100 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  29,  1897. 
Marechal  Nibl  and  Medea. 
It  is  a  great  mistake  to  sappose,  as  Mr.  Williamson  seems  to  think, 
that  Marechal  Niel  is  not  thoroughly  perpetual  in  the  open  ground  if 
properly  treated.  It  only  requires  to  be  pruned  intelligently,  and  to 
have  the  shoots  of  the  year  well  ripened  and  thoroughly  protected  from 
frosti  I  have  staged  it  in  some  quantity  at  every  show  this  year  from 
my  five  or  six  standards  in  the  open,  and  they  have  still  plenty  of  buds 
in  all  stages  of  development,  many  just  forming.  For  the  open  air  alone 
I  do  not  think  anyone  besides  Mr.  Williamson  would  venture  to  compare 
Medea  with  it. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
Roses  at  Gateford  Hill. 
On  calling  at  Mr.  H.  V.  Machin’s,  Gateford  Hill,  for  the  first  time,  I 
was  much  interested  in  the  magnificent  show  of  Roses  which  were  ably 
described  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture^  March  6th,  1896,  The  garden 
Roses  were  superb,  better  than  I  have  seen  them  before.  H.  P.’s  were 
showing  good  flowers  on  cut-backs,  the  maidens  not  being  forward 
enough  for  the  early  shows.  The  cut-backs  have  given  a  good  account 
of  themselves,  as  during  the  past  fortnight,  finishing  with  the  N.R.S. 
Show  at  Norwich,  thirty-six  stands  were  exhibited,  and  thirty-four 
prizes  (eighteen  firsts)  and  three  medals  obtained,  which  cannot  be 
termed  a  bad  record. 
The  Machin  Judging  Card. 
The  Machin  judging  card  is  the  most  simple  and  useful  one  for 
judging  Roses  or  Chrysanthemums  by  points  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  No  judge  ought  to  be  without  it.  If  not  generally  known, 
it  may  be  useful  to  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture. — S.,  Torks, 
Comments— Garden  Roses. 
Garden  Roses  were,  as  usual,  a  feature  of  much  attraction  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  although  it  was  only  in  these  that  the  lack  of  com¬ 
petition  was  seen,  as  in  the  leading  classes  there  were  only  two 
exhibitors.  Mr.  H.  V.  Machin  of  Worksop  again  won  a  cup  given  by 
the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Penzance  for  eighteen  bunches,  amongst  which 
were  Camoens,  Marie  Pavie,  Homfere,  Gloire  de  Polyantha,  Red  Damask, 
Paquerette,  Rosa  Mundi,  Madame  Pernet  Ducher,  Bardou  Job, 
Bennett’s  Seedling,  Marquis  of  Salisbury,  Cecil  Brunner,  and  others, 
prettily  and  tastefully  arranged.  There  was  a  very  close  competition  in 
the  nurserymen’s  class  for  thirty-six  varieties  between  Messrs.  Paul  and 
Son  of  Cheshunt  and  Messrs.  Cooling  &  Son  of  Bath,  it  being  ultimately 
decided  in  favour  of  the  former. 
I  subjoin,  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  G.  L.  Paul,  a  list  of  the 
flowers  exhibited  in  their  first  prize  stand,  as  it  will  be  a  safe  guide  to 
anyone  wishing  to  cultivate  these  charming  flowers  Seedling  H.T. 
Dawn,  a  very  pretty  flower,  with  a  charming  shade  of  pink  running 
through  it ;  Rugosa  Blanche  Double  de  Courbet,  the  best  of  the  seedlings 
which  have  been  yet  raised  of  this  character ;  W.  A.  Richardson,  Crimson 
Rambler,  Moss,  Blanche  Moreau,  Camoens,  Mons.  Desir,  Mortetti, 
Marquise  de  Salisbury,  Andersoni,  A.  M.  de  Montravel,  Gloire  de 
Polyantha,  Madame  C.  Guinnoisseau,  Rosa  Mundi,  Rosa  Alba,  Bardou 
Job,  Rug.  Rose  Apples,  Hebe’s  Lip,  Madame  G.  Bruant,  Alister  Stella 
Grey,  Reine  Olga  de  Wurtemberg,  The  Garland,  Rug.  Imbricata,  Ma 
Capucine,  White  Pet,  Lucida,  C.  Soupert,  Dominil  Boccardi,  Mignonette, 
Waltham  No.  3,  Madame  C.  Worth,  Madame  Palcot,  Kakanlik,  Perle 
d’Or,  Madame  E.  Notte,  and  Bennett’s  Seedling. 
