July  14,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
23 
rival  botanists  used  to  exhibit  well  against  each  other,  has  unfortunately 
had  to  be  given  up,  a  complaint  having  been  made  that  the  rare  local 
species  were  disappearing.  The  day  was  fine,  and  there  was  a  good 
average  attendance. — W.  R.  RAILLEM. 
HEREFORD. — July  5th. 
The  thirty-second  anniversary  ot  the  Hereford  and  West  of  England 
Society  was  held  in  the  Shire  Hall,  Hereford,  when  favoured  by  perfect 
weather,  splendid  flowers,  and  a  fashionable  and  numerous  attendance, 
this  beautiful  county,  so  dear  to  the  classic  deities,  Queen  Rosa  and  Queen 
Pomona,  achieved  a  brilliant  success.  Not  that  the  abnormal  success  of 
last  year  was  to  be  expected,  when  seven  seventy-two’s  faced  the  judges  (as 
at  the  Palace  N.R.S.  Show)  ;  but  was  not  that  the  Diamond  Jubilee, 
when  every  event  was  out  of  proportion,  and  every  description  in 
hyperbole  1  The  season,  too,  falsifying  its  advent,  was  unexpectedly 
late,  nevertheless  the  entries  were  well  filled  and  kept,  and  what  is  of 
oven  more  importance  than  quantity,  the  quality  of  the  blooms  for 
size  and  colour  and  smoothness  was  remarkable. 
The  premier  honours,  as  last  year,  were  carried  off  easily  by  Messrs. 
Alexander  Dickson  of  Newtownards,  whose  collection  of  seventy-two’s,  in 
the  opinion  of  your  reporter,  is  the  finest  in  his  recollection  (and 
his  experience  as  a  judge  carries  him  over  more  years  than  he  cares  to 
count),  and  could  have  missed  by  very  little,  counting  full  points  ;  but 
it  is  more  as  a  raiser  of  new  Roses,  mostly  H.T.’s,  that  this  firm  has 
of  late  years  become  celebrated.  At  Hereford  on  Tuesday  there  were 
to  be  seen  in  almost  every  good  collection  most  interesting  varieties, 
not  ephemeral  productions  mostly  of  the  imagination,  but  shapely, 
substantial  things  of  beauty,  sure  to  hold  their  own. 
May  your  reporter  add  a  few  words  to  his  initiatory  remarks  as  to  the 
overdone  practice  of  a  perfectly  lawful,  nay,  indispensable  custom,  which 
finds  an  hysteric  climax  just  before  the  judges  begin  their  rounds?  I 
allude  to  the  hurried,  and  consequently  harrowing  indignity,  to  which  the 
trail  objects,  hitherto  of  so  much  worship,  are  subjected  in  the  trans¬ 
formation  scene  that  takes  place  ;  presto  !  between  the  en  papillotte  stage, 
the  Cinderella,  and  the  Columbine.  The  Society’s  energetic  and  too 
popular  Hon.  Sec.  can  only  too  painfully  endorse  the  facts,  that  two 
blooms  in  the  best  collection  were  at  the  last  moment  almost  left  unsnipt 
and  undressed,  and  all  this,  in  spite  of  the  fiat  of  the  N.R.S.  rule,  that 
blooms  thus  overlooked  are  not  to  count.  It  is,  however,  not  to  specialists, 
but  to  small  pro.’s  and  some  amateurs,  that  I  relate,  perhaps  with  profit, 
what  I  saw  and  beard  last  week.  Your  reporter  happened  to  be  by  an 
amateur  who  was  giving  the  final  touches  to  his  boxes  after  the  room- 
clearing  bell  had  rung.  With  all  five  digits,  or  rather  I  should  say  thumbs, 
with  bone  end  of  budding  knife,  and  with  distended  cheeks,  he  went  to 
work.  His  assistant  was  equally  energetic,  and  the  last  words  I  heard  in 
the  fearful  process  of  giving  a  fresh,  healthy  lot  of  blooms,  a  shrivelled 
and  prematurely  old  look,  were,  “  Tom  !  mind,  be  careful ;  it  won  t  do  to 
break  off  any  more  leaves  !  ”  and,  unfortunately,  the  judge  was  of  the 
same  opinion. 
For  seventy-two  varieties,  distinct,  open  to  nurserymen,  four  com¬ 
peted,  and  Messrs.  A.  Dickson  secured  the  premier  prize.  The  varieties 
were  Madame  Eugene  Verdier,  Gustave  Piganeau,  Marchioness  of  Down- 
shire,  Marquise  de  Castellane,  Lady  Mary  Fitzwilliam  (perfect),  Marquis 
Litta,  Caroline  Testout,  Ulrich  Brunner,  Robert  Duncan,  Susanne  Marie 
Rodocanachi,  Mrs.  R.  G.  Sharman  Crawford  (perfect),  Victor  Hugo, 
Marie  Verdier,  Lady  Clanmorris  (good),  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant  (finest  Rose 
in  Show),  Marie  Baumann,  Janet  Scott,  Earl  of  Dufferin  (grand),  Jeanie 
Dickson,  Duke  of  Fife  (exquisitely  rich  and  smooth),  Mrs.  John  Laing, 
Helen  Keller,  Luciole  (good),  Etienne  Levet,  Lady  M.  Beauclerc,  A.  K. 
