46 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ July 16, 1885. 
useful and interesting class, as usual, was not shown as the public ought 
to see it, several blooms of the same variety being incomparably better 
than in the different collections. 
Messrs. Cranston <fc Co. took first prize with the following highly pro¬ 
mising reliable varieties in their collection:—H.P.’s, Alphonse Soupert; 
Lord Bacon, useful in colour, shape, and substance ; Henreich Schultheis, 
large and good ; and the incomparable light Merveille de Lyon, which 
variety also won for Messrs. Cranston & Co. the first prize for twenty-four 
blooms of any one Rose, Mi H. Frettingham also winning second with 
Marie Baumann. Mr. J. H. Arkwright showed (not for competition) a 
useful box of garden Roses. 
In the decorative division the Marquis of Bute’s prizes were keenly 
contested. Indeed, this branch of the Society is annually growing in public 
favour, and doubtless helps not a little in keeping up the interest of the 
general public—an important feature in the management of all societies in 
these fashion-shifting days. 
The Judges over the nurserymen’s division were the Rev. C. H. Bnlmer. 
Credenhill Rectory, Hereford, and Mr. H. J. Grant, Hope End, Ledbury. 
Amateur Classes—Mr. Williams and Mr. Birch, Salisbury Nurseries; and 
Mr. Corey, Cirencester Nurseries.— Herefordshire Incumbent. 
SHROPSHIRE ROSE SOCIETY. 
July 9th. 
Favoured with excellent weather this Society held its Show in a large 
tent in the old quarry grounds at Shrewsbury. The exhibits on the whole 
were satisfactory, especially those staged by the nurserymen. The premier 
class for seventy-two varieties only brought two competitors into the field, 
the Cranston Nursery Company, Hereford, taking the lead with magnificent 
blooms. Messrs. Perkins & Sons. Coventry, who followed, showed some 
very fine blooms, notably one of Mr. Cant’s new Tea variety, Madame de 
Watteville, a very charming kind, which richly shaded and tipped rich 
rose-red, of excellent form. The amateurs’ classes were pretty well filled, 
but there were many of the exhibits without merit; many of the flowers 
were badly coloured and small, while an equal number were past their best. 
Some of the collections from gentlemen’s gardemrs in the district were 
very good. Special mention may he made of the stand of twelve Xavier 
Olibo shown by Messrs. Jas. Dickson & Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester. 
The colour and form were perfect, and they well merited the equal award 
with Messrs. Cranston & Co.’s excellent stand of Merveille de Lyon. 
The tent was very well filled, although the miscellaneous exhibits, 
usually so important at such shows, were not numerous. We noticed, how¬ 
ever, some fine boxes of Roses staged by Messrs. James Dickson A Sons, 
Chester, and the Cranston Nursery Company, Hereford. A very excellent 
stand of Pink Mrs. Sinkins, arranged with another which we took to be 
Admiral Marsden, mixed with some fine flowers of Cistus formosus ; this 
was shown by Mrs. Clarke, The Rocks, Meole. Messrs. Jones & Son, nur¬ 
serymen, Shrewsbury, staged a huge collection of the usual decorative 
plants, as well as numerous stands of hardy herbaceous flowers, white 
Water Lilies, &c., which were very attractive ; but we could not help 
noticing the great want of some elegant plants to supplement and 
materially assist the excellent display of Roses, which certainly did great 
credit to the energetic Secretary, Mr. Jones, and others who assisted him, 
and we trust the Society will receive ample support, so as to be able to 
extend its usefulness. 
Classes Open to All. —The principal one in this section was for 
seventy-two varieties, single trusses, in which there were two collections 
staged by Messrs. Cranston & Co., Hereford, and Messrs. Perkin & Son, 
Coventry. Both were meritorious, but the Hereford stands had the advan¬ 
tage in colour and freshness ; the Coventry flowers were very large, but too 
far gone. Messrs. Cranston & Co. received first honours, the splendid 
blooms consisting of the following varieties :—Back row.—La France, a 
splendid bloom; Louis Van Houtte, Charlotte de la Tremouille, Mdlle. 
Catherine Soupert, John Stuart Mill, excellent; Ulrich Brunner fils, Mdlle. 
Eugenie Yerdier, very fine ; Tatiana Onegiune, Charles Lefebvre, Comtesse 
de Serenye, excellent; Alfred Colomb, Madame Montet, Marie Baumann, 
La Duchesse de Morny, Duke of Edinburgh, unusually good; Duchesse de 
Vallombrosa, Mons. Alfred Dumesuil, Mons. Noman, Victor Yerdier, Bar- 
thdlemy Joubert, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Exposition de Brie, Madame 
Hippolyte Jamain, and Dr. An dry, splendid. Middle row.—Prince Arthur, 
Etoile de Lyon, Countess of Rosebery, Merveille de Lyon, grand ; A. K. 
