42 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 12, 1894. 
Second, Captain Riall. Third, Lord Ashtown. In the minor classes 
Mr. Coglhan was very strong. 
In the nurserymen’s class of forty-eight blooms in twelve distinct varie¬ 
ties, four blooms of each, Messrs. Alex. Dicksons were first. This stand 
included their beautiful new Hybrid Perpetual Helen Kellair, for which 
the Judges recommended a certificate. Doubtless this variety will 
make its mark in the Rose world, possessing as it does all the qualities 
of form, substance, and colour (a satiny rose), to which add that robust 
and vigorous growth characterises the introductions of the famous Irish 
rosarians from their nurseries at Newtownards, Co. Down. Very con¬ 
spicuous was Marchioness of Downshire, of perfect outline and great 
substance ; Mrs. S. Crawford, Margaret Dickson, Gustave Piganeau, were 
also shown in Messrs. Dicksons’ stand. For a stand of forty-eight, 
each different, Messrs. Dickson also took premier honours. 
Apart from Roses, much interest surrounded the fine piece of plate, 
valued at 21 guineas, presented by Hamilton Drummond, Esq., the 
Honorary Secretary, for the best stand of cut blooms of tuberous, or 
bulbous-rooted, hardy plants in twenty-four varieties. In this com¬ 
petition gardeners find a hard nut to crack. For the third time, Mr. 
Porter, gardener to Lord Ashtown, cracked the nut and carried off the 
kernel for good and all. Mrs. Robertson was second. Other classes 
were perhaps hardly so well filled as usual. 
The class for three dishes, distinct, of Strawberries, found no entry, 
and this tells its own tale as to how we stand in Ireland. It is not that 
they are over, but that they have not arrived, and probably, owing to 
that memorable frost, are postponed to another year. 
Nursery groups, which do so much to assist our shows, largely 
helped, but plants for competition from private gardens were con¬ 
spicuous by their absence. Glasnevin, as usual, staged a group rich 
and rare. Public attendance was fairly good ; gardeners mustered in 
strong force, and enjoyed that social reunion for which show day gives 
facility.—E. K., Dublin. 
BEDFORD.— July 5th. 
It cannot be reported of this show that it was altogether an 
unqualified success. The weather was perfect, and the attendance of 
visitors during the early part of the afternoon good, but there was 
scarcely enough for them to see. If the Bedford fixture is to rank as 
first-class, and there is no reason why it should not, the prize schedule 
must be re-arranged, more classes be provided, especially with a view to 
attracting exhibitors from a distance. 
The best prizes for cut Roses were offered for forty-eight blooms, 
distinct, and with these there were five competitors, all staging admir¬ 
ably. Mr. J. Mattock, Oxford, was awarded the first prize fora generally 
excellent stand, consisting of Star of Waltham, Her Majesty, Thomas 
Mills, Captain Christy, Gustave Piganeau, Mrs. John Laing, Mons. E. Y. 
Teas, Marquise de St. Amand, Madame Gabriel Luizet, Ulrich Brunner, 
Duchesse de Vallombrosa, Marie Rady, Mons. Noman, G^n4ral Jacque¬ 
minot, La France of ’89, Souvenir d’un Ami, Reynolds Hole, Heinrich 
Schultheis, La France, Hon. Edith Gifford, Miss Ethel Brownlow, Xavier 
Olibo, Rubens, Madame Bravy, Marie Baumann, Innocente Pirola, Lady 
Mary Fitzwilliam, John S. Mill, Souvenir de Paul Neyron, Marquise de 
Castellane, The Bride, FranQois Michelon, Comtesse de Nadaillac, 
Madame Margottin, Catherine Mermet, Suzanne Rodocanachi, Margaret 
Dickson, Horace Vernet, Souvenir de Th^r^se Levet, Jeanne d’Arc, Abel 
Carriere, A. K. Williams, Marie Van Houtte, Duchess of Bedford, 
Duke of Teck, Jean Ducher, Victor Hugo, and Edward Morren. Mr. 
