1870.] LIVERPOOL CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW. 43 



Prince Alfred, Guernsey STuggett, Isabella Bott, a charming hue of delicate pink, 

 Eev. J. Dix, Princess of "Wales, Princess Beatrice, Dr Brock, Mrs Halliburton, 

 Alarm, General Bainbrigge, Queen of Whites, Lady Talfourd, and Virgin Queen. 

 The best twelve also came from Mr Foster ; and the best six from Mr M' Hardy, 

 gardener to G. "W. Bateson, Esq., who had Nil Desperandum, Jardin des Plantes, 

 Eve, Lady Harding, Sir Stafford Carey, and Cherub. 



Now what was particularly wanted at this Exhibition was fine big ornamental 

 and variegated foliaged plants — Tree-Ferns, &c. — to relieve the sameness that 

 prevailed, and the dwarfed appearance of the small plants. Along the body of 

 the Hall were placed three long tables. If the centre table had had a bank of 

 large plants nicely arranged, instead of the fruit, it would have been a great 

 improvement in the appearance of the Show. Surely, if prizes were offered for 

 them, there are plenty of big plants that could be produced in competition for 

 such prizes. Some good specimens of Salvia splendens, Plumbago rosea, and 

 suchlike, would have done admirable service on this occasion, especially the 

 former by night. What is really required is, that some of the Chrysanthemum 

 classes be struck out, and prizes offered for groups of plants, as just suggested. 

 The Committee has no lack of funds, and cannot proffer the consideration of 

 poverty. Poinsettias were nicely done, and by night the blood-crimson florets 

 (in every case grandly coloured) were particularly vivid. The best specimens 

 were dwarf, the stems being twisted round some short stakes, and each had 

 three bunches of coloured leaf-flowers. There were plenty of standard and 

 pyramidal-trained plants of Mignonette, somewhat weakly-looking, as might be 

 expected at this season of the year, but promising to be very good by the spring 

 show. Ornamental-fruited plants — a capital idea — were represented by the excel- 

 lent and useful forms of Weatherill's Hybrid Solanums, Skitumia Japonica, and 

 Rivinia humilis, very good as a beginning, but surely capable of being extended. 

 Primulas were pretty, though mainly confined to the pyramid style of growth, 

 but the best plants were of the ordinary type ; and pans of the early single Roman 

 Hyacinth, twelve bulbs in each, were nicely done, and largely shown. 



The show of fruit was very good, particularly Apples and Pears ; and good and 

 well-known cultivators like Mr Hill, of Keele Hall Gardens, thought the show of 

 the latter the finest they had ever seen. A group of some eighteen Pine-apples, 

 shown in two classes, contained a splendid Charlotte Rothschild from Mr Ward 

 of Bishop-Stortford, weighing 9\ lb. Of Grapes, Black Alicante, Trebbiano, and 

 Lady Downes were very well shown ; and Mr Tyerman, of the Botanic Gardens, 

 exhibited a basket of Mrs Pince, sent from Cornwall, which had been grown 

 in a vinery without heat, to show that it will colour as readily as the Black 

 Hamburg under the same circumstances. 



It was estimated that some 600 dishes of fruit were staged on this occasion, 

 Pears and Apples largely preponderating. The tug of war (and it was a sharp 

 tug, and gave the judges something to do) was in the class for eight dishes of 

 dessert Pears, and fifteen competitors entered the lists. The 1st prize went to 

 Mr Brown, gardener to Colonel Biddulph, Chirk Castle, who had splendid ex- 

 amples of Crassane, Urbaniste, Baronne de Mello, Marie Louise, Beurre Diel, 

 Napoleon, Beurre d'Anjou, and Beurre d'Aremberg. Mr Brown staged another 

 collection in this class which was awarded an extra prize. The sorts were Nou- 

 veau Porteau, Napoleon, Beurre Diel, Marie Louise, Glout Morceau, Beurre 

 Ranee, Urbaniste, and Beurre d'Anjou. Mr Auchterlonie, gardener to Mrs 

 Harvey, was 2d with fine fruits of Baronne de Mello, Napoleon, Glout Morceau, 

 Hacon's Incomparable, Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre Diel, Brown Beurre, and Marie 

 Louise. Comte de Flandres, Easter Beurre, and Pi'ince Albert were the only vari- 



