G58 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. augcst 30,191, 
A^ere put in very close together in deep 
boxes of ratlier heavy soil, the boxes being 
placed on wet borders. Nearly all the 
leaves turned yellow. A lighter loam should 
liave been used and the drainage made effi¬ 
cient ; then, with careful watering, success, 
even in boxes, would have been secured. 
The beginner, however, will be wise if he 
grows these flower^'^in clean, well-drained 
pots. \ G. B. 
AWARDS TO NEW ROSES. 
An article by your contributor, Mr. H. C. 
Prinsep, in the" issue of The Gardeners’ 
Magazine for the 16th inst.. under the above 
heading, would iy)pear to call for some com¬ 
ment, as if allowed to pass unnoticed it might 
help to create a false impression with regard 
to these awards. states that “one is 
greatly disappointed to find that many (of 
the roses) are lacking in perfume, that most 
essential point in all good roses.” I would 
suggest that, so far as the awards of the 
N.K.S. are concerned, the statement is not 
correct. 
Poses are broadly divided into two classes 
—decorative or garden roses and exhibition 
roses. With regard to the latter class, scent, 
although much to be desired, is not essen¬ 
tial; but with regard to the first-named, 
scent, or its absence, is a factor that should 
be considered, and in making these awards 
is certainly taken into consideration. 
As a matter of curiosity I have examined 
the gold medal awards of the N.E.S. for the 
last three years, namely, 1910, 1911, and 
1912; they have been twenty-five in number— 
ten in 1910, three in 1911, and 12 in 1912. 
The ten gold medals awarded in 1910 were 
given to three garden roses and seven exhibi- 
t.on varieties. Now every single one of these 
ten roses have perfume, some more so than 
others. Mrs. A. E. Coxhead, an exhibition 
variety, has a perfume that can hardly ba 
surpass^ by any rose. In 1911 the three 
ro&es, although all exhibition varieties, are 
all fragrant. In 1912 I can vouch that ten 
out of the tvelve liave fragrance, as I have 
them growing here in my garden; two only 
I cannot speak so positively about, namely, 
Mrs. A. Carnegie and Coronation, though I 
believe the raisers claim some fragrance for 
both of them. 
With these facts before us, what becomes 
of your correspondent’s grievance? I see he 
quotes as an example Bessie Browm, that 
was given a gold medal (and rightly so, as 
it is one of the most beautiful roses we have) 
back in the last century—in 1898, I think. 
He was foolish enough to plant a bed of this 
variety a year or two after it was introduced, 
and finds fault with the award because the 
ro^e was unsuitable for his purpose. 
I respectfully submit that the only party 
to blame in the matter was himself. An en¬ 
quiry of you. Sir, or of anyone w^ho knew, 
would have prevented his mistake—^told him 
that Bessie Brown was a rose requiring high 
culture, and some care and attention if you 
want to s^e her at her }>est. 
Now the gold medal is open, and rightly 
so, to all classes of roses, and your contribu¬ 
tor has no more ri^ht to complain about the 
behaviour of Bessie Brown than he would 
have if he had planted an Irish single, say, 
Irish Fireflame, and expected it to produce 
exhibition blooms, or to climb to the top of 
his pergola ;, in other words, he must not 
use a rose fitted for one purpose for quite 
another, and then blame someone else for his 
owm ignorance, because, in blunt English, 
that is what it anjunts to. 
I am glad youin^l^rrespondent does not de¬ 
sire to discourage, the production of new 
varieties (I do rfot think he need worry him¬ 
self that anything bfe has written will have 
that effect, but 1 % mi^t tend to foster or 
create a wrong impression that the new 
roses have very little or no scent; it might 
have been true 20 years ago, it certainly is 
not true to-day. 
Herbert E. Moetneux. 
NOTES ON SMALL FRUITS. 
Raspberries. 
The crops of this most accommodating 
and valuable fruit have been exceptionally 
fine here, both as regards size, firmness 
of berry, and flavour; in fact, very mucli 
superior to that of last year. We depend 
almost entirely on Superlative for our main 
supply, and right well does it succeed at 
Wrotham. It was raised, if my memory 
serves me well, by Mr. Merryfield, at 
Waldersham Park, Dover, in the year 1883, 
and is the result of a cross between the 
old white and Falstaff. This variety is 
at the present time one of the most popu¬ 
lar, and when given good treatment rarely 
fails to yield excellent crops. 
Our soil here is light and porous, so 
that heavy feeding, annually is necessary, 
with attention to cutting out old canes 
that have ceased to bear, and training 
to the wires or stakes just the required 
number of new canes for next year’s crop. 
Any delay in this respect results in loss. 
It has been my practice for many years, 
the instant all the fruits have been 
gathered, to remove the nets when dry, 
fold them up, and put them away, and 
then clear away weeds, cut out all the 
old useless canes, so that air and light 
may circulate freely amongst the remain¬ 
ing ones; give the roots a thorough sup¬ 
ply of liquid manure, and a good mulching. 
