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IRISH GARDENING 



mountain side (all visually, of course), where we were 

 nearly lost in the cmbarnis ties ruhes of the Alpine 

 flora, from which, if we dare say so, the artist seemed 

 to have suffered a little. In the new class for 12 pans 

 of Alpines, distinct, Mr. Besant's staging for Mrs. 

 Greer, the Curragh Grange, was an e.xcellent exposi- 

 tion, the only other contestant being disqualified for 

 exceeding size limit. With three competitors in the 

 class for 24 vases of hardy flowers, Captain Rialls 

 first prize lot included Dendromecon rigidum and 

 Veronica Lavaudiana, and this class, with the lesser 

 one of 12 vases, filled a nice range of tabling. Here 

 we may, rightly or wrongly, mention Perpetual Car- 

 nations, 6 vases, three blooms to a vase, an easy class 

 surely, for which four entrants competed, the bulk of 

 the blooms being rough. In the following class for 

 bunches of Arum Lilies, a brave show was in evidence 

 with seven competing. Here, Miss Murphy, Darlry 

 House, hit the happy medium with clean blooms dis- 

 played to advantage, an object lesson to those who 

 cruelly shortened stems, legs so short in fact as to put 

 them out of the running. 



Plants.— The plant tables, S x 4 ft., both for quality 

 and effect made a prominent feature, .Alderman Hewley 

 taking premier place with a light arrangement in which 

 Orchids played a prominent part. Azaleas were ex- 

 cellent, Mr. Colgan, with the St. Michael's plants 

 leading in every class. Deutzias, as usual in Dublin 

 were well done, and as usual sprinkled the floor with 

 their confetti-like petals. Cineraria slellata varieties, 

 as represented by two lots only, appear inclined to go 

 off into a wild, straggling habit, not commendable from 

 our point of view. There is ample room for improvement 

 here as well as more competitors. .\s for the other 

 Cinerarias, in another class, they were there. Fred 

 Simmons' 1st prize half dozen white Spira;as, staged 

 for Mr. Westby, Roebuck Castle, were grand, and 

 equally so the only pink lot staged by Mr. Davies from 

 Obelisk Park. The new class for Schizanthus was 

 admirably filled, Mr. Green's group, staged for Mr. 

 Robertson, Hermitage, Dundrum, being perfect ex- 

 amples of Ihe somewhat soft but floriferous subject. 

 Show, regal, or fancy Pelargoniums, as shown, were 

 neither regal in look nor did they take our fancy ; it is 

 too early in the year for this section. Two nice lots of 

 Amaryllis came in for competition, awards going to Mr. 

 Westby and Alderman Bewley, respectively. Migno- 

 nette is always superbly done in Dublin, and this year 

 was no exception, the best 3 pots being staged for Mrs. 

 Meade-Coffey by R. Soden. The new class for Primula 

 obconica was well filled and high-coloured varieties in 

 evidence. There appears an opening here for schedule 

 extension in such things as Malacoides and Kewensis, 

 now the old Chinese Primulas have had their day in 

 Dublin. Last, not least, under this head were the noble 

 pot of Arum Lilies, in which the veteran, Wm. Harte, led 

 for Miss O'Meara, with J. Tubberl, for Mr. H. Uudgeon, 

 and J. Nolan, for Mr. T. F. Crozicr, close at his heels. 



Fruit. Vegetables, &c. —Under this head we have 

 little comment. Alderman Bewley's big baking pears, 

 Uvedale's St. Germains, handsome specimens, were a 

 tribute to the keeping qualities of this consistent bearer, 

 and the same exhibitor's Royal Sovereign strawberries 

 an easy first. Fifteen exhibits of broccoli, mostly of 

 high quality, speak well for the useful vegetable ; there 



was, however, a drop in the quality of spring cabbage, 

 the one thing, by the way, still wanting (as we write) in 

 our Dublin markets, and that made more prominent the 

 excellent sample of Mackey's (Dublin) Selected Early 

 Ofl'enhani, shown by S. Soden, and here, too, is where 

 the value of the -Society's new rule of naming these 

 exhibits come in. Lettuce was leafy, and growers 

 might note the value at this season of Petite Noire 

 which has been much to the front in London. Under 

 the et ceteras we have to notice the Trade Bride's 

 Bouquets competing for Alderman Bewley's prize. 

 To a casual observer, or even to the mere man, 

 there was little to choose between the four in 

 competition, all were dainty confections, in which 

 Odontoglossum Alexandra; was the dominent feature. 

 The Lady Judges, however, who awarded the prize 

 to Messrs. Chas. Ramsay & Sons, the Royal Nurseries, 

 Ballsbridge. gave us the points which seemed to sum up 

 in the handling — viz.. in the hands of a bride — and, 

 ixpcrientUi iltnct. Other et ceteras were the nice col- 

 lection of apples, not for competition, from Marlay 

 (iardens, Rathfarnliam ; Mrs. Butler's collection of .St. 

 Brigid Anemones from Priesto\vn,Meath ; and .Mderman 

 Bewley's fine tdble of .'Vmaryllis, for which a silver 

 medal was a wa. ded. 



Trade Exhibits. — The following were recommended 

 for gold niei'als b}- the judges, which was subsequently 

 confirmed by the Council, viz. : — Messrs. Hogg cS: 

 Robertson, Holland in Ireland, Rush, Co. Dublin ; 

 Messrs. Charles Ramsay & Sons, the Royal Nurseries, 

 Ballsbridge ; Messrs. Young & Co., Hatherley, Chelten- 

 ham, (ilos. ; the Lissadell Bulb Farm, Sligo ; and Messrs. 

 Ellis, the Rathgar Nurseries and Grafton Street, 

 Dublin. Taking these in order named, Messrs. Hogg 

 & Robcitson's stand of Daffodils and Tulips included 

 amongst the latter the dainty little Lady Tulip Clusiana, 

 which hardy-flower folk would do well to note for 

 adding to their exhibits. On Messrs. Ramsay's com- 

 manding stand, filling the south end of the hall, we 

 noted some charming new Hydrangeas in delightfully 

 delicate shades of colour, and lovely bunches of the 

 Brido and Liberty Roses. Messrs. Young & Co., as 

 specialists in Carnations, staged the finest lot we have 

 yet seen in Dublin, including the new Duchess of 

 Devonshire and Lady Audry Neild, whilst old standard 

 kinds, including White Enchantress and the .Mikado, 

 were en masse as well as perfect form. On the Lissadell 

 stand such noble Daffodils as King .\lfred and Madam 

 de (iraafl' were conspicuous. Messrs. Ellis, who had a 

 floor space in the annexe, gave a nice display in a 

 rustic arrangement, with mirrors setting oft" a collection 

 of useful furnishing plants, amongst which some pretty 

 Heaths, Erica ventricosa minor were very attractive. 



Silver medallists comprised Messrs. Browett. Kings- 

 town, with a big group of foliage plants and the firm's 

 fine strain of giant I'ansies in quantity. Messrs. W. B. 

 Hartland iSi Sons, Cork, Daffodils, hardy plants, and 

 Orchids, including some nice bits among the latter, and 

 a new Cymbidium fi'om Burmali. Messrs. Pennick & 

 Co., Delgany Nurseries, Co. Wicklow, made a pretty 

 and extensive group of choice hardy subjects, filling a 

 corner in the annexe. As for the rest, including all the 

 prize winners not named here in the competing classes, 

 ;dl was most creditably and fully reported in our Dublin 

 Press, and needs no further elaboration b\" — Ol'iz. 



