uly 12, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
19 
NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. 
July 7th, 
MOST extensive and 
highly satisfactory Ex¬ 
hibition for such a season 
as the present one was held at 
the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, 
on Saturday last. The antici¬ 
pations which a correspondent 
announced last week were fully 
realised, notwithstanding the 
fact that the weather was 
exceedingly unfavourable. The con¬ 
tinuous rain had left unpleasant 
effects upon many blooms, but there 
was an unusual proportion of fine flowers, 
especially amongst the dark-coloured H.P. 
Roses, while the Teas in several leading stands were 
of uncommon merit. The classes were distributed through¬ 
out the two naves upon central tables, and abundant 
space was thus afforded for the numerous visitors invariably 
attracted to the National Society’s exhibitions. 
NURSERYMEN’S CLASSES. 
The principal class in the Show was that for seventy-two blooms, 
distinct varieties, and the challenge trophy, value sixty guineas, with 
d;he first prize, was won by Mr. Frank Cant of Colchester, whose fine 
■collection well deserved the coveted honour. Rarely have neater or 
more finished blooms been staged by this exhibitor. The Teas were ex¬ 
quisite, and the H.P.s remarkable for freshness and purity of colour. 
Mr. Cant is to be heartily congratulated. The following varieties were 
represented :—Back row : Madame I. Pereire, Charles LefebVre, 
Alphonse Soupcrt, Marie Baumann, Pride of Waltham, Prince Arthur, 
Duchesse de Morny, Prince Camille de Rohan, Madame Eugene 
Verdier, Ulrich Brunner, Her Majesty, A. K. Williams, La France, 
“Crown Prince, Francis Michelon, General Jacqueminot, Heinrich 
Schultheis, Earl of Pembroke, Souvenir d’un Ami (very fine), Louis Van 
Houtte, Captain Christy, Dr, Andry (a beautiful bloom), Merveille de 
Lyon, and Duke of Edinburgh. Middle row: Madame Duclier, 
very bright and fresh ; Etienne Levet, Duke of Connaught, 
Souvenir de la Malmaison, Charles Darwin, Marshal Niel, Sultan 
■of Zanzibar, Annie Laxton. Exposition de Brie, Niphetos, Thos. 
Mills, Souvenir d'Elise, Alfred Dumesnil, Marie Van Houtte, 
Countess of Rosebery (both splendid), Mrs. John Laing, Duke of 
Teck, Madame Lambard, Countess of Oxford, Madame Gabriel Luizet, 
Dupuy Jamain, Baroness de Rothschild, Madame Alphonse Lavallee, 
«,nd Mat Baron. Front row : Pride of Reigate, E. Y. Teas, Auguste 
Rigotard, Horace Vernet (very fine), Madame Bravy (splendid), Le 
Havre, Catherine Mermet, Glory of Cheshunt, Madame de Watte- 
ville, Duke of Wellington, Duchess of Edinburgh, Camille Bernardin, 
Rubens, Alfred Colomb, Madame Cusin, Victor Hugo, Viscountess 
Folkestone, Abel Carriere, Jean Ducher, Fisher Holmes, Marie Verdier, 
Duchess of Bedford, M. Noman, and Rosieriste Jacobs. Very fine also 
was the second prize lot of Messrs. Paul k Son, The Old Nurseries, 
■Cheshunt. Such varieties as Paul Neyron, A. K. Williams, Charles 
Lefebvre, Francois Michelon, Ulrich Brunner, Mrs. Chas. Wood, and 
Central Jacqueminot were magnificently shown, and there were good 
■examples of many other popular varieties. Mr. Cant’s victory was not 
gained without a close struggle. Mr. B. R. Cant of Colchester took third 
place with a most meritorious collection, and Messrs. John Cranston, 
King’s Acre Nurseries, Hereford, were fourth. From the collection 
of the last named exhibitor was selected the best Hybrid Perpetual 
in the Show, an example of Etienne Levet which has perhaps been 
rarely equalled before. This superb bloom was 6 inches in diameter, 
sleep, massive, perfect alike in form and colour. There were five 
■exhibitors in this class. 