If young canes are wanted for planting 
the small ones should be lifted carefully 
with roots attached, and planted elsewhere 
until the proper times arrives for making 
new plantations. 
Black Currants. 
More frequently than otherwise we find 
black currant bushes much too dense, over¬ 
crowded, and, in some instances, planted 
in an out-of-the-way place, where they are 
very apt to be overlooked. The fruits are 
borne on the young wood, so that the 
growth is best wdien about one and a-half 
to two feet long, stout, and firm. I am 
strongly in favour of going over the 
bushes after the fruits have all been 
gathered, and giving them a good thin¬ 
ning, so that light and air may reach and 
ripen up the new growths by the end of 
the season. Old bushes well thinned at 
the present time of all useless wood ought 
to produce much finer berries, and require 
but little further pruning in winter. When 
thinning the bushes at this season remove 
some of the oldest branches, and allow 
strong healthy young wood to take their 
places. 
Black currants delight in a rather deep, 
cool, well-drained soil, and when in this 
medium the growths annually made are 
strong and fruitful, without much assist¬ 
ance at the roots, but just the opposite 
is the case on light soils. 
It is a good plan when the bushes are 
in a bad state to cut down alternate ones 
to the ground level, and encourage fresh 
young wood; this is best done in the 
spring. All bushes growing on poor land 
should be well fed with liquid manure, and 
receive every encouragement to build up 
strength and vigour. 
The variety Baldwin is good, producing 
capital crops of large firm berries that 
travel well when gathered a trifle under 
than over-ripe. Boskoop Giant we grow, 
and find it crops heavily, but it should be 
gathered as soon as ripe, otherwise it 
travels badly. 
Red Currants. 
These, too, should not be neglected if 
good and regular crops are to be expected. 
They fruit quite differently from the 
blacks, and require rather severe spurr 
after the main branches have been forn 
but the heads of bushes should n- 
allow^ed to become too crowded. T 
same remarks apply to trees traiiud 
walls. After the crops have been gather 
the land between the bushes shoiilt 
thoroughly cleaned, and the young gre a 
shortened back a little to allow' light 
air to reach all parts of the bushes. 
The varieties Fay’s Prolific and Rj 
Castle are very good, and crop frcil. 
most seasons, but there are others 
grow to a good size and crop satisfa^ionlv 
Log^anberries. 
These do w'ell w'hen planted and tra' 
to fenc€>s, posts, etc., and require sir-i 
treatment to the American blaeklierr- 
At this time of the year all old frui* 
shoots should be removed to give r( 1 ; r 
the new' grow'ths required to fruit n \ 
year. Remove them very carefully, 
train the new* growths rather thinly 
their stead. H. ^Iarkha’ 
AVrotham Park Gardens. 
FLORAL 
TABLE DECORATIONS AT 
EXHIBITIONS. 
Can anything be done to improve the f r 
table decorations at our flower shows 
have been decorator, or assistant, for ‘ 
past sixteen years in some of the best pri ’ 
establishments in the country, and 
tended the principal shows; but at 1^’ ■* 
I have hardly seen lialf a dozen table dv- 
tions that I would dare to place on a 
tleman’s dinner table. I should think '- • 
of every 100 exhibitors use what are oe 
rustic or rural stands to place their tl<' 
in. I cannot say arrange the flowers, 
cause the exhibitor simply fills the ' 
are distributed about the devices. Hu 
any decorator of repute ever seen any 
apppoaching these metal construct.^ ' 
any mansion? 
I was an exhibitor at a local show re 
in a class for “best arrangement ois. 
peas suitable for a dinner table, 4tt. oy 
I was the only one wdio used ya^N . 
arranged my exhibit about .r 
high at the highest point. All tu^ , . 
competitors used the articles ^ 
above, and the first prize awarded n 
display between three and four ’ 
Avith not six inches of spa^ he^ . 
flowers or foliage from end 
any decorator in a good establ 
bold enough to place the like ^ 
table in hia charge? May I say ^ 
disappointed with the v 
employer previously that ^ri. 
not lobk at a table as arranged for ^ . 
house. It was solely ^ try 
public taste that I entered the . 
Now, the object of my 
Practically every young gfrdeiier k . 
show to add to his knowl^se 
acquainted with plants, . 1 ,’ 
familiar with, and to pick up . 
all tho branches of Ins dim 
pected to have experience in la 
table decoration is ..inipie 
tunity of practising, for tn r 
that a decorator or foreman 
personal charge, and it powed it' . 
consent that a journeyman is an 
room while the work is hemg -ajority ' . 
is that the only 
of decorated tables is at o ^ j,c . 
and where is the dining-room 
where a rustic stand would ‘• 
glass or china vases (siR« ^pity 
used) are good enough eiiiP‘< .. 
not for the show tent? Lj^^iews on ^ 
and other decorators give t 
sent-day floral (Forena^' 
Swinfen Hall. 
