336 THE GARDENER. [July 



Mr Child had the best six stove and greenhouse Ferns, his specimens of 

 Gleichenias Mendellii and G. Microphylla, C. ibotium Sehiedei, Dicksonia 

 antarctica, Leptopteris superba, and Adiantum Farleyense being remark- 

 ably good. 



Mr Wills staged the best Gloxinias ; Messrs J. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, the 

 best Tuberous Begonias ; and Mr Parker the best Hardy Plants. 



Mr W. Bull was placed first for twelve new plants; Mr Wills second; and 

 Mr B. S. Williams third. There were three competitors for the handsome 

 silver cups, offered by Mr W. Bull for twelve new plants, sent out by him 

 since 1S76. Mr Rann secured the first prize with well -grown plants of 

 Lomaria Dalgairnsice, Kentia Wendlandi ; Croton3 princeps, picturatum, 

 Heudersonii, and Williamsii ; Dracaenas, rex, vivicans, Goldieana, Robinsoni- 

 ana, and Dieffenbachia illusoris. Mr Penfold, Beddington, was placed second ; 

 and Mr J. Hammond, Brayton, third. There were four groups arranged for 

 the prizes offered for a group of miscellaneous plants arranged for effect, and 

 occupying a space not exceeding 300 square feet, all of whom showed great 

 taste in their arrangement of innumerable, and in some instances very valuable 

 plants. Mr Wills secured the premier prize (£15) with a grand group, ar- 

 ranged in his well-known and unequalled style, though in our opinion scarcely 

 so good as those arranged by him last year. The groundwork consisted of 

 Lycopodiums, Adiantums, &c. Out of these were springing out groups of 

 choice foliage and liowering plants ; and towering over the whole many noble 

 specimen Palms, Ferns, &c. Messrs Laing & Co. secured the second prize with 

 a well-arranged and valuable group ; and Messrs Peed & Sons and Mr Aldons 

 were placed equal, third; the group arranged by the latter consisting entirely 

 of white flowering and green foliage plants, and was both chaste and novel. 

 Mr B. S. Williams had the first prize for a group of flow T ering-plants, staging 

 a splendid lot of plants in his well-known style. Several valuable groups of 

 plants, not for competition, were sent by the Messrs Veitch & Sons, Cutbush 

 & Sons, Osborn & Sons, Mr B. S. Williams, and Mr Boiler. In addition to 

 the group of foliage and flowering plants, Messrs Osborn & Sons staged an 

 attractive and instructive group of hardy plants. Boxes of cut Ptoses came 

 from Mr W. Paul, and a group of remarkably well-flowered Azaleas from the 

 Societies' garden at Chiswick. The liberal prizes offered for fruit and vege- 

 tables failed to attract many competitors ; this, however, is rightly attributed 

 to the backwardness of the season, of which complaints were to be heard on 

 all sides. The class for Black Hamburgs was a fair one ; but the white 

 Grapes staged in the other classes were of very inferior colour, although said 

 to be fit for the table. The first prize bunches of Black Hamburg, staged by 

 Mr P. Edwards, Liphook, were rather loose, but in other respects were very 

 good ; and the same remark applies to those staged by Mr W. Johnstone, Bay- 

 ham Abbey, to which was awarded the second prize. The only stand of Mus- 

 cat of Alexandria w T as put up by Mr J. Maher, Stoke Court, which, although 

 apparently unripe, secured that exhibitor the first prize. In the class for any 

 other white Grape, Mr Atkins, Wantage, was placed first, and Mr P. Edwards 

 second, both staging fair examples of Buckland Sweetwater. The competition 

 in the classes for Pine Apples was very weak indeed, none of the fruit staged 

 being particulurly fine ; and in one instance — that for two specimens — the first 

 prize was withheld, Mr Rutland, Goodwood, being awarded the second for 

 a moderate-sized Charlotte Rothschild, and a small Queen. Mr Rutland se- 

 cured the first prize in the class for one Queen (no second was awarded), and 

 was the only exhibitor in the class for any other variety, receiving the first 



