706 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 7, 1894. 
effective decorative Rose. Both at Slough and at 
Langley Mr. Turner has proved its utility for various 
methods of culture as a wall, pillar, or trellis Rose. 
We noted a quantity of it planted at 3 ft. apart and 
pegged down so that it completely covered the ground, 
and had thrown up its huge clusters of bloom in 
extraordinary numbers. Sometimes as many as 100 
flowers can be counted in a cluster. Besides the 
extensive collection of hybrid perpetual Roses, there 
is a large assortment of garden Roses. A single one 
named Rosa macrantha is notable for its dwarf 
sturdy habit and large single white flowers, that 
would find acceptance with those who like the old- 
fashioned and ornamental kinds. 
NATIONAL ROSE SHOW 
AT WINDSOR. 
The Rose show held by this society at Windsor on 
the 27th ult., took place ^ under very favourable 
circumstances as to weather. Moreover, one might 
say it was almost too good, since the Roses suffered 
greatly towards afternoon by the heat of the sun 
and the dryness of the atmosphere. The Roses and 
other subjects were accommodated in three large 
tents in a meadow off the Long Walk and close to 
Windsor Castle. The premier honour for forty- 
eight varieties of Roses was taken by Mr. B. R. 
Cant, Colchester, who certainly had some wonderful 
blooms. Some of the best of them were Marie 
Baumann, Boicedieu, Gustave Piganeau, Margaret 
Dickson, Merville de Lyon, Marie Verdier, Lady 
Mary Fitzwilliam, Ulrich Brunner, Margaret 
Boudet, Duke of Edinburgh, Comte de Raimbaud, 
and La France. Good blooms of Tea Roses were 
Cleopatra, Ethel Brownlow, Devoniensis, M. Niel, 
Ernest Metz and Marie Van Houtte. Mr. F. Cant, 
Braiswick. Colchester, took the second place with 
smaller flowers w’hich had suffered greatly from the 
sun owing to a difference in the texture and colour of 
the tent overhead at that end. Mr. Geo. Mount, 
Canterbury, took the third award, and his blooms 
had suffered in a similar manner. For twenty-four 
blooms Messrs. D. Prior & Son, Colchester, took the 
leading award with fine blooms of Horace Vernet, 
Usher Holmes, Susanne Marie Rhodocanachi, Duke 
of Wellington, Dupuy Jamain, and Anna Olivier. 
The second prize went to Messrs. G. & W. H. 
Burch, Peterborough, who had some very fine 
flowers. Those of Mr. Geo. Prince. Oxford, were 
larger but more open. In the class for twenty-four 
blooms in triplets, Mr. B. R. Cant again came to the 
front. He had some very fine blooms in his stands, 
including A. K. Williams, for which he received the 
Society's Silver Medal, as the best hybrid perpetual 
shown by a nurseryman in the show. Messrs. D. 
Prior & Son took the second award with several very 
fine blooms. Mr. Geo. Mount was third with smaller 
but very fresh flowers. In the class for twelve 
blooms of any H.P. or Tea Rose, Mr. B. R. Cant 
led with fine samples of Margaret Dickson. Messrs. 
D. Prior & Son followed with La France, and Mr. F. 
Cant was third with the same variety. The Rev. H. 
A. Berners, Harkstead Rectory, Ipswich, took the 
Silver Cup presented by Her Majesty the Queen for 
twelve Roses. Some of his best blooms w'ere Her 
Majesty, La France, Madame Gabriel Luizet, 
Violette Bouger and Comtesse de Nadaillac. 
Osmond G. Orpen, Esq., West Bergholt, Colchester, 
was second in this class ; and the Rev. F. R. Burn¬ 
side, Birch Vicarage, Herts, was third, but had the 
Society's Silver Medal for the best Tea or Noisette 
showm by an amateur ; it was an immense bloom of 
Cleopatra. Alfred Slaughter, Esq., Steyning, 
Sussex, took the fourth position. In another class 
for twenty-four blooms, T. B. Haywood, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. C. J. Salter), Woodhatch Lodge, 
Reigate, took the leading award with fresh blooms 
of moderate size. S. P. Budd, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
T. Bradbury), Bath, was second with more open 
flowers. In the class for eighteen varieties, Mr. R. 
E. West, Reigate, Surrey, took the first prize, show¬ 
ing some fine blooms. The Rev. H. A. Berners was 
second, and Alfred Slaughter came in third. In a 
class for twelve blooms, Osmond G. Orpen took the 
leading place with a fairly even lot of blooms ; and 
was followed by T. Bateman, Esq.; Rosevale, Arch¬ 
way Road, N. The first prize for six blooms was 
taken by Harcourt Sandon, Esq., Brentwood ; he was 
followed by Rivers H. Langton, Esq., Raymead, 
Hendon, N.W. 
