72 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
l July 26, 1883. 
(lay prevented many from coming, while the absence of Mrs. Fuller, 
in the amateurs’ classes, deprived it of the very fine stands which she 
is in the habit of exhibiting. The decorations and the exhibits of 
cottagers’ produce combined to make a pretty and interesting show.. 
In the open classes for twenty-four varieties Mr. R. E. West of Reigate 
was first with Francois Michelon, Le Havre, Alfred Colomb, Etienne 
Levet, Marguerite Brassac, Marie Baumann, Marie Finger, U. Brunner, 
Duke ot Edinburgh, Madame Eugene Yerdier, A. K. Williams, Captain 
Christy, Annie Wood, La France, Baronne Adolphe de Rothschild, Dr. 
Andrv, Duke of Teck, Pierre Hotting, a flower now seldom seen, and 
discarded by most on account of its difficulty in opening ; Mrs. George 
Dickson, Prince Arthur, Comtesse d’Oxford, Louis Van Houtte, and 
Baroness Rothschild. Mr. West was also first in twelves with Francois 
Michelon, Baroness Rothschild, Etienne Levet, Marie Finger, Duke of 
Edinburgh, Alfred Colomb. Charles Lefebvre, Marie Baumann, Captain 
Christy, Dr. Andry, Madame Victor Yerdier, and Ulrich Brunner. In 
the class for twelve Teas the first prize was awarded to Mr. Burnand, 
another Reigate grower, who has recently entered the field, and whose 
success will, we may hope, lead him to greater efforts. His box con¬ 
tained good blooms of Madame Lambard, Innocente Pirola, Souvenir 
d’un Ami, Rubens, Isabella Sprunt, Andiomeie, two Roses which one 
very seldom sees now; Letty Coles, Prince of Wales, Amazone, 
Caroline Kuster, Jules Finger, Marie Van Houtte. 
In the class for amateurs, eighteen single varieties, the first prize was 
awarded for a box containing Duke of Edinburgh, Madame Montet, 
Eugene Verdier, Marie Baumann, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, A. K. 
Williams, E. Y. Teas. Merveille de Lyon, Madame Thhrese Levet, Fisher 
Holmes, Villaret de Joyeuse, Charles Lefebvre, Marie Verdier, Sir Garnet 
Wolseley, Madame Charles, Ulrich Brunner, and John Hopper. In the 
class for twelve the first prize was gained for a capital stand of flowers, 
consisting of Etienne Levet, Duke of Edinburgh, Fisher Holmes, Villaret 
de Joyeuse, A. K. Williams, Baroness Rothschild, Francois Michelon, 
Madame Hippolyte Jamain, Madame Montet, Madame Isaac Pereire, and 
Abel Grand. 
These were the principal classes. I cannot, however, pass by without 
mentioning it, the very beautiful table and other decorations which were 
exhibited. Some were exceedingly tasteful and elegant in design, and I 
think the basket of Roses contributed by Miss Bloxam was the prettiest 
1 have ever seen, and I have seen a good many. I have always held that 
there are few flowers more difficult to arrange than the Rose, and that 
most of those arrangements which I have seen are lumpy and inelegant, 
but this was delightful. It was composed almost entirely of three 
kinds—Mdlle. Eugenie Verdier. Princess Louise Victoria, and a climbing 
Rose called Alice Grey, not often seen ; the flowers in all cases were 
small, and the buds were about half open. There was a little dark 
foliage interspersed, hut very little, and the whole effect was elegant in 
the extreme. One of the table decorations which mainly depended on 
the three varieties of Papaver nudicaule was also remarkably good. 
CHRISTLETON. 
The beautiful grounds of Christleton Rectory did not show to 
advantage on the dreary morning of Monday, the 16th July, when the 
annual Show was held. This was to be deplored, not merely for 
the sake of the exhibitors whose energies it considerably taxed to cut 
Roses after such a day as Cheshire experienced on the previous day, when 
it hardly ceased raining for twenty-four hours, but because the day is 
the fete day of the village, in which all take an interest. However, 
the rain ceased in the afternoon, so that the gloomy anticipations of 
the morning were not quite fulfilled. Still it entailed much disap¬ 
pointment and considerable loss to the promoters of the Show. 
The Show was held as usual in a tent in the Rectory field. There 
was an excellent display of Roses despite all adverse circumstances ; it 
also contained a most admirable exhibition of hardy herbaceous flowers. 
