THE ROSE SHOW.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 119, 10 November 1911, Page 7

THE ROSE SHOW.

A SURPRISING EXHIBITION.

j The present season lias been an atrol cious one from the rose lover's point of ! view, and the opinion held generally among growers was that, the annual rose show of the Horticultural Society wus just a week too soon. Such weather three or four years ago would have made the show a very precarious proposition. hilt the effect of the manual rose exhibitions has been to increase the number of growers in this district, ami their frequent meetings and discussions of the best methods of culture have had the further effect of enabling even the small gardener to produce (lovely blooms. It. is a fact that ill most gardens the roses are not yet at their best, and many good show varieties have not yet flowered, but notwithstanding all this yesterday's show was a distinct success, and there was staged by Mrs. Scott, of Yogel'town. a specimen of the climbing Mrs. \Y. .1. Orant variety that surprised the judge as much as it surprised the other competitors. Mr. .1. Weightman, of Awahuri. is one of the best New Zealand rose judges, and he declared that this was the best rose he had ever seen. Its color was a dainty pale pink, and its form was perfect. There was a dearth this year of the favorite white rose. Fran lvirl Druschki. whose blooms have beenquite a feature of our rose -hows in previous years.' Climbing roses were, not as line as formerly, but. these. ar<; : Jate this year. In several of the named 'classes ' the best exhibit had to be passed over owing to the neglect of the exhibitor to comply with the conditions'by stating the name of the rose shown. In ; addition to the competitive classes there ' are many very line roses for exhibition only. The decorated tables, baskets. ' ami sprays of roses were a verv attractive section, too, but some doubt was expressed as to whether a basket of roses dressed only on one side of the basket—the side placed for the judges to see—should gain fust, award a? a basket ol roses. The judges. Mesdamos C. H. Burgess, \Y. Ambury and C. K. Weston, had some difliculty in separating some of the decorative exhibits.. . ! PRI&E LIST. The prize "list was'as' follows':— : 'Best white,'-' 1: - bloom.—-Mrs."' 0. M. •Tones IV ' '••>«» ; . . Best red. 1 bloom.—Mr. F. Adams 1 Mrs. R. J. White' 2. Best red, .V blooms. Mri. C. M'. j Jones 1. ■ ' : ■ ■■• | Best cream 6r Vellow. 1 bloom.—Mrs.' A. Staples 1, ' ' ; ■ Best cream oi- yellow. 3' bloom*.—Mr.*. ! •('. M. Jones 1. ' ■ • • > ■ Best pink. 1. tfaftri.. Mrs. .J. Paton 2. ' - •. t ■ ; I Best ' pink; -3' lihfohis. —■ 'Mrs; M. A. : Jones 1. ,!c:: Distinct-.yarietii-'.";"! ln«t. y- F. j Adams I.'Mrs. :1. Sa'll 2; iMivJ. .TfH;Wafden h.c. > - • t ■ Distinct vsuictft~: ,:best. -fc.' H. Devenish .1. 'Mrs, ,I.,p,Atoii h*,.' , | Distinct varieties; • bfst"il!j.i4-Mr; .11. ■l. White I, Mrs. Pen«;»rdtm; 2, Mr». C. I 51. Jones h.c. : . ■ ! Climbing varieties, .best jlir-JJ-rfv -J. j I'aton 1, Mr.. J: fjihnou 2. . I Any variety, best A.< StamlesJ I, Mrs. J, Salt 2. o! ,V; ; Any variety. ,l»e*t .11--M|% .0, ; jie-l , Cahev 1. Mr. ,1. Cib^ou.2, Mrs. ; L.' : ,Kllcnn lu-:, Mrs. Sa.lt c. , ... : • Any variety, best (i. distinct. ;-<>:'Mrs. , •I. Salt 1. .Mr. [I Any variety, best 12. distinct.—Mr*. (': j M. Jones I', Mr. J. (libson 2. | j Best fspraj 'of idlinjlsiilg; ifliyaariet v.—j Mrs. Kllerm 1. Mr. J. (iihson 2. j Best natural-spray of polyanthus oi'! bunch llowers.—Mrs. Kllerm 1. !f. Champion 'blorfnt ■ sMWted' 'ftdni !l all classes in the. show'.- 1 -Mr*.' .1; Salt' 1. |f Best exhibit ■o< "tlOWel's ' ot'ber • thirfnj l roses.—.l. (libson 'll Mrs, 2. ' j u«CO?Ai Decorated tables. - Mrs. J,' Miss MutUit'^,2; r J; Curt.ii ,3.. I iyi.y: foliage.,^ladies—Jliss jjK.| MeKellar 1. ilrs. o,'Richard-toy 2:., r ; Buttonholes, any foliage, Carthew 1, Mrs. XL .8ay1y..2., , ; Bowl, any foliage.—Miss IMfJscDar' I, Mrs. J ; 11. Frethey 2.. I i| Basket any .foliage.—ilrs> Richard-'; son 1, Mrs, J. IJ. Fi;ethf|y 3,, 1 . j Sprav, any foliage .(children!.—JlissJ S. Bayly 1. , .. : Buttonhole, any foliage . (children).— '• Miss Ruby Allen, 1... j|

