566 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 20,1894. 
Son, King Street, Co vent Garden, have been bold enough to enter into 
a speculation by the purchase of upwards of 15,000 “Show Tulip” 
bulbs, consisting of the principal exhibition varieties, at a cost of 
fiomething approaching £150. I also understand that they have 
arranged, in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society, for two 
exhibitions to be held during the ensuing May and June, when silver and 
bronze medals will be awarded to exhibitors for stands and groups of the 
Show Tulips ” under their respective classes. Messrs. Barr & Son 
hope that with perseverance, and by offering collections to amateur 
florists and others at moderate prices, they may succeed with 
Mr. Bentley, and other cultivators of the “Show Tulip,” in bringing 
it again into such prominence that the tables of the London exhibitions, 
and others in the South, will ere long be adorned in abundance (as of 
old) with the gorgeous and fascinating splendour which the “ Show 
Tulip ” in its best dress always presents. 
Let us hope that Messrs. Bentley and Barr’s efforts will be crowned 
with success.— James Thurstan, The Green, Cannoeli. 
<‘The Book of the Rose,” by the Rev. A. Foster-Mblliar. 
Everyone who tabes more than a superficial interest in Rose 
growing will hasten to possess himself of a copy of this book. It is the 
Rose book, excellence, of the day, as far as practical experience, set 
forth in crisp lucid and terse language, can make it. Well written, well 
printed in good clear type, with a pleasant margin, and interspersed 
with many interesting illustrations, the general result reflects credit 
on both the author and publishers. 
The book is divided into fourteen chapters, and has twenty-nine 
illustrations, the latter being principally photographs of varieties well 
known to all rosarians ; but there are other pictures which will interest 
ladies, such as a shower bouquet, one of the numerous prize bouquets shown 
by Mrs. Orpen of Colchester this season. “The Book of the Rose” has 
been brought fully up to the present date, as notice is taken in the 
masterly chapter on “ manners and customs ” of the most recent Roses 
brought out by Messrs. Dickson of Newtownards in the last year, several 
of which have gained them gold medals. 
I hope, later on, to go critically into the contents of this delightful 
volume, but no more propitious time could have been selected for its 
issue, as it will be a most acceptable Christmas present to many in 
England who love our national flower and wish to know of every phase 
in its culture. It is published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. 
National Rose Society—Mr. Grace’s Letter on Regulation 13. 
I cannot help admiring Mr. Grace’s candour in his letter to you 
(page 53G), although I disagree with his views. I do not know whether 
by his attitude on this question we are to understand that Mr. Grace 
himself practises what he preaches, but the doctrine he openly advo¬ 
cates, that an amateur member of the Society should be allowed to defy 
the regulations and continue to exhibit against amateurs who honour¬ 
ably comply with them, is rather startling. The regulation Mr. Grace 
proposes to defy is explicit, “ Ko person shall he allowed to compete as 
an amateur who sells Rose 2Jlnnts or Rose hloonis," 
Can anyone say that this can mean anything but what is stated ? 
We all know that there are rumours, persistent rumours, and names are 
whispered about of amateurs who are disregarding this rule, so that 
if Mr. Grace’s views be accepted as correct then the sooner it be 
■expunged the better. So long as the rule exists, whatever Mr. Grace or 
anyone says on the subject, it is dishonest to exhibit as an amateur if 
you infringe it. There is no use in shutting our eyes to the truth, or 
calling such action by any other word. 
At the meeting on Thursday last Mr. Lindsell proposed an addition 
to the present regulation, but at the last moment he so altered his 
original proposal that the onus of disproof was placed on the accused, 
instead of the charge having to be substantiated by the accuser. This 
being contrary to all accepted views in this country, I cm not surprised 
to hear that his proposals were defeated. I was not present at the 
meeting, but I think that the trade members of the Society should have 
strongly protested against the infringement of the rules by amateurs, 
and also against Mr. Grace’s views that a small amateur, or any other 
amateur, should be allowed to sell his flowers in order “ to pay for 
rough labour and manures.” I am a very small amateur, and all small 
amateurs know that their gardens cost far more in proportion to their 
size than do tho.se of big amateurs ; but every man has to pay for his 
bobby, and I should think Rose-growing is one of the cheapest of them. 
It was with full and personal knowledge, acquired by the posses¬ 
sion of gardens of varied sizes, that I, in 1891, approached the subject 
of dividing amateur exhibitors into classes according to the numbers 
grown, so that every man should have a fair chance. I certainly never 
contemplated that any amateur would, in addition to the benefit he 
gained by these new regulations, also expect that he should be allowed 
to compete with the trade ! 
