September  10,  1903.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
249 
National  Rose. 
Date  of  the  Metropolitan  Exhibition. 
To  the  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  National  Rose  Society, — 
When,  at  the  annual  general  meeting  of  the  National  Rose 
Society,  held  last  December,  it  was  decided  by  a  majority  of  one 
to  hold  the  Metropolitan  Exhibition  in  the  gardens  of  the  Inner 
Temple  on  July  1st  in  preference  to  July  8th,  some  of  us  doubted 
the  wisdom  of  the  decision.  A  leading  evening  paper,  in  its 
report  of  the  show,  dated  July  1st,  states,  “The  National  Rose 
Show  this  year  is  an  exhibition  representative  only  of  the 
southern  counties.  The  midland  and  northern  counties  will  not 
be  able  to  show  for  a  fortnight  or  so.  That-  the  Southerner  has 
had  it  all  his  own  way  will  be  seen  by  the  record  of  the  trophies 
and  principal  prizes.”  We  may  add  to  this,  that  in  no  in-stance 
was  the  Southerner  at  his  be.st.  But  even  if  he  was,  the  compul¬ 
sory  ab.sence  of  the  Northern  and  Midland  growers,  not  only  in 
this,  but  in  .several  years  past,  seriously  challenges  our  Society 
to  the  name  of  National. 
At  the  Metropolitan  Exhibition  is  held  the  friendly  contest 
for  the  championship  of  the  year.  This  gives  it  an  importarrco 
not  possessed  by  any  other  Rose  show.  When  this  is  held  Roses 
should  be  at  their  best.  Can  it  be  maintained  that  Roses  are  at 
their  best  between  July  l.st  and  4th?  Yet  it  is  on  these  dates 
that  the  Metropolitan  Show  has  been  held  six  times  during  the 
last  seven  years.  .  Wei  are,  therefore,  of  opinion  that  the  Metro¬ 
politan  Exhibition  is  held  on  toO'  early  a  date. 
If  it  be  pleaded  that  this  exhibition  should  be  held  alternately, 
early  and  late,  we  would  reply  that  the  latest  date  on  which  this 
show  has  hitherto  been  held  is  not  late,  but  barely  midseason. 
And,  mindful  as  we  are  of  the  large  number  of  exhibitors  rasiding 
soutli  of  London,  we  nevertheless  think  that  the  interests  of 
individual  exhibitors  should  be  subsendent  to  the  interests  of  the 
N.R.S.  as  a  whole;  we  desire  that  the  public  may  see  the  Roses 
at  their  be.st,  and  that  the  Metropolitan  Show  may  be  recognized 
as  the  best  Rose  show  of  the  year.  Distance  from  London  mili¬ 
tates  against  a  representative  gathering  of  rosarians  at  the  annual 
general  meeting.  We  therefore  deprecate  that  the  fixing  of  the 
date  of  this  important  exhibition  should  be  left  altogether  to  a 
chance  majority  of  thoise  attending  and  voting,  and  we  ask  that 
to  “  Regulations  to  Exhibitors,”  should  be  added  these  words, 
“  The  Metropolitan  Show  .shall  not  be  held  earlier  in  the  year 
than  July  6th.” 
S.  Reynolds  Hole,  President,  The  Deanery,  Roche.ster ;  F.  R. 
Burnside,  A^ice-President,  Great  Stambridge  Rectory,  Rochford, 
E.ssex ;  George  Gordon,  Vice-President,  Kew ;  E.  B.  Lindsell, 
Vice-President,  Bearton,  Hitchin ;  Henry  V.  Machin,  Vice- 
President,  Gateford  Hill,  Work.sop;  Joseph  H.  Pemberton,  Vice- 
President,  The  Round  House,  Havering-atte  Bower;  Alfred  Tate, 
Down.side,  Leatherhead ;  W.  Wilks,  Vice-President,  Shirley 
Vicarage,  Croydon;  R.  N.  G.  Baker,  Vice-President,  Heavitree, 
Exeter;  H.  H.  D’Ombrain,  Vice-President,  AVestwell  A^icarage, 
Ashford,  Kent;  J.  Ram.say  (Capt.),  A"ice-President,  A'very  House, 
Fareham ;  A.  Fo.ster-Melliar,  A^ice-Pre.sident,  Sproughton  Rec¬ 
tory,  Ipswich. 
[Extracts  from  the  annual  reports  of  the  National  Rose  Society 
for  the  past  seven  years  then  follow,  showing  that  only  in  two 
years  out  of  seven  was  the  Metropolitan  Exhibition  a  good 
one. — Ed.] 
A  few  copies  of  the  above  memorial  have  been  circulated  for 
.signature.  There  has  already  been  a  ready  re.spon.se.  May  I  ask 
those  members  of  the  N.R.S.  who  have  not  received  the  circular, 
and  who,  approving  of  the  memorial,  desire  that  their  names 
should  be  added,  kindly  to  communicate  with  me? — Joseph  H. 
Pemberton,  Havering,  Essex. 
Cardiff  Gardeners’. 
