500 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 10, 1891. 
NATIONAL EOSE SOCIETY. 
The annual meeting of this Society was held in the Horticultural 
Club Rooms, Hotel Windsor, on Wednesday last, Dec. 9th, when the Very 
Eev. Dean Hole presided over one of the largest gatherings the Society 
has ever had, over fifty members being present, representing all the 
principal districts. It was also one of the most interesting, for never has 
discussion been so vigorously conducted at these meetings. After the 
reading of the Report the Rev. W. Wilks, who occupied the chair until 
the arrival of the President, proposed its formal adoption, which led to 
considerable discussion as to the desirability of altering the date of the 
Crystal Palace Show. Ultimately, however, the wording given in the 
paragraph below referring to the arrangements for 1892 was that 
adopted. 
A much more important matter was, however, raised by the follow¬ 
ing proposed new regulation—namely, that “ At the two principal 
exhibitions of the Society amateur exhibitors shall be required to show 
according to the number of plants of 1 exhibition ’ varieties grown by 
them.” This was proposed by Mr. C. J. Grahame, seconded by the 
Rev. F. R. Burnside, and supported by several prominent rosarians, 
though it was also opposed by others. The subject was discussed very 
thoroughly, and after the disadvantages under which the smaller 
amateur growers labour when in competition with those who grow 
large collections had been duly argued, it was adopted with some dis¬ 
sentients as a recommendation to the Committee who have to consider 
in what way the regulation can be best applied. 
Amongst other resolutions carried were the following :—“ That the 
report and financial statement be adopted, printed and circulated; that 
the best thanks of the Society be communicated to the Horticultural 
Club for the use of their Rooms during the past year ; that the thanks 
of the Society be given to the officers and other members of the Com¬ 
mittee for their services during the year, and that Regulation I. be 
altered so as to read, “ The Society shall hold one, or more, metropolitan 
shows in each year, and provincial shows when practicable.” 
Report op the Committee for the Year 1891. 
Seldom have Rose growers, Rose exhibitors, or Rose exhibitions had 
such a difficult year to contend against as that of 1891. Taking the 
country throughout, very great injuries were inflicted on Rose plants 
generally, and especially upon the Teas, by the severity of last winter, 
and the aggregate losses must have been considerable. The spring and 
summer also proved unseasonably cold and backward ; in fact, so much 
so, that none but the earliest districts were well represented at either 
the Tea and Noisette Show at Westminster, or at the Metropolitan 
Exhibition. The first of these shows, although a small one, contained 
several stands which were surprisingly good considering the season. 
The Crystal Palace Exhibition proved as extensive as usual, but from 
the causes referred to above the general quality of the flowers was 
necessarily below the average. On the other hand, the Exhibition held 
at Hereford nearly a fortnight later proved in every way a great success, 
and was, with one exception, the largest provincial show the Society has 
yet held. The thanks of the Society are due to the Committee and 
Secretaries of the Hereford and West of England Rose Society for the 
admirable manner in which the arrangements in connection with this 
Show were carried out, and also to the Mayor of Hereford for the 
hospitality shown by him to all members attending the Exhibition. 
The Society still continues to make steady progress, and to extend its 
influence in all matters relating to the exhibition, culture, and improve¬ 
ment of the Rose. The number of members and of affiliated societies 
is well maintained, and quite recently an application for affiliation has 
been received from a horticultural society in Tasmania. 
Financial Statement. 
This the Committee cannot but regard as very satisfactory, con¬ 
sidering that three exhibitions have again been held, and that a larger 
sum has been expended in prizes than in any previous year. The total 
receipts have amounted to £677 18s. lid., and the expenditure to 
£637 18s., leaving a balance for the financial year of £40 Os. lid. The 
Society has now been established fifteen years. During the first five 
years the average amount received annually in subscriptions was £229, 
in the next five years £283, and in the last five years £333. 
NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY BALANCE SHEET, YEAR ENDING 
30TH NOVEMBER, 1891. 
Receipts. 
1890. Dec. 1st. £ s. d. 
Balance at Bankers. 36 0 8 
Subscriptions. 35906 
Affiliation Fees and for Medals from Affiliated Societies .. .. 79 6 0 
From Crystal Palace Company. 105 0 0 
From Hereford. 80 0 0 
Special Prizes. 16 80 
Catalogues Sold . ” 239 
1891. Dec. 1st. 
Balance 
£677 18 11 
£40 0 11 
Expenditure. £ s. d. 