As  I  have  already  said,  the  competition  in  these  classes  was  not  very 
keen,  and  I  think  there  are  two  reasons  for  this ;  one  is  that  they  are 
only  flowers  for  large  gardens.  It  is  true  that  every  real  lover  of  the 
Rose  will  grow  some  of  them,  whether  his  garden  be  large  or  small ;  but 
that  is  a  very  different  thing  to  growing  a  sufficient  number  to  cull  from 
for  exhibition.  Another  is  that  they  are  very  diflflcult  and  expensive  to 
bring  to  the  place  of  exhibition,  and  I  think  more  encouragement  in  the 
shape  of  prize  money  should  be  given  to  the  amateur  classes. 
Medal  Roses. 
In  looking  over  an  exhibition  where  the  general  character  of  the 
flowers  is  so  uniformly  good,  it  is  not  easy  to  select  any  of  very  superior 
merit,  and  we  naturally  look  to  what  the  judges  have  selected  as  the 
best  Rose  in  each  division.  The  bloom  of  Muriel  Grabame  was 
undoubtedly  one  which  the  French  would  call  hors  ligne,  or  one  of 
exceptional  merit.  It  was  exhibited  by  Mr,  Lindsell,  and  fully  justified 
all  that  has  been  said  in  its  favour.  The  other  flower  which  obtained 
a  medal  for  the  best  H.P.  or  H.T.  was  a  very  beautiful  bloom  of 
Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria.  It  was  a  very  beautiful  bloom,  no  doubt, 
but  as  it  seems  to  me,  as  it  has  done  to  others,  to  be  nearly,  if  not 
quite,  a  pure  Tea,  I  grudge  the  honour  given  to  it ;  but  in  saying  this  I 
do  not  wish  to  detract  at  all  from  the  merits  of  the  flower,  or  from  the 
skill  displayed  in  its  cultivation. 
In  the  nurserymen’s  class  the  flower  with  which  Messrs.  Harkness 
and  Sons  obtained  the  medal  was  a  very  beautiful  and  bright  bloom  of 
Horace  Vernet,  exhibited  in  the  style  in  which  Messrs.  Harkness 
generally  manage  to  show  this  Rose  ;  what  a  pity  it  is  that  it  can  hardly 
ever  be  shown  from  anything  but  maiden  plants.  There  was  also  a  very 
beautiful  bloom  of  Madame  Cusin  which  obtained  for  Mr.  B.  R.  Cant  the 
medal  for  the  best  Tea  or  Noisette.  Several  flowers  were  exhibited  as 
seedlings,  and,  as  usual  of  late  years,  Messrs.  A.  Dickson  &  Sons  of 
Newtownards  carried  off  the  gold  medal  for  Dlster,  another  of  their  series 
of  beautiful  pink  Roses,  of  which  Mrs.  Kellar  and  Mrs.  Sharman 
Crawford  are  good  instances.*  It  is  a  flower  of  great  substance  and 
depth  of  petal,  fragrant  as  all  medal  Roses  ought  to  be,  and  very  vigorons 
in  growth,  with  smooth  wood  and  bright  glossy  green  foliage.  There 
were  several  other  Roses  exhibited  in  this  class,  of  which  Mrs.  Rumsey, 
exhibited  by  Mr.  C.  Ramsey,  a  pretty  garden  Rose,  and  Royal  Scarlet, 
a  brilliant  coloured  flower,  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Paul  &  Son,  obtained 
cards  of  commendation ;  they  also  exhibited  the  Rev.  Alan  Cheales, 
a  flower  of  peculiar  shade  of  colour  and  very  vigorous  in  growth. 
Messrs.  Dickson  &  Son  had  Countess  of  Caledon  and  Killarney,  both 
likely  to  be  useful  Roses.  Messrs.  Frank  Cant  and  Co.’s  Mrs.  Frank 
Cant  is  another  very  promising  flower  of  which  I  think  we  shall  hear 
more  by-and-by. 
Men  and  Meetings. 
I  have  already  alluded  to  the  change  in  the  personnel  of  exhibitors. 
