186 



JODENAL OF HOBTIOULTDRE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ September 10, 1868. 



hoDgh, being second with a very good dish of Pitmaston Orange ; third, 

 Mr. G. Smith. 



In Class .31, for the best dish of Apricots, Mr. J. Blears, Congleton, 

 was first, Mr. J. Simpson, second. Class 32, for the best Green- 

 fleshed Melon, Mr. W. Fallowfield was first ; Mr. James, second ; Mr. 

 G. Smith, third. Class 33, any Scarlet-fleshed :— First, Mr. W. 

 WooUey ; second, Mr. W. Garner ; third, Mrs. Smith Barry. 



Class 34 was for ten dessert Apples : — First, Mr. Dean, Sale Lodge ; 

 second, Mr. W. Ilenshaw ; third, S. Barrett, Esq. Class 35 was for 

 bailing Apples. In this there was a large number of competitors, and 

 aa many as seventeen dishes of the variety known as Lord Suflield were 

 exhibited. All three prizes were awarded to this variety, Mr. J. Wal- 

 tham being first ; Mj-. t\'. Brockwell, second ; and P. Speed, Esq., third. 



Class 3G, for ten Pears. In this class there were seventeen eshi- 

 bitors, the first prize being awarded to B. Whitworth, Esq., for a very 

 fine dish of Jargonelle ; the second to Mr. G. Smith ; the third to Mr. 

 W. Kenshaw. 



Class 37, for twelve Plnms (darW : — First, Mr. G. Smith ; second, 

 Mr. "W. Allen, gardener to Lord Hatherton, who exhibited a fine dish 

 of Royale Hative. Class 3S, for the best dish of light Plnms ; — First, 

 J. Dixon, Esq., for a fine disli of Jefferson ; second, Mr. King ; third, 

 Mr. Leigh. Class 39, for the best dish of Cherries : — First, A. Jack- 

 son, Esq. ; second, Mr. J. Blears ; third, Mr. A. Mickle. Class 40, 

 two Vines in pots : — First, Mr. Wrigley, for well-grown and iinely- 

 frnited Vines of Black Alicante. 



VEGETABLES. 



This was also a fine portion of the Exhibition, and showed what an 

 amonnt of patience and skill most have been bestowed during the late 

 trying weather on the cultivation of all the objects exhibited. The 

 exhibition was highly creditable both to the professional gardener and 

 to the humble cottager, for a table running the whole length of the 

 exhibition house was covered with a veiy excellent collection, and 

 some very fine Peas were sho^vn. The Potatoes, Carrots, Dwarf Kidney 

 Beans and Scarlet Knnners were also of first-class quality, and the 

 Tomatoes were remarkably fine. 



In Class 41, for six dishes of Vegetables, there were twelve com- 

 petitors. The first-prize collection came from the gardens of G. 

 Whiteworth, Esq., Lymm. It contained a fine dish of Tomatoes, 

 two fine heads of Celery, nice dishes of Peas, of Dwarf Kidney 

 Beans, Potatoes, and Mushrooms. The second prize was taken by 

 Mr. A. Mickle, Read Hall, near Burnley, who exhibited a similar 

 collection to the above, and in vei-y good condition. 



Class 42, for three dishes : — First, T. Ackon, Esq. ; second, T. 

 ■Hohson, Esq. ; third, T. Mickle. Class 43, for ten Kidney Potatoes : 

 — First, T. Statter, Esq. ; second, B. Whitworth, Esq. ; third, Mr. 

 W. Eenshaw. Class 44, for Round Potatoes : — First, Mr. W. Brown- 

 hall, Sale ; second, Mr. J. Mclntyre ; third, Mr. A. Mickle. Class 

 45, for Onions, spring-sown : — First, Mr. R. Faulkner ; second, G. 

 Oliver, Esq. ; third, T. Aitk-in, Esq. Class 46, for two heads of Cauli- 

 flower ; — In this class there was but one exhibitor, whose exhibition 

 was only considered worthy of a third prize ; but it is very likely more 

 care had been taken with this, poor though it was, than would have 

 been bestowed on a thousand in anj- ordinary season. Class 47 was 

 for two White Cabbages. In this only one lot was staged, which was 

 awarded a third prize. Class 48, for two Red Cabbages : — Several 

 competitors exhibited in this class, and some very firm heads were 

 shown. Classes 49 and 50 were for t^ucnmbers and Tomatoes. In 

 each class there were some very fine exhibitions ; the Tomatoes were 

 wonderfully fine. 



The display of fruit and vegetables furnished by the cottagers was 

 of a very high character, and was about equal in extent to that 

 which came from the gardeners. Amongst the cottagers' collections 

 were some splendid dishes of Red Currants, and the Celery and 

 Potatoes were also remarkably good ; there was also a very good 

 display of flowers, consisting of Roses, Phloxes, Asters, Verbenas, 

 and Dahlias ; and lastly, two plants of Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium, 

 grown by a cottager, were well worthy the prize they gained, being 

 large plants with the foliage beautifully coloured. Leaves of them 

 were compared with those of the newer varieties, and certainly the 

 result was in favoni' of Mrs. PoUock. — J. Wilis, F.R.H.S. 