Williams,  Sylph,  La  France,  Dr.  Andry,  Mrs.  Mawley  (immense  sub¬ 
stance),  Tom  Wood  (fine),  Mrs.  Conway  Jones,  Francois  Michelon, 
Countess  of  Caledon  (superb),  Duke  of  Edinburgh,  Ulster  (glorious 
bloom),  Beauty  of  Waltham,  Mrs.  David  McKee  (fine),  Marie  Rady, 
Souvenir  d’Elise  Vardon  (exquisite),  Elie  Morel,  Margaret  Dickson, 
Alphonse  Soupert  (splendid),  Danmark,  Duchess  of  Bedford,  Kaiserin 
Augusta  Victoria  (everywhere  good),  Le  Havre,  Madame  Gabriel  Luizet, 
Abel  Carri&re,  Madame  Cusin,  Thomas  Mills,  Duchesse  de  Vallombrosa, 
Xavier  Olibo,  Merveille  de  Lyon,  Dupuy  Jamain,  Daisy,  E.  Y.  Teas, 
Marchioness  of  Dufferin,  Charles  Darwin,  Heinrich  Schultheis,  Louis 
Van  Houtte,  Maman  Cochet  (best  new  Tea),  Duke  of  Wellington,  Bessie 
Brown  (purest  white),  Catherine  Mermet,  Annie  Wood,  The  Bride, 
Exposition  de  Brie,  Alice  Grahame,  Auguste  Rigotard,  Antoine  Rivoire 
(grand),  and  Gdne'ral  Jaqueminot.  The  above  seventy-two  gained  nearly 
full  points,  and  were  of  rare  excellence.  Messrs.  Alex.  Dickson  also  took 
first  prize  in  the  twenty-four  singles,  second  in  the  eighteen  Teas,  and 
swept  the  board  in  the  light,  dark,  yellow,  and  white  Roses  in  the  open 
classes. 
Messrs.  Frank  Cant  took  second  prize  in  the  seventy-two  with  a  fine 
collection,  including  unusually  good  blooms  of  Medea,  Clio,  Mrs.  Frank 
Cant  (quite  a  new  departure  in  colour),  and  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant.  Messrs. 
Townsend  &  Son  took  third  prize  with  an  excellent  collection  of  fresh  and 
bright  blooms. 
In  the  class  for  thirty-six  varieties  first  prize  went  to  Mr.  George 
Prince,  whose  collection  included  specially  fine  blooms  of  Tom  Wood 
(great  acquisition),  Ulster,  and  Mrs.  E.  Mawley.  Messrs.  S.  Treseder, 
Cardiff,  second  prize  ;  and  Messrs.  Pewtress,  Tillington,  Hereford,  third 
prize. 
For  twenty-four  varieties  the  first  prize  was  secured  by  (Messrs.  Alex. 
Dickson  with  a  magnificent  collection,  including  perfect  blooms  of  Tom 
Wood,  Ulster,  Mrs.  E.  Mawley,  Bessie  Brown.  Horace  Vernet  (splendid 
colour),  and  the  H.P.  Louise  Van  Houtte,  as  seldom  seen  exhibited. 
Second  prize,  Messrs.  Townsend  ;  third  prize,  English  Fruit  and 
Rose  Co.,  Kingsacre. 
In  the  amateurs’  class  for  twenty-four,  distinct,  Mr.  Conway  Jones, 
who  is  showing  finely  this  year,  easily  carried  off  first  prize  with  an 
excellent  collection.  The  varieties  were  Gustave  Piganeau,  La  France, 
-  Victor  Hugo,  Maman  Cochet,  Horace  Vernet,  Caroline  Testout,  Ulrich 
Brunner,  Niphetos,  Heinrich  Schultheis,  Louis  Van  Houtte,  Mrs.  John 
Laing,  Comte  Raimbaud,  Marchioness  of  Downshire,  E.  Y.  Teas,  Madame 
Gabriel  Luizet,  A.  K.  Williams,  Prince  Arthur,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince, 
Susanne  Marie  Rodocanachi,  Princess  of  Wales,  Helen  Keller,  The  Bride, 
Comtesse  Ludre,  and  Catherine  Mermet.  Second  prize,  Rev.  J.  H. 
Fig.  4. — Montbretia  crocosjleflora  plena. 
Pemberton,  not  quite  up  to  this  noted  exhibitor’s  high  standard ;  and 
third  prize,  Dr.  Budd,  Bath. 
In  the  class  for  eighteen  Teas  or  Noisettes  Mr.  George  Prince  was 
first  with  Comtesse  de  Nadaillac,  Cleopatra,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince, 
Bridesmaid,  Princess  of  Wales,  Ernest  Metz,  Madame  de  Watteville, 
Golden  Gate,  Madame  Cusin,  Marechal  Niel,  Souvenir  d’un  Ami,  Souvenir 
d’Elise  Vardon,  The  Bride,  Maman  Cochet,  Alba  Rosea,  Empress  of 
Russia,  Medea,  and  Innocente  Pirola. 
In  the  Herefordshire  amateurs’class  for  eighteen  varieties  the  first  prize 
(gold  medal)  was  taken  by  Rev.  Preb.  G.  E.  Ashley,  who  showed  bril¬ 
liantly.  He  also  took  in  same  section  the  N. U.S.’s  two  silver  medals 
for  the  best  Tea  Rose  and  best  Rose  exhibited  by  an  amateur  in  the 
division.  Second  prize,  Rev.  C.  H.  Bulmer,  Credenhill  Rectory  ;  third, 
Captain  Cotterell,  Garnons,  Hereford. — Herefordshire  Incumbent. 
HITCHEN. — July  6th. 
This  exhibition  was  held  in  glorious  weather  from  a  rusarian’s  point 
of  view,  the  morning,  prior  to  the  judging,  being  dull  and  cloudy.  Exhi¬ 
bitors  came  up  strongly  in  most  of  the  classes,  and  the  amateurs  made  a 
brave  show  with  their  section.  One  of  the  features  of  the  exhibition  was 