H. Merryweather, Nottingham, was a close second, or only about five 
points behind, and wag followed by Mr. F. Cant, Colchester, Messrs. 
Paul & Son being very highly commended. Both of the two last 
exhibitors had several grand blooms in their stands, and also several 
very poor ones. 
With eighteen Teas and Noisettes, distinct, Mr. Mattock was 
well first, the second prize going to Mr. F. Cant, and the third to 
Dr. King, Bedford, all staging most creditably. Mr. Mattock’s varieties 
were Souvenir d’un Ami, Edith Gifford, Catherine Mermet, Rubens, 
Jean Ducher, The Bride, Innocente Pirola, Comtesse de Nadaillac, 
Madame Bravy, Ethel Brownlow, Souvenir d’Blise Vardon, Franqois 
Kriiger, Adam, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, Anna Ollivier, Cornelia Kock, 
Madame Cusin and Marie Van Houtte. The foregoing were the only 
classes open to nurserymen. 
For twenty-four cut Roses, distinct, J. Parker, Esq., was a good first. 
His^ best blooms were of Star of Waltham, Madame Gabriel Luizet, 
Ulrich Brunner, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, Camille Bernardin, Captain 
Christy, Elie Morel, Marie Baumann, Violette Bouyer, Horace Vernet, 
Mrs. John Laing, and Duke of Connaught. The Rev. H. Jackson, 
Stagsden Vicarage, Bedford, was a pod second. Mr. H. V. Machin was 
third. With twelve distinct varieties Dr. King was first, having Etienne 
Levet, La France, and Victor Verdier particularly good. The second 
prize was well won by Mr. W. Kingston, and the third by Mr. E. Ellis. 
Dr. King was also a good first for twelve Teas. The Rev. H. Jackson 
was a good second. In his stand was an exceptionally fine bloom of 
Countess of Nadaillac and Souvenir de S. A. Prince was also noteworthy. 
Mr. H. V. Machin was third. Messrs. W. Kingston, J. Johnston, and 
J. Parker were the most successful in other classes for Roses, while the 
Rev. H. Jackson was an easy first with a bowl of Roses with Rose 
foliage. 
Valuable prizes were offered for thirty-six bunches of cut hardy, 
herbaceous, or bulbous-rooted flowers, distinct, but with these there 
were fewer competitors than usual. Messrs. Laxton Brothers, Bedford, 
were awarded the first prize for a grand collection in massive bunches 
and effectively grouped. The Rev. W. Crouch was second, his exhibit 
being remarkable for freshness and good selection of varieties. Messrs. 
Paul & Son had to be content with third place, want of freshness 
largely militating against this otherwise perfect collection. Prizes were 
also offered for Carnations and Picotees, but the competition with these 
was poor. 
Only two competed with “ groups of plants, foliage and flowering.” 
There was no limit to the size of these, and nothing said about 
arranging for effect. Mr. W. J. Empson, gardener to Mrs. Wingfield, 
had a fairly artistic arrangement, which might have been considerably 
improved by the addition of a few taller graceful plants, and was placed 
equal first with Mr. Ellis, who adopted the old plan of packing a general 
mixture of showy flowers as closely together as possible. Half circles, 
with nothing to bide boxes, pots, and such like used to raise some of the 
back plants, are sadly out of place in the centre of a tent. Midway 
between these two competing groups Messrs. Laxton Bros, made an 
effective display, a grand memorial cross planted, by a large basket of 
Scabiosa caucasica, with Thalictrum foliage interspersed, and a basket 
of Roses with trailers, showing up well among Palms and Ferns. This 
was not for competition. 
There was only a small display of fruit. Mr. W. J. Empson had 
first for both black and white Grapes, staging Black Hamburgh, very 
good in every way, and highly creditable Foster’s Seedling respectively. 
This exhibitor was also most successful in the various classes for vege¬ 
tables, other prizewinners being Messrs. J. Bragley, W. Kingston, and 
W. J. Goodson. Ladies made only a moderately good display in the 
classes for table decoration, bouquets of wild flowers, and such like. 
