564 
Journal  or  horticulture  and  cottage  gardener. 
June  18,  1896. 
Rose  Show  Fixtures  in  1896. 
Jane  18th  (Thursday). — Colchester  and  Isle  of  Wight  (RyJe), 
„  23rd  (Tuesday). — Langham  Place,  London,  S.W.f 
„  24th  (Wednesday). — Reading  (N.R.S.).  Richmond  (Surrey). 
„  25th  (Thursday). — Hereford,  Smthsea.* 
,,  27th  (Saturday). — Canterbury  and  Windsor. 
,,  30th  (Tuesday). — Maidstone  and  Sutton. 
July  1st  (Wednesday). — Croydon,  Ealing,  Farnham,  Faruingham,  and 
Leatherhead  (Brockham  Rose  Association). 
„  2nd  (Thursday)  — Bath,  Eltham,  and  Norwich. 
„  4th  (Saturday)  — Crystal  Palace  (N.R.S.) 
„  7th  (Tuesday). — Harrow,  Wolverhampton.-)- 
„  8th  (Wednesday).  — Canterbury  (Hospital  Fete),  Chelmsford, 
Hitchin,  Lee,*  Newcastle-on-Tyne,j-  Redhill  (Reigate),  and 
Tunbridge  Wells. 
„  9th  (Thursday). — Helensburgh,  Woodbridge,  and  Worksop. 
„  1 1th  (Saturday). — New  Brighton. 
,,  14th  ^Tuesday). — Westminster  (R.H.S.). 
„  15th  (Wednesday). — Ulverston  (N.R.S.) 
„  16th  (Thursday) — Halifax. 
„  21st  (Tuesday). — Tibshelf. 
„  25th  (Saturday). — Manchester. 
„  29th  (Wednesday). — Chesterfield. 
„  30th  (Thursday). — Trentham. 
Aug.  5th  (Wednesday). — Chester.* 
„  19th  (Wednesday). — Shrewsbury.* 
"j"  A  show  lasting  three  days.  *  A  show  lasting  two  days. 
Any  dates  not  appearing  in  the  present  list  I  shall  be  glad  to  publish 
in  the  next  one.— Edward  Mawley,  Rosebanlt,  BerUamsted,  Jlerts. 
Brockham  Rose  Association. 
In  reference  to  the  letter  in  your  last  issue  about  the  Rose  show  to 
be  held  at  Downside,  Leatherhead,  on  the  1st  July,  the  Committee  invites 
competition  in  the  AU-England  classes  provided  by  the  Society  (for  the 
first  lime  in  its  history)  this  year  for  nurserymen  and  amateurs. 
Schedules  can  be  had  on  application  to  Mr.  Charles  Cuthell,West  Humble, 
Dorking. 
Southsea  Rose  Show. 
Mr.  W.  Drover  of  Fareham,  writes: — “1  see  iD  your  list  of  Rose 
show  fixtures  that  the  above  is  to  be  held  on  June  27ch,  Please  alter 
this,  as  it  has  been  decided  to  have  the  exhibition  25th  and  26th  inst. 
As  one  of  the  Committee  I  hope  to  see  professional  Rose  growers  and 
gardeners,  as  well  as  the  ladies,  represented  in  the  various  classes. 
Exhibitors  who  wish  for  a  two  days’  outing  at  Southsea  will  enjoy  the 
flowers,  the  entertainments,  the  beautiful  scenery,  and  the  breezes  on  the 
S  >uth  Parade  Pier.  For  schedule  of  open  classes  and  prizes  apply  to 
Mr.  F.  A.  Winder,  Hon.  Secretary,  Bristol  Road,  East  Southsea.” 
National  Rose  Society’s  Show  at  Reading. 
It  is  evident  from  Mr.  Cheales’  letter  and  from  the  information  that 
has  reached  me  from  various  quarters,  that  every  effort  will  be  made  to 
insure  a  great  success  at  this  exhibition.  The  local  magnates  are 
exerting  themselves  for  this  purpose,  and  Mr.  F.  J.  Ferguson,  the  Chair¬ 
man  of  the  Reading  Horticultural  Society,  has  invited  the  officials  and 
the  principal  persons  connected  with  the  show  to  luncheon,  and  should 
the  weather  be  fine  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  will  equal  any  of  the 
southern  exhibitions  already  held,  not  excluding  even  the  very  successful 
one  at  Gloucester  last  year. 
