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THE GAKDENING WORLD. 
July 21, 1888. 
Manchester Rose Show.— July 11th. 
Making allowances for the weather, which has been 
anything but favourable for the cultivation of Roses, 
the annual show of the “queen of flowers,” held under 
the auspices of the Manchester Royal Botanical Society, 
was of an excellent character. Rosarians found much 
to gratify them, and the visitors generally must have 
been delighted with the feast which had been provided 
by the promoters of the exhibition. There were about 
the average number of exhibitors on Saturday, and they 
came from all parts of England. One noted firm of 
nurserymen was present from the Emerald Isle, and, on 
the other hand, it may be stated that a well-known 
cultivator in the north of Scotland was prevented 
from attending owing to the fact that he was 
“snowed-up !” 
In the nurserymen’s class for twenty-four distinct 
single trusses, there were four competitors. The first 
prize was awarded to Mr. Frank Cant, of Colchester, 
whose collection included many fine specimens. In the 
class for thirty-six varieties, three trusses of each, 
Messrs. Paul & Son were placed first; Messrs. John 
Cranston & Co., of Hereford, coming in second with 
some very choice blooms ; Mr. Frank Cant, of Col¬ 
chester, was third ; and Messrs. Alex. Dickson & Sons, 
of Newtownards, county Down, also showed a remark¬ 
ably fine collection. In the class for eighteen Tea 
or Noisette Roses, Mr. George Prince, of Oxford, was 
deservedly placed first ; and Messrs. Paul & Son 
second. Mr. Prince was first again in the class for 
twelve Tea and Noisette Roses, and Mr. Frank Cant 
second. The twelve specimens of A. K. Williams, 
shown by Messrs. Alex. Dickson & Sons, were exceed¬ 
ingly fine, and the visitors clustered and lingered 
admiringly round them the whole of the afternoon ; Mr. 
Prince, who also showed charming specimens of the 
same variety, took the second prize. 
Passing to the amateurs’ classes, one could not but be 
struck at once by the uniform excellence of the exhibits. 
In many of the classes the flowers were larger and finer 
than those shown by professional growers. In the class 
for thirty-six distinct single trusses, Mr. W. J. Grant, 
of Hope End Farm, Ledbury, was first with perhaps the 
best lot of Roses in the show. The second prize was 
taken by Mr. T. Hall, of Rock Ferry. Mr. Grant also 
carried off the premier prize in the class for twelve 
distinct varieties, three trusses of each, and Mr. Hall 
took the second prize. In the class for twelve Teas or 
Noisettes, three trusses of each, Mr. Grant again took 
the lead, and the second prize fell to the Rev. A. Foster- 
Melliar, of Ipswich. In the class for six distinct 
Roses, single trusses, Mr. R. G. Burgess, of Ollerton 
Cottage, near Knutsford, carried off the first prize, the 
second going to Mr. George Burgess, Tabley Superior. 
To the miscellaneous class Mr. S. Barlow, Stakehill, 
Castleton, contributed an extensive and beautiful 
assortment of hardy flowers, chiefly herbaceous. He 
also had on view a nice collection of garden Roses and 
Ranunculuses. A large and varied assortment of hardy 
cut flowers, shown by Messrs. Dicksons, Limited, of 
Chester, also came in fora good deal of notice. Messrs. 
Dickson, Brown & Tait, of Corporation Street, 
Manchester, showed a fine group of Gladioli, and also 
a capital collection of Roses. Messrs. Dickson & 
Robinson, of Old Milgate, exhibited a choice collection 
of Roses, which attracted much attention. 
Chiswick Horticultural. —July 12th. 
As far as exhibits are concerned the annual show of 
this society continues to be well supported. Un¬ 
fortunately for the attendance of visitors, the weather 
was miserably bad, and except late in the afternoon 
there was not a large attendance of the public. The 
groups were, as usual, a great feature, and the Chal¬ 
lenge Cup, valued at 26 guineas, was again won by 
Mr. W. Brown, St. Mary’s Grove Nursery, Richmond. 
It consisted of the usual decorative plants, such as 
Palms, Liliums, Odontoglossum vexillarium, 0. 
crispum, Crotons, Cyperus alternifolius variegatus, &c., 
with a groundwork of Adiantum. He was hard pushed 
by Messrs. Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, who had a 
fine group, but less effectively arranged. Messrs. W. 
Fromow & Sons, Sutton Court Nursery, Chiswick, were 
third. In a second and smaller group Mr. Hudson, gar¬ 
dener to H. J. Atkinson, Esq., M.P.,Gunnersbury House, 
Acton, took the first prize with a beautifully arranged 
lot of plants. He was closely followed by Mr. A. 
Wright, gardener to E. H. Watts, Esq., Devonhurst, 
Chiswick. Prizes were offered by E. H. Watts, Esq., 
for a group of plants, and in this Mr. H. Davis, 
gardener to H. G. Lake, Esq., Fairlawn House, 
Chiswick, carried off the first award, while Mr. B. 
