July  28.  1X98. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
67 
-  Carnation  Queen  of  Yellows.— We  have  pleasure  in 
enclosing  a  bloom  or  two  of  our  Carnation  Queen  of  Yellows.  We  may¬ 
be  mistaken,  but  we  are  under  the  impression  it’s  the  finest  yellow  yet 
sent  out. — B.  S.  Williams  &  Son.  [We  can  only  say  we  have  never 
seen  a  finer  yellow  Carnation  bloom  than  one  of  those  sent,  the  two 
others  being  withered.  It  is  of  good  size,  symmetrical,  with  smooth 
broad  petals,  stout  unbroken  calyx,  and  rigid  stalk.  The  colour  is  clear 
rich  canary  yellow,  and  the  variety  appears  to  be  of  considerable  promise.] 
-  Philadelphus  Gordonianus. — Among  the  so-called  Mock 
Oranges  this  stands  out  conspicuously  as  useful  for  late  flowering,  and 
on  account  of  its  very  slight  scent  it  is  valuable  for  decorative  purposes 
in  the  house.  Some  of  the  Mock  Oranges  have  a  decidedly  objectionable 
perfume  when  confined  to  small,  or  even  large  rooms,  but  in  the  one 
under  notice  no  objection  can  be  taken  on  this  score.  In  a  young  tree  it 
grows  luxuriantly,  and  needs  room  to  develop,  that  is,  in  strong  soil.  It 
flowers  on  the  ends  of  the  matured  branches,  and  has  an  erect  and  distinct 
habit.  In  an  open  position  in  my  garden  it  flowers  in  July,  when 
several  other  kinds  are  past. — Wilts. 
_  Spir^A  flagelliformis. — This  is  so  distinct  from  others  in 
its  growth  and  style  ot  flowering,  that  many  would  not  take  it  to  be  a 
Spirrea at  all.  It  has  an  upright  habit  m  the  main  branches,  while  the 
lateral  growth  droops  gracefully  on  all  sides,  particularly  that  bearing 
the  long  wreaths  of  white  blossoms.  Its  foliage  is  small  and  Acacia-like 
in  character,  which  cut  with  the  long  drooping  sprays  of  flowers  are 
excellent  for  tall  trumpet  glasses  in  the  house.  It  blooms  from  the  end 
of  June,  and  lasts  some  time  in  a  fresh  state.  To  flower  freely  it  needs 
good  soil,  plenty  of  room  to  develop,  and  an  open  position  to  insure  the 
growth  becoming  well  ripened.— S.  ASHTON. 
_  A  Useful  Pea. — I  should  like  to  supplement  the  selection  of 
useful  Peas  given  in  a  recent  issue  by  your  correspondent,  Mr.  W. 
Pea,  by  the  name  of  another — viz.,  The  Daniels.  It  is  admirable  for 
succession  as  a  second  early.  All  good  exhibition  Peas  are  not  profit¬ 
able,  but  The  Daniels  is  an  exception,  as  its  large,  well-filled  pods  are 
suited  for  show,  and  it  is  a  prolific  bearer.  Growing  a  medium  heigh'., 
the  variety  is  economical,  and  the  flavour  is  excellent.  In  a  cottage 
garden,  early  in  July,  I  saw  a  row  of  this  variety  that  would  have 
struck  envy  into  the  heart  of  many  an  expert,  and  was  convincing 
evidence  that  the  variety  is  well  worth  a  trial. — T.  Vernon. 
-  Holidays  on  the  Continent. — The  enterprise  of  the  Great 
Eastern  Railway  Company  is  once  more  emphasised  by  the  receipt  of 
a  small  handbook  containing  particulars  of  the  Royal  Mail  Route  to 
Holland,  Germany,  Switzerland,  Norway,  and  other  continental  countries 
via  Harwich  and  the  Hook  of  Holland.  It  includes  five  coloured  plates 
illustrative  of  Dutch,  German,  and  Norwegian  scenery,  as  well  as 
photographic  pictures  excellently  printed.  However,  the  chief  value  of 
the  brochure  lies  in  the  letterpress,  which,  if  carefully  studied  and  acted 
upon,  would  go  far  to  remove  the  difficulties  that  beset  the  traveller  who 
is  new  to  continental  “  ways  and  means.”  It  may  be  procured  from 
the  Continental  Department,  Liverpool  Street  Station,  or  from  the 
publisher,  30,  Pleet  Street,  E.C. 