I  know  my  good  friend  Mr.  Cheales  to  have  a  poetic  and,  therefore, 
an  imaginative  turn  of  mind,  but  it  would  require  a  good  deal  of 
imagination  I  think  to  claim  for  Reading  the  title  which  has  hitherto 
been  claimed  by  Bath,  “the  Queen  of  the  West,”  aDd  I  cannot  see  why 
a  place  situated  in  the  home  counties,  and  within  thirty-six  miles  of 
London,  should  have  such  a  title  given  to  it.  I  have  never  heard  it 
before,  and  I  think  my  good  friend  must  have  evolved  it  out  of  his  inner 
consciousness.  It  is  impossible,  of  course,  to  conjecture  as  to  the 
character  of  the  flowers.  Roses  have  had  a  trying  time  of  it,  and  I 
should  imagine  that  the  earlier  buds  will  come  out  badly.  Now  plants 
look  flourishing.  Here  we  had  in  the  twenty-four  hours,  from  Tuesday 
evening  at  eight  o’clock  to  the  same  hour  on  Wednesday  evening, 
2  32  iDchei  of  rain  ;  not  a  thundery  rain,  but  one  constant  steady 
downpour,  putting  heart  and  life  into  everything,  so  I  hope  our  eyes  may 
be  gladdened  with  fine  flowers.— D.,  Deal. 
Reading  Rose  Show — The  Abbey  Chapter  House. 
As  the  Rose  show  is  to  be  held  in  the  Abbey  ruins,  and  as  the  Chair¬ 
man  of  the  Reading  Horticultural  Society  has  invited  the  N.R.  Committee, 
judges,  and  many  local  friends  to  lunch  in  the  grand  old  Chapter  House, 
next  door  to  the  exhibition  tents,  a  few  lines  on  its  past  history  may 
possibly  be  interesting.  It  must  have  been  one  of  the  finest  in  England 
80  by  40,  and  rising  up  another  40  feet  to  its  stone-vaulted  roof.  It  i, 
now  a  mere  shell,  only  the  flint  core  of  the  walls  remaining,  but  a  shell 
that  is  very  substantial.  The  stalls  of  the  monks,  with  their  canopies, 
may  still  be  traced  along  the  walls.  Mr.  Ferguson’s  banquet  will  be 
almost  an  historical  event,  so  many  and  so  famous  are  the  histories  on 
which  it  follows.  I  am  unaware  of  its  record,  since  the  ruin  of  the 
Abbey,  except  that  it  once  contained  a  parish  school,  and  now  makes  an 
excellent  drill  ground  for  policemen  ;  but  up  to  Henry  VIII. ’s  time  it 
was  constantly  figuring  in  English  history. 
Begun  by  Henry  I.  in  1120,  1164  saw  the  solemn  dedication  of  the 
completed  Abbey  church  when  Henry  II.  camehere,  and  doubtless  held  a 
court  in  this  very  chamber,  ten  bishops  attending  him,  and  at  their  head 
his,  as  yet,  friendly  archbishop.  Herein  1184  Heraclius  came  with  the 
keys  of  the  Holy  Sepuichre,  which  he  handed  over  to  Henry,  conjuring 
him  to  rescue  the  Holy  Land  from  Saladin.  The  king  politely  said  he 
would  consult  his  nobles  about  that;  but  the  fiery  Richard  at  once 
took  the  cross,  and  carried  it  certainly  very  far  into  the  ranks  of  the 
Saracens.  His  exploits  at  Jaffa  exceed  those  of  any  knight  errant. 
Before  this,  in  1140,  Stephen  had  held  here  a  parliament;  he  was 
very  polite  to  the  monks  ;  whereas  his  cousin,  the  Empress  Queen,  when 
her  turn  came,  and  she  arrived,  rated  them  soundly  for  having  helped 
her  once  too  well  loved  and  now  much  hated  cousin.  King  Richard 
held  a  parliament  here  in  1191,  John  in  1241,  Henry  III.  in  1263,  and 
Richard  II.  in  1440  ;  but  of  all  festive  occasions  and  banquets  outdoing 
even  the  resources  of  modern  science,  that  was  Reading’s  greatest  day, 
and  the  chapter  house  in  particular,  when  Edward  1.  came  here,  with 
his  captive  king  and  stalwart  sons,  to  attend  the  wedding  of  the  fourth 
John  of  Gaunt  with  the  Red  Rose  of  Lancaster  ;  by  the  way  she  was  called 
Blanche,  but  that  cannot  be  helped.  This  was  in  1359,  when  a  certain 
Mr.  Geoffrey  Chaucer  rode  over  from  his  neigbouring  Castle  of  Donnington 
and  immortalised  the  scene  in  lines  which  have  lived  far  beyond  most 
other  memories  of  the  period,  even  as  Shakespeare  keeps  best  in  memory 
for  us,  “  Old  John  of  Gaunt,  time-honoured  Lancaster.”  I  am  strictly 
limited  in  supplies  of  poetry,  but  possibly  Mr.  Chaucer’s  few  remarks 
may  find  admission  : — 
“  And  the  feste  holden  was  in  tentes, 
As  to  tell  you  my  intent  is, 
And  dined  three  months  the  feast 
In  one  estate,  and  never  ceased, 
From  early,  the  rising  of  the  sonne; 
Till  the  day  spent  was,  and  y-zonue ; 
In  jousting,  dancing  and  lustiness, 
And  all  that  served  to  gentilesse.” 