The Rev. Lionel Garnet and his brothers are keen and successful cul¬ 
tivators of herbaceous plants, and the stands exhibited, despite the bad 
weather, were of excellent quality, well grown, clean, and beautiful. A 
very lar=e number of those who attended the Show were attracted by 
these collections. Many note books were in requisition, and let us hope 
will be used afterwards in giving orders ; but one is painfully conscious 
in how many cases this is a mere sham, and the fashionable ladies who 
make them would begrudge a shilling for a Rose plant, though they 
will give it readily for a Rose bloom, and probably consider the her¬ 
baceous plants as nothing but weeds. 
In the class for nurserymen, thirty-six blooms, there were Messrs. 
Harkness & Sons, Bedale, and Messrs. Dickson (Limited) Chester, who 
occupied places in the order named. Messrs. Harkn ess’s Roses, which 
were of fine quality and brilliant in colour, comprised Ulrich Brunner, 
Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Madame Montet, Heinrich Schultheis, Madame 
Caroline Kuster, Comtesse Tretiakoff, Merveille de Lyon, Mons. Noman, 
Souvenir de Gabrielle Drevet, Charles Darwin, La France, Horace Vernet, 
Rubens (a remarkably fine bloom), A. K. Williams, Alphonse Soupert, 
Prince Arthur (splendid in colour), Senateur Vaisse, Marechal Niel, 
Duke of Teck, Souvenir de Paul Neyron, Duke of Edinburgh, Souvenir 
d’un Ami (excellent), General Jacqueminot, May Quennell, Magna 
Oharta, Innocente Pirola, Etienne Levet, Pride of Waltham, Innocente 
Pirola, E. Y. Teas, Marie Van Houtte, Marie Baumann, Crown Prince, 
Madame Lambard, Madame Charles Wood, and Queen of Queens. 
1 n the open class for twenty-four blooms the first prize was awarded to 
T. B. Hall, Esq., Larkwood, Rockferry, for a good box of bloom, con¬ 
sisting of A. K. Williams, Marie Finger, Charles Lefebvre, Ulrich 
Brunner, Captain Christy, Duke of Edinburgh, Comte de Raimbaud, 
Merveille de Lyon, Marie Baumann, Francois Michelon, Louis Van 
Houtte, Dr. Andry, La France, Duke of Teck, Etienne Levet, Rosieriste 
Jacobs, Marie Verdier, Alfred Colomb, William Warden, Prince Camille- 
de Rohan, G4n6ral Jacqueminot, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, and 
Thomas Mills. In the class for twelve trebles the first prize box 
contained Charles Lefebvre, Captain Christy, Marie Baumann, Madame 
Hippolyte Jamain. A. K. Williams, Marie Finger, Etienne Levet, Louis 
Van Houtte, Baroness Rothschild, Duke of Edinburgh. In the class- 
for twelve Roses of one variety (dark), Messrs. Dicksons were first 
with Alfred Colomb, and Messrs. Harkness second with A. K. Williams ; 
and in twelve light Roses Dicksons were first with Baroness Rothschild. 
In the class for twelve there was a very sharp competition, eight 
boxes being staged, and Colonel Standish Hore of St. Asaph was first 
with a wonderfully fine box consisting of A. K. Williams, The Bride, 
Lord Bacon, Madame Caroline Kuster, Due de Wellington, Marie 
Van Houtte, Camille Bernardin, Le Havre, Hon. Edith Gifford, Fisher- 
Holmes, and Belle Lyonnaise. Mr. S. J. Charton was second with Dr. 
Andry, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Ulrich Brunner, Madame Isaac Pereire, 
Comtesse de Paris, Duke of Teck, Baroness Rothschild, Marie Baumann,. 
Duke of Wellington, Madame Montet, Prince Camille de Rohan, and 
Merveille de Lyon. In the class for six Col. Hore was again first with 
a marvellous bloom of Horace Vernet, also A. K. Williams, Dupuy 
Jamain, Anna Ollivier, Charles Darwin, and Alfred Colomb. Desborougb 
Watford. Esq., was second with Madame Isaac Pereire, Captain Christy, 
A. K. Williams, Louis Van Houtte, Baroness Rothschild, and Ulrich 
Brunner. 
