2t 



JOUKNAL OP HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( July 10, 187S. 



The principal exhibitors of'Grapes were Mr. J. Douglas, Lox- 

 ford Hall Gardens ; Mr. H. Spencer, pardeuer to T. Holman, 

 Esq. ; and Mr. G. Halliday, Bletchingley. Black Hamburghs 

 ■were well coloured and ripened, and Golden Champion as fine 

 as ever it has been exhibited. The best Pines were sent by Mr. 

 C. Rye, of Tunbridge, and Mr. G. Ward, of Bishop Stortford. 

 The best Strawberries, an excellent dish of Sir J. Paxton, were 

 sent from Dr. Newington's gardens, Ticehurst. Collections of 

 fruit were not shown so well as the other classes. Mr. T. Hop- 

 good, gardener to Julian Goldsmid, E.sq , exhibited the best 

 dishes, quality and arrangement being taken into account. 



Tunbridge Wells is strong in Cucumbers. ■ No less than thirty 

 brace were staged in competition, Mr. J. Staples, gai-dener to 

 Mrs. Candy, showing a brace of a fine white-spined variety, and 

 taking the highest award. 



In stove and greenhouse plants, fine-foliaged plants, Ferns, 

 Lycopods, itc, there was strong competition. The best stove 

 and greenhouse flowering plants were sent by Mr. W. linight, 

 gardener to F. D. ShadwoU, Esq., Fairlight. The intense crim- 

 son of his Kalosanthes coccinea and the deep blue of Statice 

 imbricata were remarkable. Fine-foliaged plants of considerable 

 merit were sent by Mr. G. W. Jobson, gardener to W. H. Stone, 

 Esq., Leigh Park, Havant ; amongst them were fine examples 

 of Pandanus ornatus and Cordyline indivisa. 



Lycopods were really splendid, and the well-grown healthy 

 plants of Selaginella apoda, S. Lobbi, S. Martensii, S. formosum, 

 and S. cassia sent by Mr. H. Scammell, gardener to C. Eeily, 

 Esq., Nevill Park, secured for him the first prize. We have not 

 space to enumerate all the prizes, nor to describe the handsome 

 specimen Ferns nor the Fuchsias, fifty specimens of which were 

 arranged down the centre of the large tent. We have seen very 

 good Orchids exhibited here, but on this occasion only one poor 

 collection was shown. 



The cottagers are not forgotten at Tunbridge Wells, and we 

 must say that the prizes awarded to them were well earned, 

 their productions being of a very high order of merit. A series 

 of prizes are also given for the best-managed garden, the value of 

 which in the aggi-egate amounts to upwards of il5, and no less 

 than twenty-one competitors contested them. The competition 

 is confined to a radius of five miles round Tunbridge Wells. 

 Mr. A. H. Bull had in this instance the honour of being in the 

 highest position, and was awarded the first prize of £4. 



EOTAL HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY'S EOSE 

 SHOW AT BATH. 



[Continued from, page 6.) 



In the class for thirty-six Mr. H. Grant was equal first with 

 Mr. Baker, and had Cloth of Gold, M.ulame Charles Crapelet, 

 Pierre Netting, Madame Marie Cirodde, Madame Boutiu, La 

 France, Dtvouiensis, Charles Lefebvie, America, Ferdinand de 

 Lesseps, <tc. The Eev. J. B. Camm was second. 



New Eoses did not come out verv strongly. Only one box of 

 hlooms was shown by Messrs. Paul & Son ; it contained Madame 

 Lacharme, a nice bloom ; Bessie Johnson, Reynolds Hole (a 

 seedling of Mr. Paul's), very dark ; W. Wilson Saunders, another 

 seedling remarkably like Charles Lefebvre ; Cheshuut Hybrid, 

 Annie Laxton, and some others not very striking. In the" prize 

 for the best twelve blooms of any Rose of 1872-73, the prize was 

 given to Annie Laxton, a remarkably fresh-coloured flower, and 

 e^'Djted by Messrs. Paul & Son ; second to Mr. Cranston for 

 Andrfe Dunand, a light-coloured flower, style of Baronne de 

 Eothsclald. Messrs. Paul also exhibited fine blooms of Ches- 

 huntHybrid, and Mr. CooHngobtained third for AbbeBramerel— 

 not that this is a better Eose than Cheshunt Hybrid, but the 

 same exhibitor cannot take more than one prize "in each class; 

 I regard it as a rough high-coloured G6ant-des-Batailles style 

 of flower. In the class for six blooms Messrs. Paul & Son were 

 first with Annie Laxton, Mr. Cranston second with Madame 

 Bellon, and Mr. Cooling third with President Thiers. For two 

 Dew Eoses in pots sent out by English nurservmen since 1S71 

 there was no competition, Messrs. Paul & Son lie'ing the onlv ex- 

 hibitors ; theirplants were Princess Louise and Cheshunt Hy'brid 

 Altogether it was a very pleasing exhibition, and my chief re- 

 gret was that I could not linger over it.— D., Deal. 



OPENING OF THE PUBLIC PAEK AT 

 "WAEEINGTON. 



The formal opening of Bank Hall and Gardens as a Town 

 Hall and Public Park, was the occasion of a great demonstration 

 in Warrington on June 20th. The demesne which has passed 

 into the hands of the Corporation in trust for the people of War- 

 rington belonged to the Patten family, a time-honoured name ; 

 and the Right Hon. J. Wiison-Patten, MP., in placing within 

 the reach of his fellow-townsmen the opportunity of acquiring 

 BO desirable a property, has only afforded another instance of his 

 desire to act the part of a real benefactor. 