—A.  C. 
GROWING  MIGNONETTE. 
In  private  establishments  we  seldom  find  Mignonette  grown  as 
standards — why  I  cannot  conceive — as  years  ago,  before  Bouvardias 
furnished  cut  flowers  during  February  and  March,  and  other  resources 
had  to  be  relied  on,  Mignonette  was  the  main  feature  in  a  greenhouse, 
either  as  a  standard  or  otherwise,  grown  even  to  insure  a  few  spikes  for 
cut  flowers,  We  appear  to  forget  this  useful  class  of  plants,  which, 
when  well  done,  is  certainly  worthy  of  a  place  where  cut  flowers  are  in 
demand.  No  plant  is  deserving  of  more  attention  than  Mignonette  as  a 
standard.  As  everyone  is  aware  there  are  so  many  varieties  in  these 
days  that  it  is  rather  a  difficult  problem  to  select  the  right  one.  Such 
varieties  as  Miles’  Spiral,  Golden  Queen,  and  Garraway’s  White  are  the 
best.  No  time  should  be  lost  in  procuring  the  seed,  and  sowing  should 
take  place  at  once,  using  for  this  purpose  2-inch  pots.  Place  a  few 
crocks  at  the  bottom,  covering  them  with  moss,  then  three-quarters 
filling  with  a  compost  of  three  parts  loam,  one  part  leaf  soil,  and  a 
smattering  of  old  Mushroom  bed  refuse,  passed  through  a  f-inch  sieve, 
adding  a  little  crushed  oystershell  and  a  gocd  sprinkling  of  coarse 
silver  sand. 
Cover  the  seeds  very  lightly  with  finely  sifted  compost  of  cocoa-nut 
fibre  refuse  and  sand,  then  take  the  pots  and  plunge  in  a  cold  frame  placed 
under  a  north  border.  Water  carefully  until  the  seedlings  appear, 
keeping  the  frame  close.  Afterwards  give  air  gradually,  and  remove  the 
lights  during  fine  evenings.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  commence  growth 
top-dress  with  similar  soil  to  the  above.  When  fully  established  shift 
into  4-inch  pots,  using  about  the  same  compost  as  before,  only  a  trifle 
rougher  on  the  top  of  the  drainage,  applying  a  stake  to  each  plant.  Place 
the  plants  in  a  frame  in  the  same  position,  using  the  syringe  frequently 
in  preference  to  over-watering,  which  is  a  great  evil,  until  the  plants  are 
fully  established.  Sometimes  before  the  desired  length  of  stem — 
18  inches — is  obtained,  flower  buds  form  at  the  point  and  side  growths 
push  from  the  joints  below.  The  terminal  buds,  apd  all  side  shoots  but 
the  strongest  near  the  point,  are  instantly  removed,  and  the  shoot  trained 
upwards  until  the  necessary  height  is  attained.  The  growth  is  then 
topped  for  the  production  of  side  branches  which  are  required  to  form 
the  basis  of  the  future  head.  The  plants,  as  they  make  good  growth, 
are  transferred  to  7-inch  pots.  The  compost,  consisting  of  three  parts 
fibrous  loam,  one  of  leaf  mould,  a  scattering  of  Mushroom  bed  manure, 
and  sand,  adding  a  little  of  Standen’s  manure.  Pot  firmly,  and  leave 
room  for  a  further  top-dressing  about  November.  When  these  pots 
are  fully  rooted  water  with  care. 
During  the  winter  months  a  little  weak  soot  water  occasionally 
will  benefit  the  health  of  Mignonette  considerably.  Avoid  too  hot  a 
temperature  ;  about  50°  to  60°,  falling  to  about  45s  during  the  winter 
months  will  suffice  as  the  turn  of  the  year  arrives.  Tying  and  stopping 
must  be  attended  to,  which,  when  well  done,  will  repay  for  their  extra 
trouble  by  a  continuation  of  bloom. — A.  E. 