_  Damsons. — Whatever  may  be  the  general  condition  of  the 
Damson  crop  elsewhere,  certainly  in  one  garden  in  Surrey,  where  there 
are  probably  a  dozen  trees  of  one  variety,  but  which  I  do  not  know,  there 
is  a  wonderful  crop.  It  was  a  garden  lying  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  wood, 
somewhat  elevated,  and  with  a  southerly  aspect.  To  reach  it  on  my  round 
in  judging  gardens  in  the  Ockham  district  my  guide  led  me  up  a  steep 
path,  through  lofty  trees  and  bracken.  The  soil  is  literally  a  deep  bed  of 
sand.  The  Damson  trees,  that  may  have  been  some  ten  or  twelve  years 
planted,  and  all  in  rude  health  and  berry  clean,  were  laden  with  fruit. 
It  could  not  have  been  the  Farleigh  Prolific,  as  the  stems  were  smooth 
and  spineless.  The  rather  loose  habit  gave  the  trees  with  their  weighty 
fruit  a  drooping  aspect.  A  few  acres  of  such  trees  would  this  year 
be  a  goldmine.  No  doubt  the  sweet  sandy  soil  has  much  to  do  with 
this  cropping,  for  the  Mussel  Plum  and  the  White  Bullace  were  fruiting 
abundantly  also,  and  Apples  were  generally  excellent.  Then  the  dense 
surrounding  of  lofty  Firs  doubtless  furnishes  capital  shelter  from  cold 
winds,  the  primary  cause  of  insect  attacks  and  of  non-fertility,  whilst  the 
Firs  harbour  no  insect  pests,  as  ordinary  deciduous  trees  do.  I  hope 
later  to  have  an  opportunity  to  see  these  Damson  trees  when  the  fruits 
are  ripe.  I  had  to  visit  numerous  fine  gardens  in  the  district,  nearly  all 
on  sand,  but  none  showed  such  fruit  crops  on  tall  trees,  though  bush 
fruits  were  very  plentiful  and  fine,  as  was  found  in  this  highly  sheltered 
and  warmly  situated  garden.  I  wish  landowners  could  be  induced  to 
experiment  on  their  estates  with  orchards  on  warm  sites,  enclosed  on  tha 
cold  aspects  by  lofty  Fir  trees.— D. 
Rose  Perle  des  Rouges. 
In  our  description  of  this  charming  Rose  which  accompanied  the 
illustration  (fig.  7)  on  page  43,  by  a  clerical  error  it  was  stated  to  have 
been  shown  by  Messrs.  Paul  &  Son,  Cheshunt.  This  was  incorrect, 
as  it  was  raised  and  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Wm.  Paul  &  Son,  Waltham, 
and  to  whom  the  award  of  merit  was  recommended  by  the  Floral 
Committee. 
Looking  Back. 
When  one  heard  the  remarks  that  were  made  as  to  the  Hybrid 
Perpetuals  not  being  up  to  the  mark  and  that  the  beauty  of  the  Bath 
show  was  confined  to  the  Tea  and  garden  Roses,  it  showed  how  soon 
the  circumstances  under  which  these  southern  shows  had  originated 
were  forgotten.  When  the  Society  was  first  established  only  one 
exhibition  in  the  year  was  contemplated— viz.,  the  Metropolitan  ;  this 
was  held  at  St.  James’  Hall  and  at  South  Kensington,  and  finally  at 
the  Crystal  Palace.  As,  however,  it  extended  and  increased,  many 
earnest  rosarians  felt  that  they  were  shut  out  by  their  situation 
from  exhibiting  at  the  metropolis,  and  the  cry  was  made  that  we 
ought  to  have  a  provincial  exhibition  as  well  ;  the  Comfnittee  felt 
there  was  force  in  this,  and  so  established  a  provincial  exhibition 
without  any  reference  to  the  geographical  position  ol  the  place  where 
it  was  to  be  held.  Many  successful  exhibitions  took  place,  the  Society 
going,  it  will  be  remembered,  as  far  north  as  Edinburgh,  and  as  far 
south  as  Southampton.  _ 
Some  years  ago  a  complaint  was  made  that  the  Tea  Roses  had  not 
sufficient  favour  shown  to  them  ;  they  had  become  much  more  popular 
and  much  more  widely  grown,  and  it  was  stated  that  the  first  and  best 
bloom  of  them  was  over  before  the  Metropolitan  show  took  place. 
