July 11, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
23 
BATH.— July 4th. 
A spell of remarkably hot weather brought on Roses generally very 
rapidly, and as far as the Bath fixture was concerned this might with 
advantage have been held fully a week earlier than usual. The blooms 
have opened quickly, and in many instances have proved very fleeting 
in character, nor do they long retain their freshness and form in the 
show tents this season ; but luckily the Bath meeting was held on a 
comparatively cool day. and the numerous and very appreciative visitors 
were able to thoroughly enjoy the beautiful array of blooms brought 
together from all parts of the country. There was a slight falling off 
in the number of entries, but a greater per-centage of those who did 
enter really competed, and on the whole the exhibition fully attained to 
the well known high standard, and well sustained the good reputation 
that the Bath Rose Show has gained in former years. 
In the premier class for seventy-two distinct varieties, single trusses, 
four noted firms competed, the first prize being well won by Messrs. 
Cranston Sc Co., Hereford, among their generally good lot being ex¬ 
ceptionally fine blooms of Sir Rowland Hill, Victor Hugo, and Lady 
Alice Hill. Messrs. Harkness & Sons, Bedale. were second, and Messrs. 
G. Cooling Sc Sons, Bath, third, these exhibits being of nearly equal 
merit, while an extra prize was recommended for Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt. Messrs. G. Cooling & Sons were well first with thirty-six 
triplets, distinct, among these being very fine blooms of Her Majesty, 
Pride of Waltham, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Abel Carriere, and La 
France. Messrs. Cranston & Co. were second, and Messrs. Paul & Son 
third. With eighteen triplets, distinct., Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., 
Salisbury, took the lead, staging a fine fresh collection, and in this 
class Messrs. Jeffries & Son, Cirencester, were second, and Messrs. 
Curtis, Sanford & Co , Torquay, third. Exactly similar positions were 
held by these exhibitors in the class for thirty-six single trusses, distinct, 
the exhibits being highly creditable in each instance. 
Amateurs were well represented, but Mr. W. J. Grant, Hereford, had 
matters very much his own way, as he was first for thirty-six varieties 
distinct, eighteen triplets distinct, and twelve Teas or Noisettes, the 
other prizetakers in the same c’asses being Mr. R. N. G. Baker, Exeter, 
who had two seconds ; Mr. S. P. Budd, Bath, and the Rev. F. R. Burn¬ 
side. In other classes for amateurs, from which the foregoing exhibitors 
were excluded, the principal prizewinners were Messrs. A. Evans, 
W. Narroway, and T. Hobbs, while the most successful in the classes 
confined to local growers were Messrs. S. P. Budd, W. Morgan, Rev. 
G. E. Gardiner, Rev. C. C. Layaid, Mrs. G. L. Hobbs, and Mr. Hill 
Gray. 
There was good competition in the various open classes for a stand 
of one variety or colour, and these always prove highly interesting. 
For twelve trusses of any Rose Messrs. Paul & Son were first with 
Her Majesty in fine condition, and for twelve trusses of any yellow 
variety Mr. G. Prince, Oxford, was first with a lovely stand of Jean 
Ducher. With a like number of any crimson Rose Mr. W. J. Grant 
was well first, a similar award being made to Mr. Grant for a fine stand 
of La France. The best six blooms in three varieties of new Roses sent 
out in 1887 and 1888 were staged by Messrs. G. Cooling & Son, who had 
good fresh examples of Earl of Dufferin, Mrs. J. Lairg, and Madame 
Bois. Mr. J. Mattock, Oxford, were awarded a first prize for a charming 
basket of Roses, and Mr. G. Prince received a certificate of merit for 
his new Rose Souvenir de S. A. Prince. Messrs. G. Cooling & Son were 
well first for twelve bouquets of Roses, and Mr. J. Mattock second. 
NORWICH.— July 4th. 
The Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society, which has now 
been established for sixty years, held their annual Rose Show on the 
date named in the beautiful grounds of T. B. Coakes, Esq., of Thorpe 
Hamlet. This is a splendid situation for the purpose, being the highest 
point in Norwich, from which a lovely view is to be obtained of the 
surrounding country. The most successful Show in point of attendance 
that the Society has on its records was held in these grounds in 1882, 
and perhaps the most disastrous from the same point of view was last 
year, when heavy thunderstorms deluged the grounds in the afternoon. 
Many conjectures were made as to the probable nature of the Rose Show 
in this exceptional season, certainly the earliest in the eastern counties 
for the last ten years ; but cool and cloudy weather prevailed during 
the morning of the Show, and for two or three days preceding, and this 
was undoubtedly favourable to the quality of the blooms exhibited, 
though it was plain that with amateurs the best of the first bloom of 
Teas was already over. 
in the open class Messrs. Burch of Peterborough were first for 
forty-eight, with a fresh even stand, comprising few faulty and few ex¬ 
ceptional blooms, Star of Waltham (which is good this year), Horace 
Vernet, and Her Majesty being among their best. Mr. Frank Cant of 
Colchester followed closely with a fine stand, among which Her Majesty, 
Duke of Teck. Madame Montet, Mrs. John Laing, and Lady Helen 
Stewart were conspicuous. Mr. B. R. Cunt was third, having good 
specimens of Duke of Edinburgh and Germaine Callot; the latter as a 
new and little known Rose attracted considerable attention from its 
fine shape. 
In twelve trebles Messrs. Burch were first with really good blooms ; 
Mr. F. Cant, second ; and Rev. A. Foster-Melliar, Sproughton Rectory, 
Ipswich, third. 
In the amateur classes, Rev. A. Foster-Melliar was placed first for 
the Sheriff’s prize for thirty-six, with large blooms, the best of which 
were Madame Eugenie Verdier, Fisher Holmes, Comtesse Nadaillac, 
Marie Raly, and Duke of Wellington. Rev. H. T. Frere, Burston 
Rectiry, Diss, was second with fine blooms of Marie Rady, Marie Baumann, 
and that uncertain H.P. Black Prince. T. H. Poweil, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. Palmer) was third with good flowers of Abel Carriere, Jean Soupcrt, 
and Duke of Edinburgh. 
Rev. A. Foster-Mel'iar was again placed first for twenty-four, good 
blooms of Marie Baumann and Marie Rady being in his stand. Miss 
Penrice of Whitton (gardener. Mr. Morris) was second, and Rev. II. T. 
Frere third. For twelve Roses Rev. Page Roberts was first, cleauness, 
brilliancy, and neatness as usual distinguishing his stand. Rev. A. J. 
Fellowes, of Beighton, second ; T. C. Bloomfield, Esq., third ; and G. S. 
Culley, Esq., of Whitton, fourth. For twelveilocal the last named gentle¬ 
man was first, Mr. R. Cross second, and Mr. Learner third. For six Mr. 
Culley was again first, Mr. W. Birkbeck second, and Mr. Cubitt of 
Honing Hall third. 
There was a good competition in the class for twelve Teas, which 
resulted in a popular win for Rev. II. T. Frere, Marie Van Iloutte and 
Etoile de Lyon being his best blooms. Mr. Roberts second with 
Nadaillac good though not large, and La Boule d’Or in good form. 
Mr. Foster-Melliar was third with a very richly coloured Jean Ducher 
and a fine Irinocente Pirola among his blooms. 
Twelve of one sort of H.P.’s almost invariably produces stands of 
Madame Gabriel Luizet, this variety’s habit of blooming all at once 
making it useful for this purpose. Mr. Page Roberts obtained second 
with this Rose, but Miss Penrice beat him with A. K. Williams, and 
Mr. Powell was third with Baroness Rothschild. 
For twelve Teas of a sort Rev. A. Foster-Melliar won somewhat 
easily with Comtesse Nadaillac, many of them being good blooms, Mr. 