the fißorps, The whole of the ! lyvdifable' space in the hall was taken up. and the appearance was lovely indeed. The society is indebted to several of 0111' Meal growers for splendid displays of various flowers, and some of these .contained recently imported specialties. Mr. Xawton.' Kiufc ' showed, ■ anwugst other roses, Mildred (Irant. Hon. ln'a Bipgliam, Lady Ash town,. Betty arid I'erie des .Jardiiies,' a yellow; climber Which seems very well suited tt> this lwality. Mr. King has a wonderful collection of Spanish iris, some : splendid I clematis, azaleas, rhododendrons, and 'ah ixin which was declared to be the finest seen here. A -number of pot plants were u«cd tit heighten the effect. Mr. .1. Gibson, who is 'toothing if not an enthusiastic grower of flowers, made a very pretty display of cut blooms; amongst which one could not help noticing particularly his fine collection of pansies, which he personally imported. These attracted more attention, perhaps, than some of the .stands of roses. He had also some giant out*!! bloom over seveh inches in heaths, wateoniri,' tulips, irtyifru'iuitionsi' fte. )|

Mr. S. \Y. Shaw's roses are exceptionally fine. The blooms had been ay ell grown, anil were well shown. Amongst

the best were Betty (a very popular rose with New Plymouth growers), Mrs. 1 Lippiatt, Edith Coulthwaite. Countess Cayala, and Lady Roberts. It was in* teresting to notice that several'of the new growers, profiting by the experience of such men as Mr. Shaw. Mr.' King, and others —who, perhaps, can better afford to do the experimenting—'are going in for the. roses which thi£P gt'iitlemfn have proved to suit the Xe,W' Plymouth climate and soil conditions. Many a young gardener is disappoints when he find» that. the beaut ifuK blooms on nurserymen's stands do not "do" here.

Mesdames Eilerm, Sandford, ■ Goker/ Miss T. Kidd, and Messi*.' R. Coc'k/XJ Allen, P. S. Whitcombe and E. Allen all made displays of blooms from their gardens, and Mrs. A. H. Ambury showed sweet peas. Messrs. J. Weightman and Sons, the Morshead Nursery Company, and Messrs. Duncan and Da vies, nurserymen, all'had ; large stands diftplwhui specimen g«*- | crs, and Mr. J. Ail3rlag«<tkofttl I blooms.

The show was a most stteee«tfal sne from tie poipt' of view of rose-lovers, though the wet weather must have effected the attendance considerably. The members of the committee and the secretary (Mr. A. L. Humphries) , were kept busy all the morning, and exhibitors received every attention and assistance from the officials. The lady members, of the society conducted the afternoon tea-room.