IRISH GARDENING 



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in numerous variety, which were greatly admired 

 by visitors. 



Roses as usual were a feature of the show. 

 Messrs. Alex. Dickson had a very fine stand which 

 took up half one side of a tent, and was awarded 

 a gold medal. Their Hawlmark novelties and 

 others so engaged the attention of the visitors tha 

 it was difficult to get near enough to see the Roses. 

 Cactus Dahlias were also we'l shown by them, 

 while their herbaceous stuff was very well grown. 



Messrs. Hugh Dickson secured first prize for 

 a stand of decorative Roses. Beautiful arches of 

 Lady Godiva, Dorothy Perkins, Hiawatha decked 

 their stand ; also novelties like Muriel Dickson, 

 a bright cherry, and H. E. Richardson, a vivid 

 crimson "heir Sir William Ewart and H. P. 

 Pinkerton winning in classes 38 and 39 for 

 novelties. Another first was warded to this firm 

 for a fine stand of 72 blooms. 



Considering the dry summer, Sweet Peas were 

 well represented, Mr. F. Cowdy, of Loughall, 

 being the chief prize winner. In the champion 

 class — 18 bunches in 18 varieties — he won with 

 clean, strong and good-coloured blooms, well 

 arranged and neatly labelled. 



One wonders whether it would not be better 

 to have popular flowers like Carnations and Roses 

 clearly named, as it is certainly a nuisance to 

 have to keep on asking, especially when there are 

 so many varieties nowadays and the attendant is 

 often engaged with other people. 



Specimen Plants. — Zonal and Ivy-leaved 

 " Geraniums " were prominent in the cool 

 section, and some large, well grown pots of the 

 ever popular Coleus. The warm house section we 

 could only glance over, as the tents by this time 

 v\ ere uncomfortable. Our old friend Stephanotis, 

 also Cissus discolor, Bougainvillea, &c, showed 

 up as attractive as ever. 



Taking the fruit as we came to it, melons were 

 a very good lot, as good as ever were shown 

 probably. There was hardly a really weak fruit, 

 and the best were fit for any table. 



Apples were a very fair show considering it is 

 yet early for them. Some of the dessert varieties 

 were indeed appetising, Irish Peach being 

 prominent. Want of time and the crowd pre- 

 vented the noting of varieties and prize winners, 

 but our general impression was good. Culinary 

 varieties were also fairly numerous, but it is rather 

 early for them. A very noticeable dish was a 

 highly coloured sample labelled Cox's Pomona. 

 The colour was so good that the fruits must have 

 come from pot trees against a wall. Alderman 

 Bewley was the exhibitor. 



Peaches were a very good lot on the whole ; 

 and though personally we like the medium-sized 

 highly-coloured fruits, yet the huge specimens 

 from Lord Decres' garden were certainly wonderful 

 examples of cultural skill. 



Grapes, to put it frankly, are not a strong 

 feature in Dublin. For two bunches of black 

 grapes the first went to Madresfield Court, shown 

 by Alderman Bewley. They were fair-sized 

 bunches, nicely finished, but the berries were 

 about half the size they should be. The 2nd 

 prize went to a pair of very nicely grown and 

 finished Appley Towers from F. V. Westby. 

 Hamburghs were only fair, and on the whole not 

 too well coloured, but it is an early grape and 

 loses colour with keeping. Muscats were wretched, 

 most of them green, and not one bunch well 

 finished. There is room for immense improvement 

 in the grapes. 



The class for 12 dishes fruit brought forth only 

 one competitor — viz., Alderman Bewley — who 



well deserved the first prize. In this exhibit were 

 some of the best grapes in the show, while the 

 apples, melons, peaches, nectarines, plums. &c, 

 were all of high excellence, a beautiful and praise- 

 worthy exhibit : and this is a class in which we 

 would like to see keen competition. 



Further on were fine dishes of red and white 

 currants in rare condition, demonstrating the 

 value of a late supply where much fruit is wanted. 

 Close by, too, were several dishes of that useful 

 fruit, the Loganberry, so good for tarts, &c. 



Class 24. — Collection of hardy cut flowers on a 

 space 16 feet by 4 feet, drew some good exhibits. 

 H. M. Barton was placed first with a very good 

 lot. Some nice vases were Coreopsis verticillata, 

 Montbretia rosea, Astilbe Davidi., Alstriomeria 

 psittacina, Platycodon grandiflorum, &c. Mrs. 

 Mitchell was second, and Capta n Riall was third. 

 Unfortunately a strong and well arranged exhibit, 

 which would have given the first a good run for 

 place, was disqualified on the point of some 

 flowers not being hardy. 



The Annuals were good, Col. Crichton 

 (gardener, Mr. Mitchison) winning first with a 

 showy and bright dozen. 



Carnations were a strong class. T. F. Crozier 

 winning with 12 fine vases. 



In border Carnations, E. C. Hardman won 

 first with some fine flowers, some of which were 

 unnamed seedlings and some good vases of 

 Elizabeth Schiffner, Dublin Pink, Fiery Cross, 

 and Painted Lady. 



Lord Carew showed one of the finest boxes of 

 double tuberous Begonias, 21 blooms, which has 

 been seen in Dublin for many a long day ; 2nd place 

 was won by II. Stubber, and 3rd by T. F. Crozier. 



Visitors seemed to greatly appreciate the band 

 of the South Irish Horse, and in the afternoon 

 the Lord Lieutenamt and the Countess of 

 Aberdeen, accompanied by the Countess of 

 Kimberley, inspected the show. 



Naas Horticultural. 



The Naas District Horticultural Society held 

 their annual show in the Farming Society's 

 premises on August 15th. Favoured with warm 

 weather, with just an occasional shower, the 

 numerous visitors spent a most enjoyable after- 

 noon : sports and various competitions engaged 

 the attention of the young and athletic. 



In spite of the dry summer the exhibits inside 

 the building gave a feast of colour, although the 

 Sweet Peas were not so numerous as last year. 



In class 90, Col. Crichton (gardener, Mr. 

 Mitchison) won the first prize and Edward Cowdy 

 ( 'hallenge Cup with six very fine bunches of Sweet 

 Peas, which included the following varieties : — 

 Barbara, Agricola, Mrs. Unwin, Efrida Pearson, 

 R. F. Felton, T. Stevenson. Lady Garden was 

 second with good flowers, in which a fine vase of 

 R. F. Felton was conspicuous. 



Roses were a feature of the show. Messrs. 

 Alex. Dickson won in the nurserymen's class for 

 a silver cup with a very fine stand of Roses and 

 mixed cut flowers. Their George Dickson Rose 

 was shown in great form, tremendous flowers of 

 great depth and large velvety petals. Carine is a 

 really beautiful Hybrid Tea, pink, with an 

 apricot centre. The new Queen Ma.ry was there 

 with Sunburst, and Miss Alice de Rothschild like 

 a dwarf Marechal Niel ; but for colour, one's gaze 

 flew to the single Rose, Irish Fireflame. 



Carnations and hardy flowers were very good. 

 Thalictrum Delavayi is a beautiful Meadow Rue 

 from China, while Pyrethrum delicata seems to 

 be lavish in giving a second crop of flowers 