Powell being second with Caroline Kuster, and Miss Penrice third with 
a poor box of Homere. 
For a class provided by Mr. F. Cant for twelve Roses, including not 
less than four Teas, Mr. Page Roberts showed another beautiful twelve, 
a bloom of Maurice Bernardin being very conspicuous in it; Rev. A. L, 
Fellowes second, Miss Penrice third. 
The silver medal for best H.P. was awarded to Miss Penrice for a 
medium-sized, not perfectly shaped, but very clean bloom of La France, 
and Comtesse Nadaillac deservedly gained the corresponding honour 
for Teas for Mr. Page Roberts. The former decision did not meet with 
unanimous approval. 
It was a capital Rose Show, and would have been better if Com¬ 
mittees and Secretaries would think of exhibitors in selecting their days. 
There were actually two other Shows in Suffolk, at Eye and Wood- 
bridge, on the same day ; and more than one of the successful exhibitors 
was endeavouring at great inconvenience to hold the field by an assistant 
at another Show, whilst coming himself to Norwich to do battle in 
person. These remarks contain no reflection on the Norwich managers, 
who in choice of day were first in the field. 
It was very pleasant to find that an increasing interest, which is 
likely to promote the true instincts of gardening in every way, is being 
taken in hardy perennials. A new and formidable competitor appeared 
in the principal class for twenty-four bunches in the person of Rev. 
F. Page Roberts, in whose first prize stand were noteworthy specimens 
of Scabiosa caucasica, Heuchera sanguinea, Epipactis gigantea, Orchis 
foliosa, and Delphinium Madame E. Geny. Mr. Corder of Norwich was 
second with specially interesting bunches of Lilium longiflorum Harrisi, 
Morina persica, Astrantia carniolica, and Lilium pardalinum. Dr. 
Beverley of Brundle, Norwich, was third with an interesting stand, 
many of which, however, were rather flowering shrubs than hardy 
perennials. The exhibits of pot plants, fruit, and vegetables call for no 
special comment beyond admiration of the Ferns, British and exotic, 
exhibited by Mr. H. Trevor. These plants are both perennials and 
perpetuals, and would be missed, like old faces, if absent from Norwich. 
The Norwich Horticultural Society is in a most sound financial 
condition. It is thoroughly well supported in the city and county, and 
as the officers work together harmoniously its future appears likely to 
be even more prosperous than its past.—W. R. Raillem. 
CANTERBURY— July 4th. 
The venue of this Society wa9 again changed this year, and the 
Show was again in the Foresters’ Hall instead of as last year in the 
Deanery Garden, and the day being very bright and fine, a good deal of 
regret was expressed that the chan.e had taken place. There is always 
more pleasure on a fine day in an out-of-doors show than in one 
held in a room, even when the light is good, and the light in the 
Foresters’ Hall is not good. The Corn Exchange, where the Show was 
first held, is, I think, one of the best rooms for a show that I have ever 
seen, and that at Winchester about the worst. 
There is a good deal of spirit in Rose-growing about Canterbury, and 
unlike Maidstone, local growers come well forward, although the general 
public is sadly lacking in sympathy with the Society. In excuse for 
them it may be said that the exterior is not inviting orattractive, nor the 
interior, with the exception of the flowers, very exhilirating ; but not¬ 
withstanding all this there was a very excellent and enjoyable Show, 
which was rendered especially interesting by co lections of cut blooms 
of hardy herbaceous plants, exhibited by Mr. Clarke of the Maison Dieu 
Nursery, Dover, and Mr. George Mount of the Exotic Nursery, Canter¬ 
bury. Owing to the Bath Show being held on this day, at which most of 
the leading nurserymen exhibited, they were not here to-day, and the 
competition in the nurserymen’s class was confined to Kentish nursery¬ 
men, Mr. Geo. Mount taking the leading position, and Mr. Thomas 
Bunyard of Ashford taking second place with Her Majesty, a grand 
bloom, showing that when it can be caught it is a grand Rose, but its 
