202 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 21, 1670. 



Herald, and the contents of which first appeared in that paper. 

 The following quotation describes the apathy with which cot- 

 tagers 1 exhibitions too often are treated. 



" Many of onr readers have no doubt been present at some of the 

 exhibitions of cottager*' floral and horticnltnral societies, and have 

 been mnch interested in what they have witnessed. There are none 

 of onr village festivals more pleasing, or productive of more useful re- 

 sults than those to which we are anxious to invite attention ; and we hope 

 in doing this to supply some information and to make some sugges- 

 tions which may aid those who are desirous of establishing exhibitions 

 of the kind in localities in which they have not hitherto been found. 

 We shall accomplish this object the more satisfactorily by showing 

 what has been done in villages with which we are acquainted, and by 

 pointing out how these societies may be advantageously worked. 

 During the past year we had the pleasure to notice in our columns the 

 formation of several new societies, and we have heard privately of a 

 number of others, the reports being in all cases of an encouraging na- 

 ture. We regret to state, however, as the result of rather extensive 

 inquiries, that at present comparatively little has been done in this 

 direction. In some cases there is an indisposition to undertake the 

 necessary work ; in others there is the want of any real concern for 

 the welfare of the labouring classes; while in some instances there 

 will be found the ' Village Tyrant, ' some churlish, and it may be, 

 wealthy person, who opposes every good work which it is proposed to 

 set on foot — one who belongs to no claeB or school but that 

 ' Where blind and naked Ignorance 

 Delivers brawling judgments, unashamed, 

 On all things all day long'— 



but who has, unwisely, been permitted to obtain an evil influence over 

 hie neighbours. Cases like this are, happily, exceptional, and gene- 

 rally the reason that nothing is done is this, that every trifling apparent 

 difficulty is magnified, and becomes ' a lion in the path ;' but where 

 the task is undertaken in earnest it soon becomes a l labour of love,' 

 and all obstacles disappear. We have said that cottagers' floral and 

 horticultural societies are amongst the most useful of the many valu- 

 able institutions to be found in our villages, and we make this assertion 

 not only from what we have seen ourselves but on the authority of a 

 number of clergymen, of laymen who assist in their management, and 

 of some of our leading nurserymen, and others to whom we have spoken 

 on the subject. The vicar of a parish in Gloucestershire writes : — • 

 * Last year I commenced in my small parish a flower and vegetable 

 show, and was greatly pleased that out of my parish, which onlr con- 

 tains fifty-fonr houses, there were about two hundred entries, and this 

 year (1869) my people are taking it up warmly.' Indeed, from what- 

 ever part of England our informants may have come, their testimony 

 as to the utility of these societies has always been the same, and has 

 nearly always been given in the same words. Another point we may 

 mention, and of the truth of which we are equally well satisfied, is this 

 — that in any locality where progress in horticnltnral matters has been 

 but slow, the best stimulus that can be applied is the establishment of 

 a cottagers' society, conducted on principles like those to which we 

 shall more particularly allude. 



" As a rule, it is desirable that the clergyman of the parish should 

 take the first stepB towards the establishment of one of these societies, 

 gathering around him a few influential laymen, and securing the assist- 

 ance of the ladies, which will be as valuable here aa it is everywhere 

 else. We will refer, in the first instance, to a cottagers' show pure 

 and simple, where cottagers alone compete for prizes, and the gentle- 

 men and nurserymen in the neighbourhood kindly send plants for the 

 decoration of the room or tent, and specimens of new and well-grown 

 fruits and vegetables. It is to these latter contributions that we have 

 alluded as being calculated to benefit the whole district, giving rise to 

 a friendly rivalry without in any way interfering with the first objects 

 of the society — that of promoting the interests of the cottagers." 



Now, apart from the reasons given above for withholding 

 support to, or neglecting to establish what the author calls a 

 village horticultural show, there are many well-disposed per- 

 sons who think they do all that is required of them by sub- 

 scribing to some important horticultural society established at 

 the county town, or some other important cer»tre, where ex- 

 hibitions of plants and fruits from the best gardens in the 

 neighbourhood are held. There is a liberal array of prizes 

 allotted to cottagers, and the general public, on being admitted, 

 feel not a little gratified to find the cottagers' productions in 

 many cases quite equal to those of the subscribers and others, 

 who, by their position, have greater advantages than the 

 holderB of cottage gardens. Unfortunately, a closer inquiry 

 into the matter too often reveals the fact that the prizes mostly 

 pass into the hands of a few, some of whom ought either to be 

 regarded as amateurs or even nurserymen. This is more 

 especially the case in an old-established society, and however 

 stringent a rule may be laid down, it is very difficult to exclude 

 the speculative exhibitor without at the same time shutting 

 out the deserving, industrious man. In a wide-spread associ- 

 ation it is no easy matter to distinguish between the cottager 

 who grows little or nothing but that which is required for hiB 

 own use, and the little market gardener or nurseryman, whose I 



assumed calling may be widely different from either, but who, 

 nevertheless, contrives to grow many things for sale. The 

 retired tradesman, or man of some means, also sometimes 

 lowers his position by competing as a cottager. These evils 

 generally result in the public seeing the same names year after 

 year posted as winners, and the competition is reduced to a 

 minimum. 