Through  the  kind  invitation  of  Mr.  John  Basham,  Fair  Oak 
Nurseries,  Bassaleg,  thirty  of  the  members  drove  to  Bassaleg 
and  were  entertained  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Basham  to  tea  a  day  or 
two  ago.  Afterwards  the  party  were  conducted  through  the 
fruit  gardens,  where  a  fine,  healthy,  and  large  stock  of  Apple 
and  Pear  trees  are  carrying  very  heavy  crops.  Particularly  so 
are  the  following  varieties,  viz.  :  Allington  Pippin  (remarkably 
fine),  Bismarck  (grand),  Col.  A'aughan,  Ecklinville  Seedling  (an 
enormous  crop).  Lady  Sudeley,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert  (very  heavy 
cropper  and  an  abundant  supply).  The  Queen  (spoken  of  as  a 
shy  bearer,  carrying  enormous  crops).  Schoolmaster  (good),  as 
also  were  Stirling  Castle  and  AA'arner’s  King,  and  very  fine 
fruits  of  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch. 
Young  Pear  trees  on  walls  were  carrying  good  crops.  Plum 
trees  were  remarkably  good.  A  cleaner  and  healthier  lot  of 
fruit  trees  it  would  be  impossible  to  find,  and  though  Mr. 
Basham  suffered  failure  last  year,  he  is  amply  rewarded  this 
season,  for  tons  of  Apples  are  near  maturity  for  storing.  Light 
refreshments  were  served  in  the  gardens.  After  thanking  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Basham  for  their  kindly  hospitality,  the  brakes  con¬ 
veyed  the  party  back  to  headquarters,  after  spending  a  most 
enjoyable  outing. — John  Julian. 
Ipswich  Mutual  Improvement. 
A  well  attended  meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  on 
the  3rd  inst.,  Mr.  J.  Morgan  occupying  the  chair.  A  paper  on 
“  Decorative  Plants  ”  was  read  by  Mr.  H.  J.  Southgate,  St. 
Helen’s  Nurseries,  Ipswich.  The  particular  phase  of  the  subject 
which  the  essayist  treated  was  that  of  plants  adapted  for  the 
decoration  of  the  mansion.  For  this  purpose  it  was  necessary 
that  the  plants  selected  should  be  of  such  a  nature  a.s  to  .stand 
exposure  to  .such  adverse  conditions  as  insufficient  light,  cold 
draught,  effects  of  gas,  Ac.,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  should  be  of 
such  quick  growth  and  .so  readily  propagated  that  fre.sh  stock 
could  be  easily  worked  up  to  replace  those  de.stroyed.  Amongst 
suitable  plants  for  the  purpose  Palms  occupied  the  foremo.st 
position,  Ferns,  Crotons,  Dracaenas,  Aspidistras,  Grevilleas  were 
of  great  value,  while  among  flowering  plants  Richardias,  Poin- 
settias.  Heaths,  Bouvardias,  Primulas,  and  many  other  kinds 
might  be  pressed  into  .service.  Considerable  discussion  arose  out 
‘of  many  interesting  cultural  details  given  by  Mr.  Southgate  in 
the  course  of  his  paper,  at  the  close  of  which  he  was  accorded  a 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  on  the  proposition  of  Mr.  E.  Creek, 
seconded  by  Mr.  A\9iittell. — E.  C. 
Eaglesfleld,  Dumfriesshire. 
One  of  the  most  successful  and  extensive  Scottish  flower  shows 
is  that  held  at  Eaglesfield,  Dumfriesshire.  It  is  conducted  on  the 
same  lines  as  many  other  country  shows,  having  classes  for  many 
non-horticultural  subjects,  but  the  horticultural  cla.sses  are  not 
only  numerous,  but  draw  exhibitors  from  a  wide  area.  As  usual, 
this  year’s  show,  held  on  September  5,  was  exceedingly  succe.s.s- 
ful,  though  as  is  usual  everywhere  this  season,  fruit  was  exceed¬ 
ingly  short,  and  not  up  to  its  usual  qualify  here.  . 
Pot  plants  and  vegetables  were  very  fine,  and  cut  flowers 
were  good,  though  the  heavy  rains  and  windstorms  had  left  their 
traces  upon  many  blooms.  In  the  open  cla.s.ses  the  most  success¬ 
ful  with  pot  plants  were  Mr.  AVm.  AVeb.ster,  Springhill  Gardens, 
and  Mr.  W.  Anderson,  Mossknowe  Gardens.  In  cut  flower.s  Mr. 
E.  Cameron,  Ericstane,  Moffat,  led  in  Roses,  Antirrhinums, 
“Geraniums,”  buttonholes,  and  herbaceous  plants;  Mr.  AV. 
it  <S'<'ns. 
5paraxis. 
Veitch,  Carlisle,  in  Stocks,  Dahlias  (all  but  single,  where  Mr.  J. 
Burton,  Penrith,  was  first).  Gladioli  and  quilled  Asters;  Mr.  D. 
AVhitelaw,  Locharbriggs.  was  first  in  Marigolds  ;  Mr.  A.  Ruthven, 
Eaglesfield,  in  Phloxes;  Mr.  J.  Johnstone,  Lockerbie,  in  Pent- 
stemons.  Mr.  E.  Cameron  was  first  for  Currants,  Peaches,  and 
Grapes;  Mr.  T.  Burton  for  dessert  Apples;  Mr.  AA’^.  Orr  for 
cooking  Apples  ;  Mr.  AV.  AVebster  for  Plums  and  Melons.  J.  and 
R.  CuiTie  were  first  and  second  for  a  collection  of  vegetables, 
