68 THE FLORIST. 



the Carnation, the total exceeding by seventy per cent the very 

 liberal sum given at York. As a matter of comparison, I may 

 perhaps say, I believe the largest exhibition of these flowers ever 

 known was the " grand trial exhibition," held here in 1850. On 

 that occasion prizes Avere offered for twenty collections of six 

 blooms in four classes (so that five exhibitors might have divided 

 the honours amongst them), and forty-eight for single blooms, the 

 total money value being twenty-four pounds. Thirteen competitors 

 disputed the possession of these honours. For the coming meeting, 

 the prize-list embraces a total of seventy guineas, in twenty-two 

 collections of twelve blooms, sixteen of six blooms, and eighty single 

 specimens. Yet, notwithstanding this great increase, I believe the 

 competition Avill considerably exceed in its severity the ratio of the 

 former. Thus far the committee have the promise of great success ; 

 it remains for the cultivators of these flowers to make it a reality. 

 Derby, February 1854. E. S. Dodwell. 



FROGMORE. 



As some account of the Royal Gardens here is necessarily interesting 

 at all times, but more especially so at the present season, when the 

 different kinds of fruits and vegetables required to supply the Royal 

 Table in the early part of the season are in various stages of forward- 

 ness, as well as the numerous kinds of plants required to be in 

 bloom at this season for decorative purposes, we feel assured that the 

 following memoranda of what came under our notice during a re- 

 cent visit, AVT-U be acceptable to our readers. 



In the forcing department, we were much struck with what must 

 be considered the most successful exhibition of Grapes in pots we ever 

 remember seeing. The plants are now in full rearing, and about twelve 

 months old, and do not exceed two feet in height. Each of them 

 was carrying from four to six bunches, and they were clothed with 

 magnificent foliage. These vines were in low houses behind the prin- 

 cipal range ; the bunches were in different stages of forwardness, some 

 having been partly thinned, and others partly swelled ; and in many 

 cases they were much above the ordinary size, giving promise of a 

 crop of very superior fruit. The plants were in bottomless pots, 

 about ten inches wide, and were placed on shelves, on which a couple 

 of inches of turfy loam had been put before the pots were set there. 

 The roots of the vines soon enter, and spread through this material, 

 by which the plants are greatly increased in vigour. In the house 

 devoted to early Grapes, the crops looked very promising. We 

 noticed one house in which the berries were more than half swelled, 

 and Ave saw in the late vinery a portion of the crop of " St. Peter's" 

 still hanging, fresh and plump ; so that no great distance of time, if 

 any, Avdll intervene betAveen the retarded and early supplies of this 

 kind of fruit. 