Now, this drawback is avoided in the village parish show, 

 where each exhibitor is known to all the others, and, to a cer- 

 tain extent, the products of his garden also ; therefore, anyone 

 guilty of exhibiting what is not his own has a good chance 

 of being found out, and public opinion in a small commnnity 

 of fifty or a hundred individuals is not without its influence, 

 so that the would-be delinquent cannot commit improper 

 acts with impunity ; besides which, it often happens that a 

 village or parish contains some one, be he a squire, rector, or 

 military officer, who, in addition to patronising the exhibition, 

 also has the power of punishing any act of intended impro- 

 priety in a prompt and decisive manner, or whose decision in 

 any disputed case is final. Bat so far as my knowledge goes, 

 and I am not without experience in the matter, it is rarely 

 that any dispute arises, and honest and honourable rivalry is 

 the order of the day. In reference to this matter, the writer 

 of the pamphlet, alluding at the same time to prizes for well- 

 managed gardens, makes the following remarks: — 



*' We cannot too strongly recommend the plan of offering prizeB for 

 the neatest and best cropped and cnltirnted gardens. Without pre- 

 miums of this kind a village horticultural society would lose mnch of 

 its valne ; for the garden inspectors, if judiciously selected, would be 

 enabled on their visits to the several gardens to make many useful 

 suggestions. At the same time their inspection would be a sufficient 

 check upon any attempts at deception if they were the judges also, 

 which should be the case wherever such an arrangement could be made. 

 We believe, however, that the cases in which a cottager showg things 

 which are not grown in his own garden are exceedingly rare, although 

 the mere suspicion that such is the case is sometimes made an excuse 

 for withholding support to our village societies, or for refusing to aid in 

 their establishment. A regulation should always be inserted in the 

 prize sheet to the effect that any one exhibiting specimens not of hit 

 own growing would be excluded from all future shows. At the same 

 time it is not well to act as though every one was suspected, but rather 

 to give proof that we have confidence in the integrity of our humbler 

 neighbours. We have seen a rule on a few prize sheets somewhat to 

 this purport, that after the entries have been made, which is to be done 

 some considerable time before the show, any or all the members of the 

 committee shall have power to visit the gardens of the intending ex- 

 hibitors as often as they may think necessary. A parish in which a 

 rule of this kind is required would scarcely be benefited by the estab- 

 lishment of a cottagers' flower show, and no consideration would induce 

 ns to join a committee which considered it to be necessary. It is much 

 better to convey the impression, while guarding in a proper manner 

 against any breach of the rules, that we rely upon the honour of those 

 with whom we are dealing, than to act as though we suspect and dis- 

 trust them. It is a mistake to suppose that the poor do not deeply 

 feel and resent, although not openly, a want of confidence in their in- 

 tegrity. 



"As we have already remarked, cottagers' flower shows are amongst 

 the moBt pleasing and attractive of our village festivals ; and the in- 

 terest of the proceedings may be greatly increased by making the dis- 

 tribntion of the prizes at the clo^e as agretable and attractive as pos- 

 sible. The Rev. C. B. Snepp, the Rector of Perry Barr (who was the 

 founder of the show in that parish, and has for more than sixteen 

 years taken the most active part in its management), usually gathers 

 around him on these occasions a goodly number of his brother clergy- 

 men, friends, and neighbours. We may mention, also, that the late 

 Lord and Lady Calthorpe, when at Perry Hall, seldom or never failed 

 to be present; and we should be glad to see this excellent example 

 more generally followed than it has hitherto been, and the resident 

 noblemen or other landed proprietors meeting and encouraging their 

 fellow parishioners in so good a work. A few addresses of a practical 

 character, as is the case at Perry Barr, can be usefully given at these 

 meetings, reference being made to the productions displayed on the 

 tables, and to the best modes of cultivation, while the garden inspectors 

 could at the same time report how far progress had been made during 

 the year. A few books, picture cards, (fee., would, at the same time, 

 be very acceptable as little presents to the children who may not have 

 been prizewinners — or, we wonld rather say, to all the poor children 

 who may be present — so that they all might be sent home happy. The 

 judges, also, would do well, after having disposed of the prizes Bet 

 forth in the schedule, to point out some of the exhibits unnoticed 

 which possessed considerable merit, with a recommendation that a 

 few additional premiums Bhould be given. If the attendance at the 

 distribution is like what we have seen at Perry Barr, and should be 

 glad to hear of elsewhere, the trifling addition to the funds which 

 would be required for the purpose suggested would be obtained without 

 difficulty." 



With regard to the funds necessary to commence an ineti- 