It is a very unfortunate truism to state that the trade growers 
amongst rosarians seem always struck dumb at meetings where they 
have the facility, if not the faculty, of expressing their views on this 
question, which most affects their pockets. It is not an amateur’s duty 
to fight their battles, and I therefore do not write this letter for them, as 
if they will not stand together, as they ought, for their just rights, then 
let them suffer; but I do say this, that if amateurs are to be allowed to 
sell Roses and plants, and in other ways to advocate a defiance of our 
regulations, then in the name of honour and common sense let us do 
away with what appears to be a rule that is so defied; otherwise let us 
all start fair and deal indiscriminately with each other. The big 
amateurs are mostly personal friends of mine; they are not men of 
unbounded wealth, and I do not think I am saying a word to disparage 
those whom I deal with at; present in the trade when I state that I 
would prefer to deal with personal friends if Regulation 13 be in 
future considered a dead letter.— Charles J. Grahame. 
The Rose Analysis. 
It is all very well for the two writers on this question on page 536 
of your last issue to say that the actual figures, and those only, should 
be used in every case, and no allowances whatever made for “ disturbing 
causes ; ” but have they ever thoughtfully considered how this would 
work out in practice ? I have in previous letters given them examples, 
and if they can tell me in what better way to deal with these varieties 
without misleading your readers I shall be only too glad to learn how 
this can be done. If I had not myself thoroughly tested the actual 
figures plan and found it wanting I should never have departed from it, 
being as fond of simple facts as anyone.—E. M., Berhhamsted. 
Rev. F. R. Burnside. 
I WAS very glad to meet this well-known rosarian at the annual 
meeting of the National Rose Society, and upon expressing my regret 
at his retirement from the exhibition arena, was pleased to receive his 
hearty assurance that he has no intention whatever of retiring, but that, 
on the contrary, he has already secured a place in Derbyshire and has a 
few Roses in situ. This will be the fourth county in which Mr. Burnside 
has grown and shown Roses, and those who know him will predict that, 
given a season or two for getting settled down, his blooms will soon be 
found giving as good an account of themselves as when he was resident 
in Kent, in Gloucestershire, and in Herefordshire.—J. B. 
Random Notes—Tedious Shooting. 
“ When you three gentlemen have quite done with that bird !”— 
and then he shot it. These were the words not long ago addressed to 
me and two others on my right when all three of us had missed a 
partridge, strong on the wing, flying at right angles to our guns. I ask. 
When will Messrs. C. J. Grahame, E. Mawley, and “ W. R. Raillem ” have 
quite done with “ Rose Analysis ” that it may be shot down by one of 
cool aim and steady head? Alas! I possess neither, but I ask. Is not 
Mr. Grahame too impetuous, making mountains out of molehills ? 
Mr. Raillem rather sarcastic and parabolic ? and Mr. Mawley beautifully 
patient in tribulation ? 
Mr. Grahame never fails to express his “very greatest respect” for 
the opinions of his brother rosarians, and then at once joins issue with 
them. Mr. Raillem tell us that he “ has little knowledge or experience 
in statistics,” so he shrugs his shoulders and ungraciously retires from 
the field of argument, his cup of tea not being quite in accordance with 
his taste. That Mr. Mawley’s analysis ought not to have been assailed 
as it has been is, I think, conclusively proved by Mr. Girdlestone’s 
letter on page 617, December 6th, wherein he shows how slightly Mr. 
Grahame’s list differs from that of Mr. Mawley. 
Surely it is the grower of a great number of maidens—for example, 
Mr. Pemberton—who so largely helps to bring up the average of such 
Roses as Duchess of Bedford, Duke of Edinburgh, and Comte Raimbaud, 
of the last of which trio I have never yet had a decent bloom. I grew 
six plants of it for eight or nine years, and I ask again. Is it quite 
fair on the part of Mr. Grahame to kf?ep referring to Mr. Pemberton as 
absolute evidence in favour of any particular Rose being reliable or 
unreliable ? Some Roses are good only as maidens ; some as cutbacks 
only. 
The “ Humble Amateur.” 
Before these notes can be in print Mr. Lindsell’s motion will have 
been brought forward. My sympathies are certainly with your cor¬ 
respondent, “A. F. Grace (page 536).” Doubtless it is the humble 
amateur who is always among his Roses, doing all the work himself, 
that does most on behalf of Queen Flora. At the same time, a policy 
of “ protection” may be necessary. I can but hope that Mr. Lindsell 
and his supporters will be found to have been generous in their desire 
to be equitable. 
Teaching Grandmother. 
And now I come to some notes on Hybrid Briar Roses, Your con¬ 
tributor (page 536) is so kind as to tell us (not for the first time) that 
these were raised by Lord Penzance ; also that these Roses are uniquely 
fragrant, the aroma delicious. Moreover, we are informed that the 
Sweet Briar and the Eglantine are synonymous 1 It is rather amusing 
to meet with these young innocent patronising kind of correspondents. 
It was, I think, in July, 1889, that Lord Penzance told us all this, and 
a little more, in his interesting paper entitled “ Modern Roses and 
Hybridisation,” read at the National Rose Conference. But then this 
was five and half years ago 1 — Storm in a Teacup. 