In class 2, forty-eight distinct varieties, three blooms of each, there 
were four competitors, and Mr. B. R. Cant improved on his previous 
■display by securing the premier honours. With but few exceptions the 
blooms were remarkably neat and fresh, and bore the finish invariably 
distinguishing the exhibits of this famous exhibitor. The varieties 
shown are enumerated. Back row ; Charles Lefebvre. Merveille de Lyon, 
A. K. Williams, Souvenir d’un Ami, Prince Camille de Rohan, Madame 
E. Verdier, Horace Vernet, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Marie Baumann, 
Heinrich Schultheis, Duke of Edinburgh, Duchesse de Morny, Senateur 
Vaisse, Marie Verdier, Xavier Olibo, La France, Dr. Sewell, Baroness 
Rothschild, Dupuy Jamain, Etieiine Levet, General Jacqueminot, 
Madame C. Joigneaux, Louis Van Houtte, and Madame I. Pereire. 
FrontTow : John Hopper, Alfred Colomb, Mrs. John Laing, Madame 
Ducher, Souvenir d’Elise, Duke of Wellington, Madame Lambard, 
Maurice Bernardin, Marie Van Houtte, Ulrich Brunner, Niphetos, 
Victor Hugo, Catherine Mermet, Reynolds Hole, Madame Cusin, Prince 
Arthur, The Bride, Alfred Dumesnil, Violette Bouyer, Fisher Holmes, 
Innocente Pirola, Sultan of Zanzibar, Madame Bravy, and Thos. Mills. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, were second. Some remarkably fine 
blooms were observable in their stands, notably Ulrich Brunner, 
Charles Lefebvre, Duke of Edinburgh, A. K. Williams, and Francois 
Michelon, but many of the light coloured flowers were somewhat weak. 
Mr. Frank Cant was third, and Mr. Charles Turner of Slough fourth. 
There was not much to choose between these two. 
Class 3, forty-eight single trusses, proved to be the most popular of 
all in the nurserymen’s section, seven competing, and was highly 
interesting, producing in the first prize collection of Mr. William 
Rumsey, Waltham Cross, one of the freshest, neatest and most generally 
creditable collections of blooms that have been seen at any of the 
National Society’s shows. Here and there a bloom might be observed 
that was a little past its best, but the majority were perfect. The 
varieties represented were as follows :—Back row—Ulrich Brunner, a 
really beautiful bloom ; Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Madame Nachury, 
Charles Lefebvre, La France, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Mdlle. E. Verdier, 
Duke of Edinburgh, Countess of Rosebery, Duchesse de Caylus, Madame 
Sophie Fropot, Prince Arthur. Merveille de Lyon, Francois Michelon, 
A. K. Williams, very fine ; and Baroness Rothschild. Middle row :— 
Comtesse de Serenye, J. S. Mill, Le Havre, Catherine Mermet, Dr. 
Andry, Helen Paul, Hippolyte Jamain, Duchess of Bedford, Benoit 
Comte, Queen of Queens, Etienne Levet, Her Majesty, Xavier Olibo, 
Alfred Colomb, Pierre Notting, and Madame I. Pereire. Front row :— 
Lord F. Cavendish, Duke of Connaught, Duchesse de Morny, Harrison 
Weir, General Jacqueminot, Lord Macaulay, Madame Gabriel Luizet, 
Eclair, Marie Verdier, Madame V. Verdier, Alba Rosea, Star of Waltham, 
Heinrich Schultheis, Camille Bernardin, Grace Darling, and Louis Van 
Houtte. Second place was taken by Messrs. J. Jefferies k Son, Ciren¬ 
cester, their Duke of Albany was a splendid bloom ; Jean Ducher and 
Madame Clemence Joigneaux were also good, but the blooms generally 
lacked the freshness of the first prize stand. Messrs. G. Cooling and 
Sons, Bath, were an excellent third. The remaining prize fell to Mr. 