Printing, Stationery, Advertising. 8850 
Postage, Telegrams, and Sundry Expenses .. .. .. .. 26 10 11 
Secretary’s Travelling Expenses to Arrange Shows. 4 10 0 
Expenses Drill Hall Show. 117 0 
„ Crystal Palace Show. 930 
„ Hereford Show. 7156 
Medals. 7 5 1 
„ for Affiliated Societies. 64 2 0 
Prizes Drill Hall Show . 34 106 
„ Crystal Palace Show. 263 2 0 
„ Hereford Show .160 17 0 
A ssistant Secretary and Accountant. 20 0 0 
B alance at Bankers. .. 40 0 11 
£677 18 11 
Thomas Burt Haywood, Hon. Treasurer. 
Audited with vouchers and found correct, 
Yaivle, 1 Hon. Auditors. 
F. T. Wollaston, ) 1 
Arrangements for 1892. 
The Tea and Noisette Exhibition will again be held under the 
auspices of the Royal Horticultural Society, at their Drill Hall at 
Westminster, on Tuesday, June 21st; while the Metropolitan Exhibition 
will take place at the Crystal Palace on the first Saturday in July. 
At the request of the Mayor and Corporation of Chester tte Society’s 
Provincial Exhibition will be held in that city on Thursday, July 14th. 
The central position of Chester, the interest attaching to the city itself, 
and the great facilities of railway access from most parts of the country, 
together with the assistance promised by the leading rosarians of the 
district, all combine to make the Committee hopeful that a most 
successful Exhibition will next year be held there. 
Affiliated Societies. 
The Committee are of opinion that definite instructions should be 
drawn up and forwarded each year to the secretaries of the affiliated 
societies as to the terms on which medals are supplied, and also as to 
how far the Society’s regulations are binding on these societies. Some of 
the schedules issued by affiliated societies during the past year con¬ 
tained little or no reference to the regulations of the parent Society. 
Members’ Privileges. 
Subscribers of £1 will, as in previous years, be entitled to two 
private-view tickets for the Society’s Exhibitions at the Crystal Palace 
and Chester, and to four transferable tickets admitting at the same time 
as the general public; while subscribers of 10s. are entitled to one 
private-view and to two transferable tickets. Each member will also 
receive one ticket of admission to the early Exhibition of Tea Roses at 
Westminster. New members will be entitled to a copy of the Society’s 
illustrated catalogue of exhibition and garden Roses, and of the supple¬ 
ment to this catalogue issued in 1890. Members alone are allowed to 
compete at the Society’s exhibitions. 
The Committee, following a now established precedent, desire in 
conclusion to tender their best thanks to their local Secretaries, to the 
donors of special prizes, and also to all those who have in other ways 
assisted in helping forward the work of the Society. Their thanks are 
especially due to Mr. C. J. Grahame for obtaining for the Society during 
the past year a large number of new subscribers. 
Seasonable Notes on Roses. 
Transplanting Roses. —The immature condition of the young wood 
on Roses generally has, or ought to have had, the effect of delaying trans¬ 
planting considerably. Moved when the foliage is fresh and the wood 
still very green and growing, shrivelling is almost certain to take place. 
It is scarcely possible to lift Roses with a ball of soil about the roots, 
and not a few of those transplanted in October have suffered badly from 
this over-hasty proceeding. The end of November would appear to he 
nearer the proper time for moving Roses this season, and should the 
present mild moist weather last fresh root fibres may yet be formed before 
midwinter. Now, weather permitting, is therefore a good time lo move 
young plants to where they are more required, and also to lift and 
replant apparently worn-out old standards and bushes, replanting in 
quite fresh soil putting new life into these. It is next to useless planting 
Roses in either lumpy or very poor soil, and if the ordinary soil of the 
Dew site is either poor or unworkable quite fresh compost should be 
substituted, nothing answering better than fresh loam, fibrous or other¬ 
wise, and a liberal addition of decayed manure and burnt garden refuse. 
In any case that which comes into contact with the roots should be 
moderately fine and rich, thus favouring an early and strong root action. 
Nor ought Roses to be transplanted while the ground is in a sodden 
state. They must have the soil well refixed about the roots, and the 
necessary trampling of wet soil would amount to puddling, than which 
nothing could well be more injurious. 
Planting Young Roses. —Much of the foregoing also applies to the 
work of planting either home-raised or newly purchased Roses where 
they are to remain for some time. If the latter, when received, cannot 
be planted properly owing to either the very wet, or, it may be, badly 
frosted ground, they ought to be laid in singly, yet closely together, 
where they can be temporarily protected with mats or litter, the roots 
being first lightly pruned, and then well interspersed among fine good 
soil. They may have to remain in this for several weeks or months to 
come, and the aim should be, therefore, to both promote the formation 
of fresh root fibres—and ^vhich heeled-in plants are very prone to do— 