TALMS. 



TocR correspondent " P.iTELix " complains of the difficnlty 

 •of procuring these at a moderate price. Many nurserymen 

 cotiid no doubt supply small plants at a low figure ; but as it 

 usually takes from four to seven years from the sowing to 

 ohtain them of such a size as would be considered " decorative," 

 the apparently high price they are commonly sold at is 

 accounted for. The only way of obtaining them cheaply would 

 be to buy small seedlings, and, being not difficult to manage, 

 they will amply repay the care bestowed. — N. E. 



reasonable, bat I cannot forget the beautiful Palms I have seen 

 at is. and 5s. a-plant, and this too in an inclement climate. It 

 is true that there the custom of hiring plants for so many 

 months is almost universal, and for this reason they come 

 cheaper to the purchaser. It works in this way : a florist lends 

 out plants by the dozen at, say, 2.5. Hd. each, this done two or 

 three times brings in the value of the plant, and he can well 

 afford to sell his plants at the sum above mentioned. 



I have already detailed in the pages of " our Journal " tha 

 way in which these plants are used in ornamenting rooms, in 

 filling blank comers and decorating alcoves. I hope to be able 

 shortly to say a word or two on the subject of the arrangement 

 of conservatories, on the comparative merits of our system 

 shown in contrast with the greenhouses and orangeries of our 

 continental friends. 



Before closing let me add how useful a list of hardy PalmS 

 suitable for in-door decoration would be to amateurs. It should 

 especially be made with respect to the strength of the plants 

 to resist the noxious effects of long confinement in di^ air, 

 though I fear not many can give such a list yerified by 

 experience. — Patelin. 



[When in Belgium in 1865, we were informed that the Palms 

 there found best suited for room decoration are Chama>rops 

 stauracantha, Ceroxylon andicola, Thrinax elegans, Phceni- 

 cophorium sechellarum, and Chamtedorea Ernesti-Augusti. 

 Several species of Pandanus are also used. — Eds.] 



BENTLEY PRIORY. 



I H.iVE to thank your correspondent for his reply to my 

 query. I shall not fail to inquire where he directs me for what 

 I am in search of. But, what a discontented fellow he will 

 think me ! Even at the prices quoted, at my own figure of three 

 lor a guinea, I am inclined to grumble. This may be un- 



{Continued from page 133.) 



The home kitchen garden, in which are the plant and fruit 

 houses, &c., slopes gently to the south, and is efficiently shel- 

 tered on every side by large masses of trees and shrubs. It 13 

 most admirably placed for all cultural purposes and for conve- 

 nient access from the mansion. On entering the garden from 

 the north side a long range of lean-to houses is seen on the 

 right-hand side of the entrance. These are the original forcing 

 houses erected many years ago, and in which I have seen many 

 fine crops of Grapes, Peaches, and other fruits. They were 

 the only horticultural structures of any moment on the place 

 when it came into Mr. Kelk's hands ; all those which I shall 

 presently describe have been erected by Mr. Kelk. 



The first house I entered in the range above mentioned was a 

 Peach house ; here the trees were looking vigorous and healthy, 

 and bore evidence of having produced splendid crops judging 

 from a few of the fruits still left. Passing through this 

 house I came to the next compartment in the range, used as 

 an early Strawberry house ; and well suited for the purpose it 

 is, as the plants are placed on shelves near the glass, and 

 abundance of air can be admitted at all times when necessary, 

 and be made to circulate freely amongst the foUage of the 

 plants. When they are in bloom this is no doubt one oJ 

 the points most particularly to be attended to. Where a proper 

 amount of artificial heat can be obtained, and proper provision 

 is made for ventilation, as is the case in this house, the crop 

 may at all times be considered tolerably certain, if the plants 

 have previously undergone a proper course of treatment. 



I next passed through two more Peach houses. Here tha 

 crop was all gathered, and the trees, though in some cases very 

 old, still looked healthy, and well able to bear many more fine 

 crops of fruit. The next house is an early vinery. The borders 

 had very recently been renewed, and young Vines planted, 

 which gave promise of making fine canes. These Mr. Rutland 

 intends to keep growing as long as he can through the winter, 

 in order to have them as strong as possible in the shortest 

 time. They may also in this way be brought into a condition 

 in which they will be naturally adapted for early-winter forcing. 

 In the next two houses, which complete the range, fine examples 

 of early Muscat and Black Hamburgh Grapes were stUl to be 

 seen, the latter as black as Sloes, with fine well-formed bunches 

 of regular-sized berries, having that beautiful bloom and finish 

 by which a good Grape-grower can always estimate the quaUty 

 of the fruit without tasting it. 



In front of this range of houses there are several ranges of 

 pits heated with hot water, and used for forcing early Potatoes, 

 Cucumbers, and Melons ; and to the east of these there is a 

 span-roofed plant stove in two divisions, in which is kept a 

 general collection of the smaller-growing stove plants, and 

 Orchids, all looking well, and remarkably clean and free from 

 insects. Retracing our steps we enter, a little farther down 

 the slope, a fine range of houses ; and parallel with these and 