The Park has many advantages over a new place. It has 



ready-grown trees and shrubs, three-quarters of a century old , 

 which few new parks can boast. The trees are not so numerous 

 as they were twenty-five years ago ; several outside the gardens 

 have been cut down to make room for buildings, and conse- 

 quently there is not the same picturesque scenery there was 

 formerly. But to compensate for this, the growth of flowers has 

 been increased, and new walks so arranged as to make the grounds 

 appear larger than they really are ; fresh openings have been 

 made to give more effective scenery within the walls. Rhodo- 

 dendrons flourish, and some are large and some very old, one 

 still standing which the late Mrs. Wilson-Patten, mother (o Col. 

 the Eight Hon. J. Wilson-Patten planted, was the first Rhodo- 

 dendron grown in that garden. Although the grounds are laid 

 out with taste, it is capable of modification to make it more ad- 

 vantageous as a public park. Viewed from the front of the Hall 

 is a lawn belted on each side with trees ; the east, or side towards 

 the town, is the front entrance through an avenue of trees, 

 chiefly English Elms, some very old. On the west side is < 

 another drive lined with trees not so old as those on the east 

 side. Looking from the front door over Arpley meadows, which 

 lie low, across the Mersey to Hill Cliff and other rising ground 

 in Cheshire, we see a nicely wooded landscape, dotted with 

 houses in the distance, but the view is somewhat deteriorated 

 by the railways. On the west of the Hall is the grass land, belted 

 north and south with trees, but open to the west against several 

 works. North of the Hall is the garden, and from the new 

 council-chamber is a view over a close-mown lawn, surrounded 

 with large Rhododendrons, interspersed with trees, flower beds, 

 walks, and a serpentine sheet of water, with a rustic-looking 

 temple at one end, the whole being enclosed by a wall. The 

 flower beds are filled with ornamental-foliaged and flowering 

 plants, and the number used for this purpose is over 9U00. 



Banquets, illuminations, and processions rightly attended the 

 auspicious event, for auspicious it is for any town to have in its 

 vicinity such a people's park and gardens. Among the proces- 

 sions was one that has endured for many centuries, and was 

 one of the most interesting — " The coronation of the Bonnie 

 Queen of May," which took place in St. Elphin's Park in the 

 evening, before an immense concourse of people. Shortly after 

 six o'clock the procession, headed by the band of the Euncorn 

 parish church, marched to a hollow jiart of the Park, where there 

 was erected a temporary platform, with two chairs thereon, for 

 the accommodation of the King and Queen. This was a most 

 advantageous position, as the spectators could stand on the rising 

 ground and without unnecessary crowding have a full view of 

 the scene. The procession presented a very imposing spectacle 

 The King, Master James Singleton, was attended by Master 

 W. LiUey, the crown-bearer, and Master Fred. Wood, the Grand 

 Duke; while the Queen was accompanied by her train-bearers. 

 Miss Edith Broadhurst and Miss Emily Boardmau, and her 

 maids of honour. The Queen, a pretty intelligent-looking 

 girl, was attired in a snowy-white muslin frock, stockings and 

 shoes of equal whiteness, a scarlet cloak trimmed with white fur, 

 and a white rosette for a head-dress. The other girls were 

 dressed in white frocks trimmed with blue and pink, and each 

 wore a wreath of flowers on the head. The King wore a crown 

 on his head, carried a sceptre in his right hand, his feet were 

 covered with patent leather slippers with yellow buckles, and 

 over all he had a long robe of cerise velvet trimmed with white. 

 The boys were neatly attired for the occasion, and several o£ 

 them carried a small tricoloured flag. The girls who belonged 

 to the Mount Schools, were under the direction of Miss Shaw, 

 Miss Hankey, and Miss Bennett ; while the boys were under the 

 superintendence of their master, Mr. Dewhurst, of the National 

 School, Church Street. Ou arriving at the halting point, the 

 children were arranged in a circle around the throne, upon 

 which the King and Queen took their seats. Immediately on 

 getting into position. Master Singleton raised himself to bis feet,, 

 swayed his sceptre with an air of indifference, and in a clear and 

 distinct voice addressed his '* subjects " in the following words : — 

 My Loyal Subjects, — By God's providence we are met to cele- 

 brate another anniversary. To-day is a doubly auspicious one, 

 as I, the King of your schools, am here to crown my Queen be- 

 fore you. First let me congratulate you on taking part in this 

 morning's ceremony. You have, by the muniljcence of the 

 Right Hon. Colonel Patten and George Crosfield, Esq., become- 

 possessed of a Town HaU and Park. May you live long and 

 enjoy them [cheers]. Our worthy Mayor, too, deserves a cheer 

 [cheers]. In our little scholastic spheres vast improvements 

 have been made for our benefit, and I trust we are wiser and 

 better than when we last assembled [cheers]. And now, my 

 loving subjects, I crown her (whom you have chosen for diligence 

 and good conduct) my Queen, and may peace and happiness still 

 reign in our little dominion [cheers]. 



The coronation was now completed, and their majesties re- 

 sumed their seats with becoming dignity and grace. The King 

 retained the sceptre in his right hand, while his consort held a 

 white pocket-handkerchief in her right hand and a scarlet Gera- 

 nium flower in her left. The beauty of the scene was now at its 

 climax. There sat enthroned before you the finely-robed King 



