20 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Julj 9, 1885. 
the last number of the Journal. This plant of Nadaillac, which had 
never distinguished itself before, and was treated exactly the same 
as its companions, was on an old Briar about a foot high, and had 
one bit of wood only, old and withered-looking, about the size of a 
pencil. From this came, this year, two ver}' short shoots only, and 
each had only one bud. When the first Counters showed petals, 
instead of coming fully out in the hot sun, as might be expected, and 
as so many on much longer and stronger shoots do, she took to swell- 
ing and growing, and by June 19th was fully out, and had petals 
nearly as long as the parson's finger. The first available Show was 
on the 23rd, and as it appeared hopeless she was cut and placed in a 
vase in the house. On the third morning she seemed dead, having 
either lost water or been placed too near a lamp, but completely 
revived again on being newly cut and receiving iresh water. She 
went to the Show after all with no attendant, and was “ gone ” 
before the day was out, but the best amateur Tea grower of last year 
failed to beat the stand in which she stood. 
On June 26th the other Countess “ came out,” and she also had 
to stand four days before being shown, but was taken care of where 
she was. On June 30th she figured, against strong competition, in a 
winning box of twelve Teas, and was personally awarded the prize 
as the best Tea in the Show. On the next day she started again for 
another large show. Her stand of twelve Teas was again victorious, 
and this time she was awarded by the Judge, Mr. B. R. Cant, the 
silver medal as the best Rose (not Tea Rose only) exhibited by 
amateurs in the Show. 
A trifle passce, she was refreshed sufficiently by a night’s rest 
after two days in very hot tents to visit her third show, and make a 
very creditable appearance in another first-prize stand of twelve 
Teas. She exhibits some traces of dissipation after such a prolonged 
u season,” but not a petal has fallen, and her “point” is Stillwell 
preserved, as she passes her glorious old age in a place of honour in 
the parson’s home. 
I think it must be rare for the same bloom to be shown success¬ 
fully three times, and twice to win premier honours against really 
strong competition. A bloom of Marie Van Houtte accompanied the 
Countess throughout, and was a conspicuous rival to her ladyship on 
the first day.—A. F. M. 
Mr. Laxton has sent us examples of his new Strawberries 
King of the Earlies and The Captain. They arrived last week, but we 
were not able to acknowledge them sooner. Bith these Strawberries 
have been fully described. King of the Earlies is medium sized, and rich 
in flavour; The Captain much larger, but not quite equal to the other 
in quality. 
- During September of this year an extensive Horticultural 
Exhibition will be held at Berlin from the 6th to the 15th of the 
month, and a large number of medals will be offered. The management 
of the Show is entrusted to Mr. Spiith, 154, Kopnickerstr. Berlin. 
- Mr. Robert Owen sends us a bloom of Chrysanthemum Mdlle. 
Melanie Fabre, a beautiful incurved variety. The bloom was taken 
from a plant growing in a 48-pot. The plant had four blooms. The one 
sent is a lateral bloom, the centre or crown bloom being much larger. 
The plant never had any stimulants applied to it, or the flowers might 
have been much larger, the pot being full of roots. Judging from its 
appearance he thinks it will be a great acquisition, as the colour is 
quite new and distinct. The bloom we have received is certainly attrac¬ 
tive, its colour very closely resembling that of La France Rose. 
-Fruit at the Bath Show. —Strawberries are generally very 
fine at the Bath Rose Show, but this season there was a marked exception 
to the rule, as they were shown fewer in number and much smaller than 
usual. Mr. H. S. Dutton had the best six dishes, distinct, these consisting 
of Marguerite, Newton Seedling, Sir J. Paxton, Dike of Edinburgh, Sir 
O. Napier, and President. Mr. G. Garraway was second. Mr. W. Tylee 
third. Mr. H. Scott had the best three dishes, and Mr. Tylee was 
second. With a single dish Mr. G. Garraway was first with Sir J. Paxton, 
Mr. Warden following with the same variety, and Mr. T. Evry third. A 
certificate of merit was awarded to Mr. W. Pratt, Longleat, Wilts, for a 
seedling Melon named Longleat Perfection, this being a cross between 
Eastnor Cattle and Hybrid Cashmere, and apparently possesses the good 
qualities of both. 
-Mr. J. H. Clarke desires us to state that Mr. Featherstone of 
St. Ann’s Nurseries, Leeds, contributed a group and a large collection of 
plants, not for competition, to the late Leeds Flower Show, which attracted 
much attention, besides having personally superintended the arrange 
ment of the Show. 
- The taste for the original wild single Roses has developed 
remarkably since the introduction of the Rosa rugosa. The Journal des 
Roses says that one of the best is Rosa rubrifolia —red-leaved Rose. 
