284 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April S, 1888. 
Mr. D. McDonald, Dalmuir House, Drymen, second ; and Mr. Watson 
third. With six blooms Camellias, distinct varieties, Mr. D. Waddell, 
South park, Rothesay, was first, showing splendid blooms ; Mr. Thos. 
Hogg, a close second ; and Mr. Wm. Semple, gardener, Castle Semple, 
Lochwinnock, a good third. For six trusses Rhododendrons, Messrs. 
Hogg and Millar were respectively first and second. 
In the class open to amateurs only there, was a good display, many of 
the exhibits comparing very favourably with the professionals, notably 
the Hyacinths, the most successful competitors with these being Messrs. 
Henry Dixon, Knightswood, and Wm. M’Intosh, 2, Firpark Terrace, 
Dennistoun. A very interesting class was the one open to ladies only, 
for one Hyacinth grown entirely in water. Miss M. Hutchieson, 32, 
Carriagehill, Paisley, was first. Miss M. R. McIntosh, 2, Firpark Terrace, 
Dennistoun, second, and Miss M. Sharpe, 21, Heriot Street, thii'd. Two 
pots Dutch bulbs in bloom, first was gained by Miss M. R. McIntosh, 
Miss M. Hutchieson second, and Jliss Jessie B. Taylor, Craigie Knowe, 
Barrhead, third. For three Hyacinths grown entirely in water Miss M. R. 
McIntosh was again placed first. Miss Lizzie Sharpe second, and Miss 
Janet J. Sutherland, Victoria Nursery, Lenzie, third. 
The arrangements of the Show, which were entirely satisfactory, 
were as usual carried out under the superintendence of Mr. Franc Gibb 
Dougall, the energetic Secretary of the Society.— Kelvin. 
MARIE BERTON AND JAMES SPRHNT. 
The former of these is the most beautiful of all the Gloire de Djjon 
race, and deserves much more general cultivation. It has the same free 
growth as its parent, the young shoots and foliage are of a handsome 
(lark red colour, and the large pale yellow blooms veiy attractive in 
appearance. In strong contrast in size and colour is the also little 
known Bengal Rose, Janies Sprunt. a climbing sport from the old 
Cramoisie-Superieure (Agrippina), the flowers of which are of rich 
velvety crimson, and fuller and larger than the parent sort.— W. Weston 
Tuenok. 
THE PAST WINTER-CLOSE PRUNING. 
The time for pruning our Roses is now at hand, and I made the first 
cut last week. I am agreeably surprised to find that the Roses here, at 
the altitude of 1000 feet above the level of the sea, or thereabouts, have 
suffered very little, and I think our prospects .are decidedly rosy. 
Favoured with fair average weather, we may hope to have fine Roses m 
due time. After former winters, I have often noticed that Baroness 
Rothschild (the Baroness herself, and none of the new and not too 
satisfactory imitations) has been killed quite brown and dead at the 
base of the ■shoots; this season, so far, I have noticed nothing of this. 
In fact, I ha-^e not seen any dead wood on any of the Roses. That I am 
pruning harder and closer than ever goes without saying, as I get more 
and more proof of its advantages the older I grow. Here is a fresh 
instance : A standard of Niidietos in a pot had the head broken off 
short ; nothing remained but to cut it back to a mpre stump, but lo ! 
shortly appeared a new strong shoot about as thick as a lead pencil, 
which grew to 2 feet long, and then branching at the top into four 
distinct branches, produced twelve blooms, the first of which was, 
vulgarly speaking, a “ whacker !” My mental memo, on the occasion was 
“ Cut all standards in pots (and out of pots, too) back to a single eye in 
future.” I wintered a quantity of Teas in pots in open frames, simply 
packing dead leaves round them and strewing them loosely over the 
branches. The frost has, of course, killed the exposed part of the 
shoots ba(;k, but under the leaves I find all alive and the buds plump 
and swelling. I did intend to place lights over these plants, but omitted 
to do so, and I think the result is even more satisfactory to me, and the 
plants stronger than if I had done so, besides the saving of labour 
opening and shutting the frames during the winter and early spring. 
MERVEILLE DE LYON. 
Arc Rose growers going mad, or why is it that this best of Roses 
goes a begging? To my thinking there can be nothing finer at a Rose 
show than a large box of these blooms, all alone, none of another colour 
put in to kill the purity and beauty of the best white Rose we have. 
On a vacant piece of ground here it is my fi.xed intention to have a 
perfect sea of this variety. The plot holds 3000. When completed and 
in full bloom I think it will be worth seeing. 
HER MAJESTY. 
M.any are the questions asked as to the pruning of this Rose. I 
have a hundred of them planted out in poor soil, unmanured, and these 
I am only cutting down to about a foot long. This, I think, is the best 
plan to follow until we have more experience of the growth of it as a 
cutback. It is possible that being so near a relation to Baroness Roth¬ 
schild, it may, like that Rose, answer under close pruning. On second 
thoughts. I will, as an experiment, cut one row of the plants hard, and 
communicate the result in due time.—D. Gilmoue, jun. 
MANETTI STANDARDS. 