Hardy, Gordon House, was second. Mr. W. Bates, 
gardener, Poulett Lodge, Twickenham, had the best 
stove and greenhouse plants, and Mr. E. Chadwick, 
gardener to E. M. Nelson, Hanger Hill, Ealing, was 
second. He also had the best fine-foliaged plants, and 
was followed by Mr. H. Davis. Mr. A. Wright had 
the best exotic Ferns, chiefly Adiantums of great size ; 
Mr. E. Chadwick was second. The best Caladiums 
were shown by Mr. H. Harding, gardener to W. E. 
Tautz, Esq., Sutton Lodge. Mr. C. Padley, gardener 
to R. L Cosp, Esq., Rupert House, showed the best 
Coleus, which were grown in pyramidal form. Mr. A. 
Wright had the best Fuchsias in large pyramidal well- 
flowered specimens. The best Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums 
were those of Mr. F. J. Hill, gardener to Henry Little, 
Esq., The Barons, Twickenham. Mr. A. Wright’s 
Lycopods again carried off the first award ; and he had 
also the best twelve Gloxinias in large well-flowered 
specimens; while Mr. H. Davis had the best six 
varieties. The Achimenes shown by Mr. H. Harding 
w'ere by far the largest in the show. 
Roses were large and wonderfully fresh, considering 
the nature of the weather. The first prize for twenty- 
four blooms was carried off by Mr. Wm. Rumsey, 
Joyning’s Nurseries, Waltham Cross, and the second 
by Mr. Charles Turner, Slough. Mr. E. Chadwick 
had the best twelve blooms. Mr. C. Cowley, gardener 
to F. G. Tautz, Esq., Studley House, Hammersmith, 
had the best twelve bunches of cut flowers, a great 
number of which were Orchids. E. Tautz, Esq., 
Ealing, had the best Gloxinia blooms, Mr. E. Chadwick 
was first for Ivy-leaved Pelargonium blooms, and Mr. 
F. J. Hill took the first prize for bunches of zonal 
varieties. 
There were plenty of fruit and vegetables, notwith¬ 
standing the lateness of the season. Mr. T. Osman had 
the best black and white Grapes. Mr. W. Palmer, 
gardener to F. Dick, Esq., Thames Ditton House, 
Surrey, had the best Strawberries, Gooseberries, and 
Melon. The best Cherries, Raspberries, Currants, and 
Peas were shown by Mr. E. Chadwick. Mr. C. J. 
Waite, gardener to Col. the Hon. W. P. Talbot, Glen- 
hurst, Esher, showed the best collection of vegetables 
and the best Tomatos ; while Mr. F. Milsom, gardener 
to — Lindell, Esq., Manor House, had the best 
Potatos, and Mr. A. Holgate showed the best Cucum¬ 
bers. Prizes were offered by Messrs. Sutton & Sons for 
Reading Perfection Tomatos, Mr. C. J. Waite taking 
the first. Messrs. J. Carter & Co. offered prizes for 
collections of vegetables, Messrs. C. J. Waite, W. 
Palmer, and J. Coombs taking them in the order 
named. Messrs. W. Fromow & Sons offered prizes for 
six dishes of vegetables, Mr. II. Davis taking the first, 
and Mr. E. Chadwick the second. There were many 
other special prizes offered, and there were also classes 
for cottagers, in which there was a keen competition. 
In the miscellaneous class, Mr. J. Roberts, gardener 
to the Messrs. Rothschild, Gunnersbury Park, Acton, 
was highly commended for a large and beautifully- 
arranged group of plants, while another excellent 
batch came from Mr. May, gardener to the Marquis of 
Bute. Messrs. Charles Lee & Son, Hammersmith, had, 
as usual, a very large and beautiful group of variegated 
trees and shrubs, including Euonymus, Oaks, Catalpas, 
Horse Chestnuts, Elders, Ivies, Prunus Pissardii, and 
others. They had also a collection of Rose blooms in 
capital order, which included all the best varieties. 
Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea, had likewise a fine 
collection of cut Roses, including splendid blooms of 
Merveille de Lyon, Etienne Levet, Madame Nachury, 
La France, Prince Camille de Rohan, Fisher Holmes, 
and others. Messrs. Hooper & Co. showed a collection 
of Heaths, Liliums, Caladiums, Gloxinias, and other 
stove and greenhouse plants. Mr. Charles Turner had 
a beautiful group of show and fancy Pelargoniums. 
Palms, Begonias, Crotons, and other decorative plants 
were shown by Messrs. W. Fromow & Sons ; a group 
of Orchids, Palms, Crotons, Sarraeenias, &c., by 
Mr. B. S. Williams, Upper Holloway; and various 
Orchids, Ferns, and other subjects by Mr. J. Prewett, 
Hammersmith. 
-- 
g)tnf«ax*9. 