Tea and Noisette Roses were well represented and 
quite a feature of the exhibition, as they occupied 
one side of the middle tent. The premier honour 
for twenty-four varieties was awarded to Mr. Geo. 
Prince, who had fine blooms of The Bride, Niphetos, 
Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, and Comtesse de Na¬ 
daillac. Mr. F. Cant took a second position with 
smaller blooms. For twelve varieties, Mr. John 
Mattock, New Headington, Oxford, took the leading 
prize with some beautiful Roses. He was followed 
by Messrs. D. Prior & Son. A piece of plate was 
offered for the best eighteen blooms by W. Colin 
Romaine, Esq., and this was awarded to the Rev. H. A. 
Berners, who showed some fine flowers. Osmond 
G. Orpen, Esq., had the best nine varieties in fresh 
'specimens. W. D. Freshfield^Esq.(gardener, Mr. S T. 
Crofts), The Wilderness, Reigate, had the best six 
blooms. In the class for six of any Tea or Noisette, 
the Rev. F. R. Burnside led the way with Cleopatra. 
The Rev. H. A. Berners was second with Comtesse 
de Nadaillac. In a class for twelve blooms in triplets, 
Mr. Geo. Prince again led the way with beautiful 
flowers of Cleopatra, Souvenir de S. A. Prince, 
Madame Cusin, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Innocente 
de Pirola, The Bride and Madame Hoste. Mr. B. 
R. Cant followed with fine samples of several of the 
same varieties; and Messrs. D. Prior & Son were 
third. Mr. Geo. Prince also led in the class for 
twelve of any Tea or with grand blooms of Comtesse 
de Nadaillac. Amongst them was the best Tea 
shown by a nurseryman, and for this he received 
the Society's Silver Medal. He was followed by 
Messrs. D. Prior & Son with Marie Van Houtte; 
and Mr. F. Cant was third with Cleopatra. Garden 
Roses made an attractive display on the other side 
of the tent. Messrs. Geo. Cooling & Sons, Bath, led 
the way with thirty-six bunches, including R. 
rugosa, R. r. alba, R. Harrisonii, Crested Moss, 
Madame Geo, Bruant, etc. Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt, were second, and A. Tate, Esq., Down¬ 
side, Leatherhead, was third. Chas. E. Cuthell, 
Esq., Chapel Croft, Dorking, had a fine display in 
the class for eighteen bunches of garden Roses, 
taking the first prize. Mrs. Troin (gardener, Mr. 
T. Elish), Pelling Place, Old Windsor, was second 
with large and showy bunches. In the class for a 
display of Roses, the first award was taken by Mr. 
J. Mattock, who produced a fine effect with Tea and 
Noisette Roses in bud. Mr. Geo. Mount was second, 
showing his Roses with long stems; and Messrs. 
Paul & Son were third. 
In the tent near the entrance to the exhibition, a 
bold and effective group was shown by Her 
Majesty the Queen (gardener, Mr. Owen Thomas). 
A tall Palm occupied the highest position, and in 
front of this were Orchids, white and pink 
Hydrangeas, Saxifraga pyramidalis, Lilies and 
other flowering plants set out to fine advantage. 
Along the centre of the tent were tall Fuchsias in 
competition for prizes. Round the sides were 
numerous miscellaneous groups, including an 
extensive collection of Paeonies, and Delphiniums 
set up by Messrs. J. Veitch & Son, Chelsea. Messrs. 
J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, exhibited a group of 
tuberous Begonias set up with Maidenhair Ferns_ 
A large group of Carnations, grown in pots and 
replete with variety, occupied one end of the tent, and 
was shown by Mr. C. Turner, Slough Facing this 
was a group of Malmaison Carnations by Messrs, 
Cutbush & Son, Highgate. Messrs. B. S. Williams & 
Son, Upper Holloway, had a long group of Orchids 
and fine foliaged stove plants arranged upon the 
grass. Opposite this was a group of stove and green¬ 
house plants shown by Mr. John Smith, Windsor. 
Messrs. John Peed 8 c. Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, 
Nonvood Road, exhibited a group of Palms, 
Hydrangeas, Dracaemas, and other subjects. 
Floral decorations were shown by Mr. Phippen, 
Reading. 
In the third or further tent, the exhibits for local 
growers of Roses were arranged, and showed that a 
good few of them must reside in the district. Here, 
also, were the groups of plants arranged for effect. 
The first prize was taken by Sir Robert Harvey, 
Bart., (gardener, Mr. Gillies) Langley Park, Slough, 
with a neatly-arranged and varied lot of plants. 