I  may  also  notice  another  change.  Mr.  Orpen  has  moved  a  step  higher, 
and  Mr.  Charles  Grahame  has  occupied,  as  I  was  sure  he  would  do,  a 
very  leading  position,  and  I  have  very  little  doubt  that  his  success  this 
year  is  a  precursor  of  still  greater  successes  in  the  years  to  come  ;  and  it 
would  be  ungracious  to  leave  any  notice  of  the  Metropolitan  Show 
without  saying  how  much  the  Society  is  indebted  to  him  for  his 
generosity,  and  also  for  the  trouble  which  be  has  taken  in  procuring 
the  very  appropriate  and  beautiful  silver  trophy  in  the  amateurs’ 
division.  , 
There  is  one  feature  of  the  Metropolitan  Show  which  always  gives 
to  it  an  additional  interest — viz.,  that  it  affords  a  meeting  place  for 
rosarians  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  It  is  pleasant  to  meet  ol  I 
friends  and  to  be  able  to  take  counsel  with  them  on  the  various  merits 
of  the  flowers  we  love.  Whatever  they  may  do  on  other  occasions,  they 
always  try  to  be  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  Of  course  it  has  its  painful  side, 
for  there  are  many  blanks,  and  we  miss  every  year  one  or  more  of  those 
who  used  formerly  to  be  with  us.  One  is  especially  glad  to  see  that  Mr. 
Burnside,  amidst  tremendous  diflflculties,  has  been  able  to  secure  a  first 
prize  in  his  much-loved  class  of  Teas,  and  I  have  been  very  pleased  to 
hear  since  the  show  that  he  has  once  more  come  down  into  his  old 
county,  and  has  accepted  work  at  St.  Margaret’s,  at  Cliff e,  near  Dover. 
I  do  not  know  whether  he  will  be  able  to  go  in  for  Roses,  but  from  what 
I  know  of  him  and  of  his  zeal  I  think  we  may  safely  predict  that  he 
will  do  so.  I  see  do  lack  of  zeal  amongst  the  exhibitors  and  friends  of 
the  Rose,  and  I  think  we  may  look  forward  hopefully  to  the  future. — 
D.,  Deal, 
AN  AMATEUR’S  GRAPES. 
I  note  in  the  replies  to  correspondents  in  th.e  Journal  of  Horti¬ 
culture  reference  to  a  photograph  of  Grapes  (Barry  Dock),  which  I 
presume  refers  to  a  communication  and  photo  I  sent  you  a  few  weeks 
ago.  This  photo  was  taken  at  the  time  the  Grapes  were  stoning,  and  as 
the  negative  was  not  destroyed  I  have  had  another  print  taken  to-day, 
which  I  enclose.  There  are  four  Vines  shown  on  the  print — viz.,  Mrs. 
Pince,  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  Black  Alicante,  and  Madresfield  Court.  I 
have  had  to  take  a  berry  out  here  and  there  since  stoning ;  they  are 
nearly  all  coloured  now,  and  the  Madresfield  Court,  which  is  at  the 
further  end,  has  the  largest  and  best  bunches.  f 
I  obtained  my  information  on  Grape  culture  as  follows  : — In  the 
latter  part  of  1891  I  saw  growing  in  a  small  greenhouse  a  Black 
Hamburgh  Vine,  and  from  what  I  then  observed  I  thought  I  would  like 
to  try  and  see  what  I  could  do  myself.  At  this  time  having  very  little 
knowledge  of  horticulture,  and  no  knowledge  whatever  on  Grape 
culture,  I  was  told  it  would  take  many  years  to  understand  how  to 
grow  Vines  successfully ;  however,  undismayed,  I  determined  to  make 
the  attempt,  and  had  a  small  house  constructed,  15  feet  by  10  feet,  and 
made  my  border  about  5  feet  broad. 
When  in  London  1  had  access  to  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  for 
about  nice  years  back,  which  I  carefully  looked  over,  and  noted  the 
dates  of  the  weekly  issues  that  contained  information  likely  to  be  useful 
to  me.  I  then  called  at  your  oflSce  and  obtained  all  the  back  numbers 
which  I  had  previously  taken  note  of,  and  carefully  read  the  same.  I 
then  ordered  some  Vines  from  Messrs.  J.  R.  Pearson  Sons,  and  planted 
them.  I  also  at  the  same  time  had  two  Black  Hamburgh  and  one 
Madresfield  Court  in  pots  for  fruiting.  As  the  Vines  did  not  come  on  so 
well  as  I  expected  I  studied  the  articles  in  the  back  numbers  of  your 
Journal  again,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  border  was  not  as  it 
should  be — not  sufiBciently  porous,  so  I  carefully  lifted  the  Vines,  took 