Mr. Charles Pitman, for over fifty years the ground 
or outside foreman at Messrs. Osborn & Sons’ Nurseries 
at Fulham, died about three weeks ago, at the ripe old 
age of over eighty years. He was pensioned off just 
previous to the break up—a few years ago—of this once- 
famous nursery firm, and he died in peace and quiet at 
Fulham, 
As a propagator and cultivator of fruit and 
ornamental trees, shrubs, &c., he was known in the 
trade as being both successful and well-informed. He 
possessed a great knowledge of rare trees and shrubs, 
and was looked up to as an authority in all questions 
of doubtful nomenclature. Of his early life little is 
known, but it would appear that he entered the service 
of Messrs. Osborn & Sons early in his career, and 
remained with them until he was unable to discharge 
the duties of his position. As an out-door foreman, he 
was regarded as being at the top of his profession. He 
was an excellent knife-man, a most successful culti¬ 
vator, with a rare knowledge of the suitability of stocks 
for fruit trees. His success as a nursery foreman of the 
first order was due to his keen intelligence, an intense 
love for and pride in his work, and the close attention 
he paid to all the details of it. The Fulham Nurseries, 
while under his charge, were noted for the fine col¬ 
lection of fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs ; and 
it was an excellent school for youngsters. One of 
these, Mr. George Cannon, the manager of Messrs. C. 
Lee & Son’s Nurseries at Ealing, states:—“I owe a 
great debt of gratitude to the late Charles Pitman. I 
went there in 1857, at the age of thirteen, and among 
other duties I crocked pots for old Robert Osborn, the 
father of the late William and Thomas Osborn. The 
old gentleman used to pot his Yines himself, and he 
did it to the last. I was placed under Charles Pitman 
when quite young, and well do I recollect his sharp, 
firm manner, but he was always kind in his firmness, 
and ever ready to impart knowledge to those under 
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Special attention is paid in the columns of The 
Gardening World to the answering of questions on 
all subjects connected with practical horticulture, and 
the naming of Plants (other than Florists’ Flowers) and 
Fruits, in which department the Editor is assisted by 
gardeners and specialists of great experience. 
It is particularly requested that correspondents 
will favour us with their communications as early in 
the week as possible, and that they address them only 
to “The Editor.” 
-•«<-*- 
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS. 
Calanthes. — A. D. P. C.: There is no book exclusively 
devoted to the culture of these Orchids, but the question is 
dealt with more or less in most of the Orchid books published. 
You will probably get as much practical detail as you want from 
the articles published in our issues for June 26th, 1SS6, and 
March 20tli, 1SS7. You can get them both from the publisher. 
Pine Atple without Crown. — IP. A. C.: It would seem 
to us, from what you say of your Pines in general, that the 
absence ol the crown is a sign of high cultivation, and that the 
fruiting power of the plant has got the upper hand of its veg.t i. 
tive vigour, causing the terminal bud or tuft of leaves to become 
blind. This is of frequent occurrence, even when the fruit is 
good, so that it is no defect so far as the quality of the fruit is 
concerned, and we miss it only because accustomed to see it 
there. When a Pine Apple fruit is small we generally find that 
the crown of leaves is developed in excess. 
Crassula coccinea. — JV.K. G.: Fleshy and succulent-stemmed 
subjects like that you mention do not readily flower—should 
they flower at all—if you keep them in a soft and growing condi¬ 
tion, by a liberal supply of water in a moist and growing atmos¬ 
phere. Cuttings do flower, as a rule, very well if they have been 
kept on the dry side for some time after having made a good 
growth. The plants should be kept in a dry atmosphere fully 
exposed to the sun so as to properly mature their wood. Good 
results are sometimes obtained by standing the plants out of 
doors during summer in a sunny position. Such a course could 
not be pursued this summer, unless there were some means of 
keeping the rain off, such as could be done by a structure with 
a glass roof and open at the sides. Ripening off the young wood 
is the course at all events we would recommend you to pursue. 
Succulent Plant. —C. G.: The little plant you send us, and 
which has been raised from leaves brought from Madeira, is 
certainly not a Mesembryanthemum. We cannot say for certain 
what it is without flowers, and especially seeing that the plant 
is still in a juvenile state; but from the shape and arrangement 
of the leaves we should say it is a Crassula, a Kalanclioe, or 
Sedum. Send again when in flower. 
Tubes for Exhibition Stands. —.4. P. L. : Write to Mr. B. 
Field, Paragon Road, New Kent Road, London, S.E. 
Names of Plants. — H. : 1, Sanicula curopcea, a weed in copses 
and shady woods ; 2, Lychnis vespertiua fiore pleno; 3, Rho- 
dantlie Manglesii, grown from seeds only; 4, Antennaria mar- 
garitacea, certainly not Horehound. Daliuricu: 1, Lilium 
Martagon, a pale variety; 2, Stachys lanata; 3, Spiraea 
filipendula ; 4, Antennaria margaritacea; 5, Campanula latifolia 
macrantlia ; 6, Lilium croceum ; 7, Achillea macropliylla ; S, 
Polygonum lapathifolium. A. 0. IV. : 1, Erigeron glabellus ; 
2, E. speciosus ; 3, Linuin narbonense. 
Communications Received. —W. D.— H. J. H.—W. C. G.— 
C. G.—R. G.—E. P.—G. A. B.—W. K G. (many thanks for the 
hints. Slips will happen in the best regulated establishments.) 
—R. G. W.- R. S—T. N.-J. H. H , Sydney. 