N. L. Cohen, Esq., (gardener, Mr. A. Sturt), Engle- 
field Green, took the second award. He was followed 
by F. Richards, Esq., (gardener Mr. J. Williams), 
Old Windsor; and A. F. Govett, Esq., Laleham, 
took the fourth place. The prizes for fruit brought 
out some fine grapes and other hothouse kinds. The 
prizes offered by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading 
for a melon, brought many competitors. A. F. 
Govett, Esq., took the first award ; Mrs. Burton. 
Upton Court, Slough, was second; and Mr. Thos. 
Lockie, Oakley Court, Windsor, was third ; and the 
fourth place was taken by the Hon. C. S. Irby, 
(gardener, Mr. D. Paxton), Hitcham Grange, Tap- 
low. The miscellaneous groups in this tent were 
also noteworthy and attractive. Messrs. Geo. 
Jackman & Son, Woking, showed four large boxes of 
Roses in great variety. Messrs. Harkness & Son, 
Bedale, Yorks, had a showy collection of Pyrethrums. 
Irises, Poppies and other herbaceous plants. An 
extensive and beautiful display of Violas, in all the 
leading kinds for bedding purposes, was exhibited by 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay. They also had 
fancy Pansies and Pyrethrums. Cut flowers of 
herbaceous plants were shown by Mr. E. F. Such, 
Maidenhead. Carnations, Campanulas, and other 
herbaceous plants were staged by Messrs. William 
Cutbush & Son. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley, had a collection of cut flowers of Begonias 
In the middle tent a collection of hybrid and cross¬ 
bred Sweet Briers, emiting a powerful but agreeable 
fragrance, was staged by Messrs. Keynes, Williams 
& Co., Salisbury. 
-- 
THE FIBRE OF THE 
CENTURY PLANT. 
A NOTE on extraction of Agave americana fibre at 
Coimbatore, by Mr. Edgar Thurston, Government 
Superintendent of the Central Museum, has been 
published as one of the bulletins of the Department 
of Land Records and Agriculture, Madras, from 
which the following particulars are extracted ; — 
Agave americana grows in all soils (red, black, 
and gravel) in the Coimbatore district. It is planted 
extensively as a protective hedge along the Madras 
railway line, and flourishes, in the open, freely 
exposed to the sun, and unsheltered by trees, shrubs, 
&c. In some places between Coimbatore and Erode, 
where the Agave is overgrown with creepers, the 
plants are unhealthy ; and in other places (e.g., near 
Tudiyalur), plants which are shaded by Tamarind, 
Nim, and other trees, are stunted, while those which 
grow in the open are rich in leaves and luxuriant in 
growth. The age of the plants from which the 
leaves are taken for fibre is six to seven years. The 
old green leaves falling outwards from the central 
stem are cut for fibre. The fibre is, as a general 
rule, extracted immediately the leaves have been 
cut, or after a lapse of a few hours. Sometimes, 
however, the leaves are kept for a day or two, and 
the fibre is extracted when the people have leisure. 
The extraction of the fibre is performed by hand, 
and no machinery is used. The fibre is extracted by 
two methods, viz., scraping and maceration. 
The leaves are cut, the sharp spines removed with 
a knife, and about 6 in. cut off from the top of the 
leaf. The leaf is then split longitudinally into four 
or five pieces, which are beaten with a wooden 
mallet and placed on a board 4 ft. by 4 ft. by 3 ft. 
held firmly by the toes. The pulp is then removed 
by means of a Bamboo scraper, one edge of which is 
shaped in the form of a blade, and the fibre dried by 
exposure to the sun. The fibre obtained by this 
simple process without washing or bleaching is very 
clean and free from pulp. The staple is not, how¬ 
ever, very long. It is made into thread, which is 
used in weaving grass mats. 
As in the previous method of fibre-extraction, the 
leaves are cut, and the spines removed. The whole 
leaf is then beaten with a wooden mallet, and thrown 
in bundles into tanks or wells, in which it is left to 
macerate for a fortnight to twenty days, or until the 
pulp is quite decomposed. The bundles are then 
taken out, dried, and bleached in the sun. The fibre 
obtained by this process is longer than that obtained 
by scraping, but is not nearly so clean. 
Avery large supply of the fibre could be obtained, 
if a demand for it arose. At present it is sold in the 
bazaar at the rate of two annas per pound, but if a 
regular trade in it was started the price would doubt¬ 
less be reduced. 
The mean temperature of Coimbatore is 78°, rang¬ 
ing between a maximum of 97° and a minimum of 
64°. The annual rainfall of Coimbatore is about 
21 in., of which half falls during the north-east 
monsoon (October to December), the remainder 
being distributed over the other months of the year. 
—Society of Arts Journal. 