In the class for twelve Teas there was a sharp competition, and a 
very close run for the gold medal of the National Rose Society, between 
T. B. Hall Esq. and the Rev. Lionel Garnet, who were ultimately placed 
in the order named. Mr. Hall’s blooms were Grace Darling, Etoile de 
Lyon Madame de Watteville, Madame Willermoz, Comtesse de Nadaillac, 
Souvenir d’un Ami, Marie Van Houtte, Madame Cusin, Souvenir de Paul 
Neyron, Francisca Kruger, President and Sunset. Mr. Garnet’s flowers 
were Catherine Mermet, Innocente Pirola, Marie Van Houtte, Madame- 
Cusin, Madame Lambard, Caroline Kuster, Francisca Kruger, Souvenir 
de Paul Neyron, Comtesse Panine, and two others. In the class for 
six Teas Colonel Standish Hore was first with Francisca Kruger, Madame 
Cusin, Innocente Pirola,Souvenir d’un Ami. Mr. W. E. Hall was second 
with Hon. Edith Gifford, W. A. Richardson, Marie Van Houtte, In¬ 
nocente Pirola, and two others. 
One of the great features of the Christleton Show always is the 
exhibition of herbaceous plants. Both the Rev. L. Garnet and bis- 
brother, Mr. W. Garnet of Lancaster, are enthusiastic lovers of this- 
beautiful and interesting class of plants, and have done much ter 
encourage their culture in this neighbourhood. There are three classes- 
devoted to them, one for thirty-six varieties, another for twenty-four, and 
a third for twelve. These were well contested by the Messrs. Garnet, 
Miss Hall, and others. The arrangement of the stands was very effec¬ 
tive, and contributed much to the general effect of the Show. In order 
to show what wealth of beauty there was I give here the list of the- 
premier stand in the Exhibition, that contributed by the Rector himself 
—Eryngium amethystinum, Hemerocallis fulva, Galega officinalis, 
Lilium umbellatum, Delphinium seedlings, Lilium croceum, L. parda- 
linum, Malva moschata alba, Pentstemon harbatus, English Iris, 
CEnothera Youngi, Campanula grandis (blue), Chrysanthemum maxi¬ 
mum, Centaurea macrocephala, Alstrcemeria chilensis, Scabiosa cau- 
casica, Gladiolus Colvilli The Bride, Erigeron speciosum, Helenium 
Bolanderi, Delphinium sinense (blue), Gaillardia maxima, Phlox Lady 
Napier, Lilium Thunbergianum, Aquilegia coerulea hvbrida, Lychnis 
Haageana, Bupthalmum salicifolium, Centaureadealbata, Jasione peren- 
nis, Potentilla Phcebus, Campanula Hendersoni, Papaver nudicaule 
miniatum, Campanula Trachelium fi.-pl., Lilium Thunbergianum- 
citrinum, Matricaria inodora fi.-pl., Catananche ccerulea ; and I have 
only to add that I think it would be a good thing if Rose societies 
would follow this excellent example. These flowers are always interest¬ 
ing, and they tend to break up the dead level of the Rose boxes, besides- 
giving an interest to many who do not perhaps particularly care for 
show Roses. 
WIRRAL. 
In delightful contrast to the Exhibition of last year, the Show at' 
Birkenhead brought together the largest exhibition that the Society has 
ever held, and whereas last season there were only a few of the growers 
for sale present, this year the firms of Cant, Paul, Harkness, Jefferies, 
Dickson, Cooling, Prince, F. Cant, Burch, and others were well repre¬ 
sented, while the leading amateurs, Grant, Hall, Pemberton, Burnside, 
Page Roberts. &c., came in great force, and not only was there quantity, 
but also quality; indeed, I am fain to acknowledge, and that after 
having seen the National Rose Society’s Show at Darlington, that in this- 
respect Wirral has come to the front. At none of the shows at which 
I have been present, and I have been present at most of the important 
ones—indeed, I may say all, except Manchester and Birmingham—have- 
I seen Roses in such excellent form. Again has it been the case, too, 
that the amateurs have fairly gone ahead of the nurserymen in this 
respect, and no finer Roses have been exhibited this season than those 
contributed by Mr. Grant of Ledbury. His Roses at Gloucester were 
good, but those exhibited at Birkenhead were better. Especially are- 
his flowers remarkable for their fine form ; the centres are so well built 
up, and there is so much substance in them, that they are sure to hold 
a prominent place. The Teas, too, were exceptionally fine on this occa¬ 
sion, and when one saw the stand which had gained only a card of 
commendation, and knew that there were there others better than it, I 