Mr.  T.  W.  Girdlestone  took  the  matter  up,  and  with  his  usual 
energy  and  foresight,  proposed  that  a  special  show  of  Tea  Roses 
should  take  place  at  the  meeting  of  the  R.H.S.,  held  in  the  Drill 
Hall,  Westminster,  on  the  fourth  Tuesday  in  June.  This  went  on 
for  a  few  years,  and  then  people  said,  “  Why  not  Hybrid  Perpetuals 
as  well  as  Tea  Roses  ?  ”  they  were  included,  but  then  came  the  cry 
“  Why  not  extend  it  more,  and -instead  of  having  a  few  classes,  have  a 
Southern  show  at  the  end  of  June?”  and  so  it  came  to  pass  that 
three  exhibitions  were  held  by  the  N.R.S. 
Another  fact  which  helped  forward  this  movement  was  that  by  the 
time  the  Metropolitan  show  was  held  many  of  the  beautiful  garden 
Roses,  which  have  latterly  come  so  much  into  favour,  were  over,  and 
it  was  thought  if  any  earlier  date  were  fixed  they  would  be  shown  in 
greater  perfection.  This  has  proved  to  be  correct,  and  no  one  who  has 
seen  the  southern  exhibitions  of  the  last  three  years  can  have  failed  to 
appreciate  the  wisdom  of  the  Committee  in  making  this  arrangement. 
It  has  unfortunately  happened  that  1897  and  1898  have  been  unfavour¬ 
able  years ;  we  have  had  cold  weather  in  May  and  the  early  part  of 
June,  so  that  the  flowers  have  not  had  a  fair  chance.  Few  who  were 
present  will  soon  forget  the  melancholy  state  of  things  at  Portsmouth, 
wind  and  rain  and  cold  making  the  most  unpleasant  experience  one 
could  have.  The  Society  was  more  fortunate  this  year,  for  the  day  on 
which  it  was  held  at  Bath  was  an  ideal  day  for  a  Rose  show ;  it  was 
bright,  and  a  cool  breeze  prevented  that  deterioration  of  the  flowers 
which  so  often  happens.  The  place,  too,  where  it  was  held,  the 
Sydney  Gardens,  was  the  most  charming  ioca/e  one  can  imagine  for  a 
show.  Alas  !  that  it  should  be  the  last  time  that  one  is  likely  to  be 
held  there.  The  ground  has  been  purchased  by  the  Gordon  Hotel 
Company,  who  will  doubtless  build  there  one  of  their  huge  caravan- 
series,  and  thus  render  the  ground  unavailable  for  any  such  purposes 
as  Rose  shows. 
As  a  full  report  has  already  been  given  in  the  Journal  of  the 
Show  itself,  I  shall  simply  notice  points  which  most  struck  me.  The 
Tea  Roses  were  certainly  the  feature  of  the  exhibition,  and  there 
were  two  amongst  them  which  conspicuously  outshone  the  others, 
Comtesse  de  Nadaillac  and  Cleopatra.  I  have  had  very  little  to  do 
with  the  latter  Rose,  and  from  all  I  hear  about  it,  it  is  an  uncertain 
variety,  and  it  is  said  to  require  a  good  many  plants  if  you  want  to 
secure  a  bloom  on  the  exhibition  day.  There  were,  however,  some  grand 
flowers  of  it  exhibited.  Mr.  B.  R.  Cant  showed  a  grand  bloom  in  his 
stand  of  forty-eight,  but  I  do  not  think  any  one  of  them  was  equal  to 
the  record  bloom  shown  by  the  Rev.  F.  R.  Burnside  at  Windsor,  and 
took  the  second  prize  of  twelve  of  any  one  variety  of  Teas ;  the  first 
being  taken  by  that  “  all  conquering  hero,”  Marechal  Niel,  shown  by 
Mr.  Prince  of  Oxford.  Cleopatra  was  one  of  the  best  of  Mr.  Bennett’s 
