prize for Jules Finger, Marechal 
Niel, Souvenir d’un Ami, Madame Berard, Madame Lambard, Sunset, Marie 
Van Houtte, Elise Vardon, Perle des Jardins, Alba Rosea, Innocente Pirola, 
Reve d’Or. Mr. Cheales came next for a good twelve, containing G. de 
Bordeaux (? a Tea), Niphetos, Hon. E. Giffard, Grace Darling, and The 
Bride. Mrs. Mortimer took third prize. There were no other exhibitors. 
For six Teas, Class 8, Mrs. Leo. Seymour took first, and Mies Barclay 
second prize. There were four other competitors. 
In Class 9, open to all previous non-winners, Lady Laura Hampton took 
the prize. There was one other exhibitor. Mrs. Seymour took the silver 
medal for Marechal Niel, the best Tea, and Mr. Cheales the same for A. K. 
Williams, the best H.P. 
For the decorations there was keen and good competition. Mrs. Cuthell 
took first prize for a high dinner decoration of Tea Roses and Ferns, very 
elegant. Mrs. Beneeke for a copper bowl, with Beech, Ribbon Grass, and 
Roses, took second. Mrs. Blake won first prize for drawing-room decorations 
of Eucharis, Purple Beech, and Fern. Miss Ede, second prize, for a vase of 
Honeysuckle. Miss Gordon Clark, third, for an elegant basket of Roses and 
Fern. Mrs. Hatch won the prize for a hand bouquet (only one exhibited). 
There were forty-two buttonhole bouquets shown, many were much too 
lar?e. The Judges were well abused by the ladie 3 for their judgment; but, 
oddly enough, no two ladies who gave their opinion agreed together. Miss 
Cuthell took first for buds and Orchids; Mrs. Hatch, second, for buds of 
Forget-me-nots ; and Mr. Thomson third for dark buds and William Allen 
Richardson. 
Mr. T. W. Girdlestone, of Sunningdale, showed a box of new Roses— 
Mary Bennett, Madame Musset, Comtesse de Paris, Rosieriste Chauvy, 
Clara Cochet, Benoit Comte, Annette Murat, Souvenir de Victor Hugo, 
American Beauty, The Bride, Madame Caroline Swailes ; and also a box of 
Teas, amongst which were Berberidifolia Hardyi (a g-m), Rosa mnerantha, 
and Rosa indica (v?r.), Princess Vera (T.), Marcelin Rhoda, Souvenir 
de Thercse Levet, and Triomphe de Milan. 
Mr. H. Appleby of Boxhill Nurseries, decorated the tent with choice 
flowering plants, and also showed two very fine boxes of H.P.’s and Teas, 
and several brace bouquets arranged by Mr. Appleby. 
Mr. Mawley was not able to act as Judge, being called to Edinburgh. 
His place was ably filled by Mr. Bensted, Hon. Sec. of the Maidstone Rose 
Association, and so it was that the Judges consisted of Mr. Girdlestone, Mr. 
H. Applebv, Mr. Bensted, and the writer of this account.—A. B. Alexandeb, 
Sheddeld Vicarage. 
TINE BORDERS AND UNORTHODOX PRUNING. 
As our friend, “ A Thinker,” states at page f>, it is almost too hot to 
think and write, and especially so after a hard day’s work, such as the 
weather necessitates ; but “ Experientia docet ” has set the ball rolling 
on a worthy subject, and readers may dwell with interest on those 
pithy remarks concerning the grand old Vines at Cole Orton Hall—I 
mean those in the old brick pit. Does it not show what a mistake it is 
to have such large borders as are usually seen ? and I have been wonder¬ 
ing lately what will be the fate of many a house of Grapes six weeks 
or two months hence, where the roots are rambling away far out of the 
original border. The present season so far is one of the driest on record, 
and the languishing state of many Vines, where the roots are not under 
control, will plainly show that they are suffering through the drought. 
Those in charge will water the border; this will help them a little, but the 
bulk of the feeders being away out of the border none of the water will 
reach them. I have a vivid recollection of two instances where the 
Vines are in brick pits, and the gardener in charge, knowing the small 
size of the border, gave unlimited supplies of liquid manure, besides rich 
top-dressings, and the Grapes were much better both in quality and finish 
than others in large and deep borders. At the present time we have 
Vines of Muscat of Alexandria in 11-inch pots bearing two 4 lbs. 
bunches on each Vine; the berries arc very large and of perfect finish. 
They have been kept well top-dressed and well supplied with liquid 
manure. This plainly shows that, the roots being under control, they 
receive the benefit of whatever is applied. _ 
My advice to those in charge of large and deep borders is, after the 
Grapes are cut make a trench about 6 or 8 feet from the main stem, and 
carefully work the soil from the roots, taking particular care that they 
do not become dry in the operation. If the drainage is not in good 
order it should be rectified and the roots relaid in fresh compost. A 
thorough watering with tepid water and a mulching of fresh stable 
litter will complete the operation. If the borders are inside and out, 
one could be done one season and the other the next. I have lifted and 
relaid the roots of A r ines in seven houses in my time, and I have^ also 
pruned Vines in six houses on what is called “ unorthodox pruning, and 
with very pleasant results. “ Red” Hamburgh even turned into Black 
Hamburgh, and shanked and shrivelled Muscats into what my late 
employer called grand Muscats. I have a letter by me now in which lie 
speaks of the Grapes in the highest praise. We have a house of Muscats 
here which have been in an unsatisfactory condition for several years. 
Last October we lifted the roots in the inside border, and pruned them 
on the long-spur system, and they have very much improved. I do not 
say they are perfect, but they are in advance of what they were last 
season. We Know it is pleasant to see straight and trim rods, but when 
you have Vines placed under your charge from ten to thirty years old, 
not in good condition, and good Grapes expected, we must make a 
move out of the orthodox groove. Well ripened Vines in pots never throw 
straggling bunches, and it is the same with old Vines.— A. Young, 
Abb n r ley Hall Gardens, Stour port. 
PRIMULA REIDL 
The plant represented by the illustration (fig. 5) is a new introduc¬ 
tion from the Himalayas. It was discovered on wet rocks near the 
Ralan Glacier, Kumoan, by Dr. Duthie of Saharanpore, who sent over 
a large quantity of seed, and which was widely distributed. Although 
we have heard of a few failures, the majority of growers seem to have 
raised it in large quantities, so that there will be no fear of its being 
lost if it ripens seed anything like the other Primroses from that coun¬ 
try. It has been reported as not having much horticultural merit, but 
this we think is due more to the anxiety displayed in being the first to 
get a certificate than anything else. The plants exhibited at Kensing¬ 
ton were very small, carrying only about three flowers, and these small 
and badly coloured, while strong plants grown on with us this year have 
borne a head of from six to nine flowers larger than P. involucrata, and 
pure white or cream colour, and delightfully fragrant. Small plants 
have also a disadvantage in not opening their flowers fully, while in the 
more robust plants they open quite flat, and when grouped make a grand 
show. The leaves are ovate, obtuse, rough or wrinkled on both surfaces, 
covered with long white hairs, and do not attain a very large size. As 
far as our experience goes about the hardiness of P. Reidi we should 
say that it is quite equal to P. rosea, not requiring such a damp 
situation as that species, but well protected and grown in shady places 
with us it has stood the last severe winter where fully exposed, and this 