HEREFORD AND WEST OF ENGLAND.— July 5th. 
This time-honoured exhibition was held last Thursday, July 5th, in 
the beautiful grounds of the Castle Green, and favoured by superb 
weather drew together a large attendance. The competition was very 
much smaller than usual. The writer, who founded the Society 
nearly three decades ago, and for years held the reins, when over £200 
in prizes and many challenge cups were the order of the day, may 
be excused a little pardonable egotism if in the rOle of a laudator 
temporis acti he begs permission to ask why a society which has done 
so much for Rose showing and Rose growing by filling up a gap in Rose 
exhibitions (notably about the critical period between the old and 
revised N.R. Society), should receive this year not a single exhibit from 
the leading Rose nurserymen ? It is, of course, easy to answer that 
several shows, all better centres of advertisement, are fixed for the 
same day, that Hereford is hard to reach while the prize list is small. 
Still your reporter can remember when all these obstacles existed in the 
good old days of yore, and Messrs. George Paul, Benjamin Cant, Charles 
Turner or John Keynes seldom failed to put in an appearance mostly in 
propria persona, or chivalrously despatched their foreman in answer to 
a wire at the last moment, if, for any unforeseen reason, any of their 
confreres were kept away from waging a good upstanding battle with 
Mr. John Cranston, thus practically showing their sense of gratitude to the 
old Western Society. Well, Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis. 
This year not one of the big nurserymen put in an appearance, though 
not one of them could accuse the Hon. Sec., Rev. F. R. Burnside, of lack 
of energy or popularity; 
Still, those of the public who came to the Hereford show must have 
seen the object of such societies thoroughly carried out, as both the 
smaller nurserymen and the amateurs in the open classes staged excellent 
blooms, very well coloured, and the quality quite up to the average. It 
must have taken a very fine collection to deprive the Cranston Company 
of their pride of place; all the more unfortunate, then, that so fresh 
and really excellent a collection should have met with no competition—a 
disappointment to the winner and loss to the public. Mr. Townsend of 
Worcester, a new exhibitor at Hereford, staged several admirable collec¬ 
tions. His thirty-six varieties, singles, were especially fine, smooth, 
(certainly not a feature of the present season), fresh, and well staged. 
Among amateurs Mr. Drew of Ledbury was easily first in thirty-six 
varieties, singles; and, as might be expected. Rev. F. R. Burnside carried 
all before him in the Tea and Noisette class. Some blooms, however, as 
in most of the collections, showed signs of the rough weather they met 
with in the earlier part of the season. 
All rosarians must have been glad to see the veteran Mr. George 
Prince so far from home, and looking almost himself again. His first 
prize collection of yellow Roses, as represented by Comtesse de Nadaillac 
when developed later on in the evening, was a glorious sight, and worthy 
of the celebrated Oxford Nurseries. The class for the collection of 
herbaceous plants, grouped for effect, was distinctly good and numerously 
contested, well arranged, and contained many novel and interesting 
varieties. Miss Watkins, Rev. C. Lee, Mrs. Davenport, and Mrs. Harris 
Lea were the principal winners. 
By far the leading novelty in the exhibition were the two boxes of 
Lord Penzance’s hybrid Sweet Briars (his Lordship has been at his 
hobby fifteen years, it is said, with marvellous success, as may be seen) 
to be offered to the public next November by Messrs. Keynes, Williams 
and Co., in whose hands they have been placed. All of these charming 
hybrids are so charming and so sweet that it is really difficult to 
particularise; but the most distinct varieties seem to be Lady 
Penzance X Austrian Briar, and showing clear evidence of its 
parentage in its dusky hue ; Meg Merrilies X H.P. Dr. Sewell, bright 
crimson, a bold flower, very thorny and rampant growth ; Amy Robsart, 
deep rose, anthers very prominent, apparently an immense bloomer; 