It is a native of Dauphiny, chiefly in the Vosges and the humid moun¬ 
tains of Auvergne. 
- The splendidly grown plants of Carnation Souvenir de Mal- 
maison at Kensington on Tuesday excited the admiration of all who saw 
them ; and the exhibitor, Mr. Jennings, gardener to Leopold de Roth¬ 
schild, Eeq., Ascott, Leighton Buzzard, deserves the highest commendation 
for such excellent productions. It is doubtful if so large a number as 187 
plants in 8 and 10-inch pots could be shown from any other private 
garden in the kingdom, and never have more vigorous and profusely 
flowered specimens been publicly exhibited. The plants had each from 
six to twelve blooms of great size and substance, while buds innumerable 
were expanding. The growth was very strong, and a slight stake to each 
plant was sufficient to support the heads of the flowers. It is to be hoped 
that the Royal Horticultural Society will accord Mr. Jennings a sub¬ 
stantial recognition of this handsome exhibit. 
- Meehan’s “ Gardener’s Monthly ” has the following on How to 
Produce Variegation: —“ Just what induces a plant to become variegated 
is still a mystery. Mr. Rupp, the famous improver of the Chinese Prim¬ 
rose, tried in vain everything he could think of to produce variegation in 
the leaves. At length, no 1 ing a variegated plant of the common Clover 
in the fields, the thought struck him that possibly there might be some 
condition of the soil which induced it. He took the soil about this Clover 
plant, put some in a pot with a seedling Primrose, and got his long- 
desired variegation. ‘ One swallow does not make a summer.’ Perhaps 
so, hut it is worth looking out for more when we see one.” 
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY’S EVENING FETE. 
July 1st. 
One of the most beautiful events of the London season is the annual 
Fete in the Royal Botanic Society’s picturesque Gardens, Regent’s Park, 
and when the weather is favourable as it was on the 1st inst. very large 
numbers of visitors are invariably attracted. Seldom, however, does such a 
brilliant company assemble as on the occasion under notice, for the Gardens 
were thronged until nearly midnight, and continuous lines of carriages 
occupied all the roads for a considerable distance around the Gardens. 
Coloured lamps were freely employed, either lining out the flower beds or 
suspended from the branches of the trees, giving a fairy-like aspect to a 
most charming scene. A slight chilliness in the air rendered promenading 
more agreeable than sitting, and with this exception there was nothing to 
lessen the delights of a most successful gathering. 
The exhibition of floral decorations occupied the large marquee which is 
devoted to the summer shows, and the Bagshot Rhododendrons filled another 
tent of great size, which was brilliantly lighted and very effective. The 
tables of flowers proved extremely interesting to the majority of visitors, 
and it was generally remarked that a most commendable improvement was 
observable in the taste exercised in the arrangement, and in the leading 
exhibits few could take exception to either the arrangement or the flowers 
employed. For a table decorated with flowers Mr. E. A. Chard, Clapham 
Common, won first honours for a very tastefully arranged table, on which 
were placed three trumpet stands containing a light and graceful association 
of double scarlet Potentillas, Chrysanthemum Etoile d’Or, Rhodanthes, and 
Grasses, the basal portion of the stands being chiefly filled with Eucharises, 
while around the table were placed small Cocos Weddelliana surrounded by 
Odontoglossums, double Primulas, and Carnations. The stands were wreathed 
with long trailing sprays of Lygodium scandens. Miss Hassall, Southfleet, 
Gravesend, and Miss H. Murray, The Red House, Wandsworth, secured the 
second and third prizes, in which perhaps rather too many flowers had been 
employed, and otherwise they were quite satisfactory. In the class for a 
table of hardy flowers some pretty arrangements were noticeable, but they 
were slightly heavy, and it is often seen that as regards public exhibitions 
stands of such flowers are rarely so graceful as the choicer flowers otherwise 
employed, and this is certainly not from any lack of suitable material, but 
apparently from a want of appreciation of their qualities. Miss F. Paget, 
Orchardleigh, Caterham, won chief honours with a pretty combination of 
Roses, Irises, Gladioli, Grasses, Sedges, and Ferns in three centre stands 
and four smaller corn-r glasses. Miss M. R. Hardy, Portland Place, war 
placed second, the chief features of her table being Oxeye Daisies, Grasses, 
Asparagus, and Ferns. Mr. J. R. Chard was third with a pleasing arrange¬ 
ment of Potentillas, Chrysanthemum frutescenB, Sweot Sultan, and yellow 
Violas in three large central stands with saucers at the base and four others 
of smaller size. The tables of evergreens were all somewhat heavy, the 
first one from Miss Paget being particularly so, and, moreover, too elaborate 
