THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 191 



this society was lield in a large marquee in Devonport Park, under the 

 patronage of the Earl of St. Germans, Earl Morley, Sir Thomas Paaley, B.irt., 

 and other persons of influence in. the locality. The weather was fine, and 

 there was a lar^e attendance. Collections, not for competition, were exhibited 

 by W. H. P. Carew, E^^q. ; W. C. Hodge, Esq. ; J. Eoas, Esq. ; J. H. VViLsou, 

 Esq. ; and Mr. J. Roberts. Achimenes, begonias, and fruit were unusually 

 good. Mr. C. Brighton, gardener at Mount Edgecumbe, showed some splen- 

 did grapes ; Mr. Prout, engineer at the dockyard, had some excsllent dishes 

 of plums and pears. In asters and dahlias, tlie amateurs outslione the gai*- 

 deners. Two very showy " hearthrug" designs in cut flowers were exhibited. 



Bampton, Aug. 16. — By the courtesy of Mrs. Southby, the same site was 

 used for the show as last year, and the greatest success attended it. There 

 was a tea party and a dance to make the affair thoroughly social a^ a local 

 gathering, and the Rev. D. Adams, acted as medium of communication be- 

 tween the promoters of the show and the visitors assembled, by means of an 

 appropriate address. 



Shepton M.\llet and East Somerset, Aug. 20. — The Sheptonians 

 made extensive preparations for this their second exhibition of the season, 

 and the neighbouring towns sent visitors in abundance by special and excursion 

 trains. The town was decorated from one end to the other with arches of 

 evergreens, flags, floral medallions, and other devices appropriate to the 

 occasion. The ground was lent for the purpose by W. C. Walker, and 

 W. Hockey, Esqrs., and there were five tents appropriated to the products of 

 the horticultural skill of the district. There were 260 exhibitors and 1500 

 entries; a proof of the prosperity of the society as representative of a very 

 favourable locfility. In addition to the usual features of a schedule, prizes 

 were given for the best cultivated gardens in each of the parishes of the dis- 

 trict, and also prizes for wild flowers, and to cottagers who had obtained the 

 largest amount of money for prizes. Among the novelties were four seed- 

 ling dahlias exhibited by Mr. Keynes of Salisbury, for which a certificate 

 was awarded. They were named respectively Anna Keynes, Donald Beaton, 

 Mrs. Crisp, and Miss Carter. A fuU report and list of prizes was published 

 in the current issue of the Saik Chronicle, to which we refer for further par- 

 ticulars. 



Thoub RIDGE, Aug. 28. — The twelfth annual exhibition took place in a 

 field adjoining the railway station, and an immense variety of amusements 

 was added to the attractions of the show. 



THE HORTICULTUEAL BITE. 



The effect of the bite [<a love of horticulture] 

 does not appear till tlie decline of life — not 

 that the mental and nervous energy are 

 then expended, bvit a more quiescent stare 

 is superinduced in accommodation to the 

 weakness of the bones and muscles. From 

 all the cas.-s, however, that have come 

 under my observation, I can truly say that 

 this decline has been put off to a far greater 

 distance from those who have submitted to 

 the bite, and the increased activity wliich it 

 communicates, than from such as, preferring 

 a mere torpid state of existence, have treated 

 their nervous system with punch, and pipes, 

 and mornini^ slumbers, and strong tea. I 

 am not philosopher enough to tell why 

 a machine that has so many joinings, levers, 



lying a good deal idle — unless it be that 

 rust consumes faster than labour wears ; 

 but, like other venders of specifics, I rest 

 chiefly on the f\ict3 of the case, and to these 

 I can confidently refer. I have further ob- 

 served, as to the effect of the infusion by 

 the bite, that it stimulates the brain jrently, 

 increases the circulation, and determines to 

 the surface — that it gives to the he^d a 

 great turn for quick inventions, and fills 

 the heart with kindly feelings. In short, 

 I liave never discovered anything of a. 

 rabid tendency in its effects on those who 

 have been bit, except a strong propensity to 

 bite others. And as to its operation on 

 your tastes and pursuits, it will inspire a love 

 of your garden, and as strong an antipathy 



pulleys, and pivots, should last longer by . to that of the sluggard as another sort of 

 constant and even rapid motion than by ' bite gives to the sight of water. Bob. 



