62 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 23, 1891 
Jones joined us again, and we learned that the Messrs. Suttons still 
retained it in their trial grounds. I ascertained only but the other day 
by Mr. Jones himself that Mr. Clark got the Fox’s Seedlings through 
him. This is the finger I had in that pie.— Robt. Fenn. 
[Either Mr. Fenn did not instruct his pupil properly, or, as is likely, 
the latter did not appreciate the point of his tutor’s remarks. Perhaps 
the “ old’52 ” absorbed attention.] 
The National Rose Society Schedule. 
“ J. B.” does not attempt to answer the argument of my last letter. 
I have no fault to find with him for this, for I think the task was 
beyond his power, but 1 do seriously complain of his misstatement of 
what I did write. He says, “ ‘ W. R. R.’ still regards the matter from one 
point of view only—the possible disadvantage to the large grower. 
The argument that at all costs the man with the big stock must be 
provided for, and the smaller one left to suffer in the event of bad 
seasons, is a most unsound one, &c.” 
If anyone will turn to my letter in the issue of July 16th he will find 
I took first the case of the small grower, and showed that in any circum¬ 
stances under the present rules he is not precluded from exhibiting, and 
then compared his position fairly with that of a large grower under 
such rules as he would apparently desire. It is evidently of no use my 
writing further in answer to“J. B.” if not only my arguments are 
unanswered, but my letters misapprehended, and I must decline further 
controversy in the matter at present. 
The Rose season has been one of the most disappointing in my 
recollection.— W. R. Raillem. 
WOODBRIDGE ROSE SHOW. 
In our report of this Show, on page 53, last week credit is 
given to Mr. Blant and Mr. Hart for winning the second and third 
prizes in the open class for twelve Teas. The names should have 
1 een written and printed Mr. B. R. Cant and Mr. Frank Cant, 
two celebrities that the Rev. A. Foster Melliar may feel more proud 
in defeating than two competitors unknown in the Rose world, Messrs. 
Blant and Hart. Reports of shows have often to be written very 
quickly, and names in consequence are sometimes a little obscure. The 
printers appear to have “followed copy” with as much fidelity as they 
could, and the names Blant and Hart appearing in a small class they 
might be regarded as new local exhibitors. The linking of the “ B ” to 
the “C,” which was like a small “I,” Bl, and the F with the C, also like 
a small “1,” thus FI, explains the error, and -we now have pleasure 
in giving to Mr. B. R. Cant and Mr. Frank Cant the credit to which 
they are entitled. 
WANDERINGS. 
A BUNDLE of tourists’ guides and a letter from a good friend remind 
of sundry wanderings over the water last year. Mention has been made 
of the “outing” and incidents by the way, but the story was not 
completed. Now that the minds of men are turned in the direction of 
travel, whether they can indulge in the desire or not, seems appropriate 
for a further recital of the experience of a pair of home-loving rustics 
v, ho ventured to “ go abroad.” 
As it is desirable as far as possible to combine prudence with pleasure, 
it occurred to me when taking tickets at Liverpool Street station for 
Antwerp to invest in two for insuring £1000 each, in case the ship 
should happen to be on her last voyage, as ships come to an end, and 
sometimes unexpectedly. The next bright idea was this, Of what use 
will be the tickets if we all go to the bottom together i' Post them 
home of course. Yes, that is the thing to do, but the train would not 
wait. Very attentive was a smiling porter, who seemed as if he could 
not do enough to make us comfortable, would he do the posting ? He 
beamed with delight at the suggestion, askiDg me to write the address 
on the back of one of them, and it was done. “ Now look here, porter, 
the stamp will be a penny.” “Yes, sir.” “Then here’s 2d., that’s 
100 per cent, profit, you know.” “ Yes, sir.” “ And you will get a good 
envelope for a halfpenny.” “ Yes, first-class, sir.” “ Then here’s 2d. for 
that, or 150 per cent, for you.” He thought he was doing well. “ Now 
here’s another 2d. for yourself, and an extra 6d. for completing the 
contract well and qu'ckly.” He gave thanks bountifully, and off we 
went—the train to Harwich and the porter to the post office, at least, 
so we expected, but the letter was never delivered. Was it posted ? 
I have handed dozens of letters, postcards, or telegrams out of trains 
for posting, and in every case they have arrived at the intended destina¬ 
tion. I have sometimes wondered if a bright idea did not occur to the 
G.E.R. porter, and led him to reason somewhat in this way. “ Supposing 
the ship should happen to go do wd, nobody knows about these tickets', 
and couldn’t I just hand them over the counter and say 1 had called 
for Mr. and Mrs. Darby’s £2000 ? That would be something like a tip, 
and if the rustics didn’t manage their own affairs better that was their 
look out, not mine.” If that was so, and 1 hope it was not, l am glad 
to say the event did not come off. The money remains at the insurance 
office, just as we hoped it would from the first, and the ship brought 
us safely home again. I have never been to Liverpool Street station 
since without looking for that porter. The moral of this episode 
is not to trust to others doing what you can do yourself by a little- 
forethought, and thus keep the “tips” in your- pocket. Working 
railway officials, however, as a body, are, in my experience, trust¬ 
worthy men, and, perhaps, after all, my obliging porter lost the letter,, 
or it may have gone astray on its journey, and I will now proceed) 
on mine, or, more correctly, we will, because I have always somebody 
at my elbow trying her best to keep me right in my “ manners,” which 
is no easy task. 