Williams, Star of Waltham, Madame Lacharme, magnificent; Beauty of 
V altham, Sultan of Zanzibar, unusually good ; Madame Marie Cointet, 
Comte de Paris, Madame Ferdinand Jamain, Xavier Olibo, Countess Pem¬ 
broke, Madame la Marquise d’Hervey, Elie Morel, magnificent : Dupuy 
Jamain, Pride of Waltham, Nardy Freres, Mary Pochin, a splendid bloom ; 
Edouard Morren, Richard Laxton, and May Quennel. Front row.—Ernest 
Prince, Dingee Conard, fine; Peach Blossom, Gdncral Jacqueminot, Con¬ 
stantin TretiakofS, Jules Touvais, Mdlle. Marie Rady, excellent; Marquise 
de Castellane, Madame Gabriel Luizet, splendid; Le Havre, fine; Horace 
Vernet; Marquise de Mortemart, Madame Charles Wood, an immense even 
bloom ; Laslia, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Mdlle. Marie Verdier, Queen of Waltham, 
Madame Ducher, Marie Van Houtte, Mrs. Baker, a magnificent bloom; Dr. 
Saveli, Madame Thbrese Levet, and Duke of Connaught. The finest blooms 
in the Coventry collection were Madame Sophie Fropot, Alphonse Soupert 
Edward Morren, unusually good ; Madame de Watteville, a splendid Tea ; 
rranfois Michelon, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Marquise de Castellane, Beauty of 
Waltham, and Madame M. Rady, very large and good. Messrs. Cranston 
were again first for thirty-six varieties, although nearly equal honours were 
shared by Messrs. James Dickson & Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester, the 
adjudication being rather difficult in this case; and Perkins & Son were 
third. The premier collection included some most magnificent blooms. 
Back row. La France, Madame Marie Rady, Marie Finger, Prince Arthur 
Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Dr. Saveli, Pride of Waltham, Dingee Conard, 
Victor Verdier, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, splendid ; A. K. Williams, and 
Merveille de Lyon.. Middle row.—Mons. A. Dumesnil, Madame Lacharme, 
very large ; La Rostere, excellent; Rosy Morn, Beauty of Waltham, Madame 
Mane Cointet, Dupuy Jamain, Marquise de Castellane, G6n6ral Jacque¬ 
minot, Ernest Prince, Madame Gabriel Luizet, and S^nateur Vaisse. Front 
row. Madame Charles Wood, superb ; Ulrich Brunner fils, Peach Blossom, 
Louis Van Houtte, Barthdlemy Joubert, Marie Baumann. Mons. Neuman, 
Alfred Colomb, Mons. Montet, Xaxier Olibo, l’Esperance, and Comtesse de 
Serenye. Messrs. Dickson <fc Sons’ blooms were superb, the following being 
particularly good :—Madame Gabriel Luizet, Baroness Rothschild, Madame 
Montet, Etienne Levet, Marie Baumann, La France, Etoile de Lyon, S6na- 
teur Vaisse, splendid ; Captain Christy, and Elie Morel. Messrs. Cranston 
again took the lead with eight°en varieties of Teas, followed by Perkins 
and Sons, Coventry, and Mr. G. Townsbend, Uffington. None of the flowers 
were really first-rate, but the following in the leading collection are note¬ 
worthy :—Homere, Madame Bravy, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Comtesse Riza 
du Parc, and Mary Van Houtte. In the class for twelve of any one variety 
Messrs. James Dickson & Sons, Chester, and Messrs. Cranston shared equal 
honours, two first prizes being awarded. The first exhibitor staged perfect 
blooms of Xavier Olibo which, for colour and finish, could scarcely be ex¬ 
celled. The other stand was Merveille de Lyon, a very fine lot of that 
popular variety. 
In the classes provided for gentlemen’s gardeners in the county of Salop, 
the first prize for twenty-four varieties fell to Mr. G. H. Colin, Ashford 
Court, for a very excellent stand, with Emily Laxton, Madame Lacharme, 
grand ; Gdndral Jacqueminot, Marechal Niel, Marie Baumann, Baroness 
Rothschild, Dr. Andry, Le Havre, Avocat Duvivier, Duke of Edinburgh. 
Dupuy Jamain, La France, Exposition de Brie, Beauty of Waltham, 
Souvenir de Malmaison, Captain Christy, Annie Wood, Louis Van Houtte, 
Duke of Teck, Victor Verdier, Auguste Rigotard, Star of Waltham, and Mrs. 