G. W. Piper, of Uckfiekl. 
A collection of moderate excellence from Messrs. G. k W. H. Burch, 
Peterborough, secured the premier award in the class for twenty-four 
distinct varieties, single trusses. The varieties were—Back row : Etienne 
Levet, Grace Darling, Camille Bernardin, Magna Charta, Xavier Olibo, 
Her Majesty, Harrison Weir, and Madame Eugene Verdier. Middle 
row : Madame Gabriel Luizet, Comtesse d’Oxford, Niphetos, Ulrich 
Brunner, Comtesse de Serenye, Heinrich Schultheis, Souvenir de Paul 
Neyron, and Exposition de Brie. Front row : Senateur Vaisse, Marie 
Van Houtte, Louis Van Houtte, Innocente Pirola, Francois Michelon, 
Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Marie Baumann, and Jean Ducher. Mr. G. 
Mount, Rose Nurseries, St. Dunstans, Canterbury, followed with Marie 
Baumann, La France, Camille Bernardin, and Alfred Colomb amongst 
his hest blooms. Third place was taken by Mr. John House, Eastgate 
Nurseries, Peterborough, and fourth by Mr. J. Mayo, St. Mary’s Road 
Nursery, Oxford. There were six competitors. 
Class 5 was provided for three trusses each of twenty-four distinct 
varieties, and the winning stand came from Mr. G. Prince, 14, Market 
Street, Oxford, who showed in excellent form. The varieties in the 
back row were Grace Darling, Alba Rosea, A. K. Williams, The Hon. 
Edith Gifford, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Ulrich Brunner, Captain Christy, 
E. Y. Teas, Baroness Rothschild, Duke of Edinburgh, Merveille de 
Lyon, and Francois Michelon ; those in the front Catherine Mermet, 
Earl of Pembroke, La France, Madame C. Joigneaux, Madame Gabriel 
Luizet, Anna Ollivier, Auguste Rigotard, Marie Van Houtte, Marie 
Verdier, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Piincess of Wales, and Viscountess 
Folkestone. Messrs. J. Jefferies k Son followed, their best blooms being 
La France, Francois Michelon, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, and Madame 
Gabriel Luizet. Messrs. Cooling & Sons were third, and Mr. John House 
fourth. Six competed. 
AMATEURS’ CLASSES. 
Though considerable inequality was observable in the merit of the 
exhibits in these classes, the general quality far exceeded what could 
have been expected after such unfavourable weather. Plenty of 
damaged blooms were seen, but where they had escaped the storms 
remarkable examples were observable, of the dark varieties especially, 
size, substance, and colouring being admirable. There was, however, 
a prevailing tendency to coarseness, and few succeeded in making 
up a box of good blooms all through, even in the small classes. This 
rendered the few exceptions the more noticeable, and one of the finest 
collections of blooms in the Exhibition was that which secured for the 
year R. N. G. Baker, Esq., Heavitree, Devon, the Amateurs’ Challenge. 
Trophy, value (>0 guineas, and the first prize in the class for forty-eight, 
distinct, single trusses. These were of good substance, clean, and richly 
coloured, the varieties being as follows, taking them from left to right. 
Back row : Ccntifolia rosea, Ulrich Brunner, Captain Christy, Etienne 
Levet, Duke of Edinburgh, Merveille de Lyon, Comtesse d’Oxford, 
A. K. Williams, Hippolyte Jamain, Alfred Colomb, Due de Montpensier, 
Marquise de Castellane, Marie Baumann, Mdlle. Marie Rady, Charles 
Lefebvre, and Francois Michelon. Middle row : Madame Victor Verdier, 
Prince Camille de Rohan, Marshall P. Wilder, La France, Madame Marie 
Verdier, Lady Sheffield, G-loire de Bourg la Reine, Thomas Mills, Madame 
Alphonse Lavallee, Madame Eugene Verdier, Dupuy Jamain, Sultan of 
Zanzibar, Auguste Rigotard, Baroness Rothschild, Dr. Andry, and Duke 
of Wellington. Front row : Abel Grand, Comte de Raimbaud, Mrs. 
Laxton, Charles Darwin, Duke of Teck, Jean Soupert, Marguerite de 
St. Amand, Reynolds Hole, Camille Bernardin, Prince Arthur, General 
Jacqueminot, Madame Gabriel Luizet, E. Y. Teas, Villaret de Joyeusc, 
Louis Van Houtte, and Beauty of Waltham. Of the five other com¬ 
petitors. W. G. Grant, Esq., Ledbury, Hereford, was second, his blooms 