Relative to Mr. Gilmour’s note on page 265, a gentleman pur¬ 
chased three dozen Roses from a continental nursery a few years ago, 
probably because they were somewhat cheaper than home-grown plants. 
They were almost exactly similar to the example figured to be avoided 
on the page quoted, some having longer and some shorter stems. They 
grew fairly well, or some of them did, the first year, but subsequently 
one after another dwindled and died, in spite of special efforts to prevent 
it. In the same bed other Roses worked low, with some raised from 
cuttings, grew luxuri.antly year after year. Roses worked on Briars with 
clear stems grew admirably in the same garden, but the stilted Manettia 
refused to thrive.— The Gahdenee. 
LEEDS PAXTON SOCIETY. 
The second annual dinner in connection with the above Society was 
held on Wednesday, the 28th prox., at the Grand Restaurant, Boar Lane. 
Over 100 members and friemls sat down to an excellent repast. Mr, 
Joseph Smith, President of the Society, was in the chair, and the vice- 
chair was occupied by Mr. .1. W. Frankland (Vice-President). The 
tables were tastefully decorated with flowers furnished by various 
members of the Society, and these were greatly admired. After the 
usual loyal and local toasts had been duly honoured, the Hon. Secretary, 
Mr. William Appleby, was called upon to read the report, which showed 
that the Society consisted of five honorary and 117 ordinary members. 
During the year twenty-three essays on different gardening subjects had 
been read at the Society’s meetings, and these had given rise to much 
useful discussion, and the Executive had hopes of securing the attendance 
of those who had hitherto held aloof, inasmuch as the advantages 
accruing from membership establish a strong claim upon every lover of 
horticulture in the district. The Committee had already formed the 
nucleus of what it was hoped will soon become an extensive and useful 
library, and steps will shortly be taken to as far as possible enlist the 
sympathies and co-operation of employers of gardeners in order to make 
the Society still further a source of mutual advantage. The average 
attendance of members had been thirty-seven, which was deemed fairly 
satisfactory. A donation of £5 had b«en sent to the Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund. The statement of accounts showed a balance of .£12 17s. 7Jd. to 
the credit of the Society. The report was formally adopted. 
In responding to the toast of the “ Leeds Paxton Society,” which 
was proposed by Mr. H. Chapman (Wakefield), the President remarked 
that he believed the Society could now claim to be thoroughly established, 
and he had good grounds for believing that the ensuing year would show 
a large increase in the number of memliers. He promised on behalf of 
the Executive that every available means should be taken of making 
the objects of the Society a source of profit and usefulness to its mem¬ 
bers. “ Kindred Societies ” was proposed by Mr. Newman, who spoke 
of the great advantages to be derived by a eommingling of members of 
different societies, and gave a cordial welcome to the delegates present. 
Messrs. Hale (Wakefield) and Edcolmb (Roth rham) re.sponded. “ The 
Yorkshire Association of Horticultural Societies” was proposed by Mr. 
Wood, who remarked that as the Association’s meetings were held at 
Leeds this year, they (the Paxton Society of Leeds) were desirous of 
signalising the present year by making the Association more practically 
useful than hart hitherto been done, and he hoped that those societies, 
not at present in the Association would shortly become so. Mr. Proctor 
(Morley Paxton Society) replied. Mr. M. Ramsden proposed “ The 
Officers of the Society.” He said the Society owed much of its pro¬ 
sperity to the well-directed efforts of its managers. Messrs. Frankland 
and Appleby responded. 
“ The Essayists ” were proposed in eulogistic t<"rms by Mr. Hancock, 
who spoke of the great pleasure he had derived from the reading of 
essays, and he considered this the most important part of the Society’s 
work. Mr. Barnes returned thanks. Amongst those taking part in the 
evening’s proceedings were also included Messrs. Kay and Featherstone 
(Leeds), Collier (Br.adford), and Holland (Sheffield). A party of glee 
singers contributed largely to the enjoyment of those present, and the 
Society is to be congratulated upon the very satisfactory arrangements 
made by the indefatigable Secretary. 
EARLY SWEET PEAS. 
All growers are partial to plants that will grow well without mueh 
attention, remain quite free from insects, and give an abundance of 
showy or fragrant flowers, and as possessing the above characters the 
Sweet Pea is of especial value. As a rule it is only grown out of doors. 
The seed is sown in the open in April or -May, the flowers are produced in 
June or July amongst hosts of others, when they are not half so much 
valued as they would be in M.ay or earlier. Attractive sweet-smelling 
flowers are not numerous in that month, and if Sweet Peas were grown 
to blossom from May onwards they would be most valu.able. As a rule 
we have them in bloom in April and always in May. Our plants .are now 
1 foot high, but seed sown now would have flowers before May was over 
and long before those out of doors expanded. We place from twelve to 
eighteen seeds in some good soil in 3-inch pots. They are placed in a 
heated pit, and the plants grow as soon ancl freely as the culinary Peas. 
When about 3 inches high they are t;iven more air, and as soon as the 
pots .are filled with roots they are transferred into 8-inch pots, and it is 
in these they are flowered. They succeed best in rich soil, well drained, 
and as soon as they are growing freely they are placed in a position 