Baker, a splendid bloom. Mr. Milner, garden! r to Rev. J. D. Corbett, 
Sundorne Castle, was second with an excellent stand, and Mr. West, 
Halston, third. Two other collections were staged. In the corresponding 
class for twelve varieties, the same exhibitors were first and second respec¬ 
tively, and Mr. Lambert, gardener to Col. Wingfield, third. Mr. Colin’s stand 
was again very fine, especially the following—Baroness Rothschild, Marie 
Baumann, Victor Verdier, and Duke of Edinburgh. 
Amateur Classes Open to all.— Three stands of twenty-four 
varieties were staged, the first falling to G. Bourlay, Esq., Quarry 
Place, Shrewsbury; third, Mr. Lloyd, Cherry Orchard, Shrewsbury; 
the second being withheld. The following were very fine in 
the leading stand—Dupuy Jamain, Merveille de Lyon, excellent; La France, 
Mons. Noman, and Charles Lefebvre. For twelve varieties there were five 
lots staged ; the awards were given in the following order—Dr. RobertB 
Welshpool, Mr. G. Townsend, jun., Uffington, and Mr. G. Bourlay. The 
leading stand were very fine, consisting of the following—Madame Gabriel 
Luizet, a splendid bloom; A. K. Williams, first class; Etienne Levet, 
Charles Lefebvre, Duke of Edinburgh, Duchesse de Vallombrosa, G6n6ral 
Jacqueminot, Louis Van Houtte, Marechal Niel, Prince Camille de Rohan, 
Belle Lyonnaise, and Mdlle. Eugdnie Verdier. 
Tea and Noisette Varieties. —For twelve varieties open to anyone in 
the county, Mr. G. Townsend was well to the front with a charming stand, 
including Jean Ducher, Belle Lyonnaise, grand; Niphetos, very fine; Mardchal 
Niel, A. Olliver, Madame C. Kuster, Bouquet d’Or, Rubens, splendid ; Celine 
Forestier, Madame Denis, Madame Lambard, and Madame Bravy. Mr. E. 
W. Pritchard and Col. Wingfield were second and third respectively. 
Classes for Amateurs within fifteen miles of Shrewsbury. —Mr. 
Pryce Evans, Uffington, was first for eighteen varieties with a very fair stand ; 
the best blooms were Etienne Levet, Captain Christy, Alfred Colomb, Senateur 
Vaisse very good, and Belle Lyonnaise. Mr. Gurnett was a good second. 
The first for nine blooms fell to Mr. Townsend, whose stand was excellent; 
Marquise de Castellane, La France, Dr. Andry, Midame C, Kuster, and 
Madame Noman, were superb. For a stand of six the first prize was awarded 
to Mr. J. Guldens, Bicton, for large and perfect blooms of Constantin 
Tretiakoff, Charles Lefebvre, La France, A. K. Williams, Jean Pouret, and 
Devoniensis; the second and third fell to Mr. H. Brown, Wyle Cop, and 
Mr. Pryce Evans respectively. 
Strawberries. —There were five collections of three dishes each staged, 
all of which were excellent; the first fell to Jones & Son, Shrewsbury, for 
two dishes of President, and one Elton Pine, all of which were extremely 
good. Mr. Milner, gardener to Rev. J. D. Corbett, was second, and equal 
thirds were awarded to Miss Sellar, Kingsland, and Mr. H. Hughes, Ganis 
Lodge. 
JACOB’S LADDERS. 
This genus, though containing few species, includes none unworthy 
of a place even in the most limited collection. The synonymy in this, 
as with many other popular genera, has been sadly mixed, and the con¬ 
sequent confusion is not by any means agreeable to the cultivator. All 
the species may be grown with ease in ordinary garden soil, giving little 
or no trouble when once thoroughly established. They are increased either 
by seed, which ripens well in this country, or by division of the roots, 
which may be accomplished in the autumn. Others are Polemonium 
reptans, a creepiDg-rooted species with large blue flowers, useful for the 
rockery ; P. mexicanum, moschatum, and humile. 
P. coeruleum, perhaps the commonest and best known of all the Greek 
Valerians, is generally found in large clumps, and even rows, in many of 
the old-fashioned cottage gardens. Even in our more modern gardens 
hardly a border can be seen without its patches of blue and white 
Valerian, and healthy plants in a strong loam are amongst the finest 
sights at the present time. It is also used very effectively in the wild 
garden, where it soon establishes itself provided the ground he kept free 
from rank weeds so as to allow the self-sown seedlings plenty of light 
and space. It forms large masses in the course of a few years, which are 
ever attractive in or out of flower. There are other forms grown under 
various names, notably P. sibiricum, which is distinct from P. coeruleum 
only in having bipinnate leaves instead of the ordinary pinnate of the 
type. P. pulchellutn differs little from coeruleum; it has much smaller 