In my last “ screed,” as some “ rough diamond ” of a gardener 
appears to describe articles which he reads, or are read to him, 
Mr. Charles Van Geert was described as my guide, philosopher, and 
friend in my wanderings about Antwerp. As a guide a long life spent 
there constitutes him one of the best, for he is acquainted with all that 
is best worth seeing and all who are best worth knowing. As a 
philosopher, if that term means, as it does, a person versed in the 
governing principles of Nature and the art of cultivation, it is in this 
case correctly applied. As a friend, if that means willingness to assist 
and bestow kindness, and enjoy doing so, as it does, then Mr. Van 
Geert was such a good friend to me that but for him not only musts 
much have been missed that was seen, heard, and enjoyed, but I should 
more than once have been lost in my wanderings, as I was several years- 
ago, when every narrow street I passed down led me just where I did not 
want to be, and the worst of it was, the further I got into the maze the 
heavier the rain poured down, giving me what plants like in summer, a 
“ thorough good drenching.” I find there are two things good for the 
memory, getting into a difficulty and getting out again, and if any of 
my readers find himself rushing up and down streets for an hour 
that lead to tlfe wrong place, in a pouring rain, with nobody to under¬ 
stand a word he says, he will not soon forget the experience, nor will 
he the pleasure that follows on finding himself among friends again wffio 
greet him in his mother tongue, which sounds quite musical under the 
circumstances. During my first visit to Belgium many years ago I had 
as a companion as fine a type of “ John Bull ” as the continentals could 
imagine. He was quite a favourite with them, but was bothered by 
their language. Arriving at our Hotel in Brussels from Waterloo we 
heard above the babel of “ clatter,” as he called it, of the company,, 
something that appeared to have the same effect on him that we are told 
the trumpet has on a war horse—aroused him to action, for he jumped 
with joy, exclaiming, “ I hear some Englishmen, Darby, and must go and 
treat ’em,” They were not slow to take in the situation, and one of 
them promptly said, “ Make yourself comfortable, old man, we will 
protect you, as we are British volunteers.” It was an amusing 
moment, and he was soon surrounded with patrons. 
After seeing the sights of Antwerp last September—the splendid 
new museum and other attractions, and noting the improvements and 
extensions of the prosperous city—we had a delightful day in the 
country. Mr. Van Geert’s estate at Calmpthout is just such as to afford 
pleasure to visitors who are interested in farming, and especially in, 
trees and shrubs—not that the farming is superior to English models, 
but different, and it is that which invests it with interest. Mrs. Darby, 
as a ci-devant dairywoman, was acquainted with the uses of certain 
animals, but it was new to her to see them dragging home cartloads of 
Potatoes. This was not, however, on the land of our guide. His flock 
of sheep was different, and differently managed to those on her home 
farm. They are long-tailed animals, follow the shepherd lazily all the 
day, nibbliEg as they go, then he leads them home at night to their 
shelter and food—such large well-appointed buildings as are not seen in 
England devoted to the same purpose. We appeared to see here in 
reality the customs of the partriarchal shepherds of the East, as- 
represented in pictures—shepherds who love their sheep, and are known 
by them because tended so kindly. How different seems this pastoral 
care—these well-bedded, well-roofed buildings, with food racks all 
round, in which the animals are kept warm—from the harder routine- 
business methods of British farmers, whose sheep were half buried in 
snow for -weeks last winter (thermometer below zero) in the most 
exposed of Turnip fields. One of my friends has considerably over 
1000 that know not what roof shelter means after they are a fortnight 
old to the end of their days. This procedure can scarcely be compre¬ 
hended by our Belgian friends, who must presumably be content with 
less profits than those accruing to the sheep farmers of this country. 
The waste products, however, of the flock herded at night have a special 
value to Mr. Van Geert for his nursery, through which we next saunter 
admiringly. 
This nursery differs from all others in Belgium, and it would be diffi¬ 
cult to find its parallel elsewhere. It may be described as- a museum of 
hardy trees and shrubs systematically arranged, and the whole forming 
a most enjoyable pleasure ground. It is disposed in a series of narrow- 
avenues with neatly kept divisional Conifer hedges about G feet high, 
and here and there cross hedges which arch over the central path. Many 
kinds of Conifers are represented in these hedges. One of the best, per¬ 
haps, for the purpose is Thuia gigantea, often sold as T. Lobbi ; but 
several others have an agreeable appearance, and might be preferred) 
by some pet sons who desire ornamental and effectual screens in their 
gardens. The main avenue is remarkable for rows of purple Beeches- 
