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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 25, 1866. 



a very comprehensive one ; all the prizes to be offered are 

 well-proportioned, leaving no roooni for complaint ; exhibitors 

 should, therefore, be up and doing. 



The idea of holding a National Horticultural Exhibition at 

 Manchester next year first originated with Mr. Findlay, and its 

 adoption has been brought about solely by his exertions. The 

 announcement of the splendid balance in favour of the Inter- 

 national suggested to Mr. Findlay the possibility of holding a 

 similar exhibition at Manchester ; with this end in view he at 

 once set to work, and the results of his labours so far will show 

 that the first part of the work he has so earnestly begun has 

 been crowned with success. He called a meeting of the Man- 

 chester Botanic Society, and suggested the propriety of holding 

 a National Exhibition in Manchester ; and these gentlemen, 

 after hearing the explanations Mr. Findlay had to lay before them 

 as to the mode in which he intended to insure success without 

 causing any further debt to be added to the heavy one which 

 the Botanic Society already labours under, at once consented. 

 Mr. Findlay 's next step was to go round to the members of the 

 Society, as well as many gentlemen not connected with it, to 

 solicit their aid. All appeared to think, after hearing the matter 

 explained, that there was a probability of the Show being suc- 

 cessfully held. He had, therefore, very little difficulty in raising 

 a guarantee fund of upwards of £2000 ; and as there will be no 

 necessity for spending so much money in the erection of a 

 monster tent like that in which the Intel-national Horticultural 

 Show was held, there is every probability that the Exhibition 

 will terminate successfully, even if half the amount taken at 

 South Kensington should be realised. If Mr. Findlay's an- 

 ticipations in this respect be verified (and I can see no reason 

 why they should not be, when I take into consideration the 

 central position of Manchester, its enormous wealth, and the 

 immense population residing within a radius of forty miles, 

 amounting to a much larger number, I believe, than is located 

 in the same area round London), he hopes to be able to 

 reduce the standing debt of the Society, and also to put 

 aside a balance for the purpose of holding a similar exhibition 

 annually. 



Four large tents will be arranged in a group near the exhi- 

 bition-house in the gardens. The exhibition-house is to form 

 the centre of the group. In this house all the Orchids and 

 tender plants will be exhibited, with little fear of their suffer- 

 ing any injury, as the house can be shut up close at night. A 

 large tent, at the east end of the exhibition-house, will be set 

 apart for Roses, Azaleas, Fuchsias, &c. ; another, on the north 

 side, for stove, greenhouse, and fine-foliaged plants ; the tent 

 on the south side for Ericas, Pelargoniums, cut Roses, &c. ; 

 and that at the west end of the building for fruit, hardy 

 shrubs (for which I see there are several prizes offered), and 

 miscellaneous plants. As the Lancashire people hold high 

 carnival in Whitsun week, it is expected that large numbers of 

 them will flock to the gardens to see the great National Show 

 as soon as the shilling days are announced ; and as it is thought 

 that more may attend in one day than could be comfortably 

 accommodated in the gardens, itis proposed to have two or three 

 bands of music stationed in the large field on the south side 

 in which the Art Treasures Exhibition was held in 1857, so that 

 the people, after inspecting the Exhibition, may pass into the 

 field and there enjoy themselves with dancing and various other 

 amusements. 



Mr. Findlay thinks it will be necessary, in order to make the 

 Exhibition successful, to continue it for eight days, in which 

 case the exhibitors will, of course, be remunerated for the extra 

 expense and trouble they will be unavoidably put to in conse- 

 quence. By making it an eight-days exhibition the people will 

 all have an opportunity of seeing what Lancashire can do, and 

 how much she can contribute towards the success of a grand 

 horticultural show. I hope, therefore, all our exhibitors will 

 enter freely into this pleasing contest, and that they will not 

 object to an eight-days show. Any tender plant can easily be 

 removed every evening after the Exhibition closes to the plant- 

 houses in the gardens, where, I am sure, Mr. Findlay would 

 have every care taken of them. The gardens are but a short 

 distance from the Old Trafford station, so that little trouble or 

 expense need be incurred in moving the plants. 



When we consider that there has been no great exhibition 

 of either paintings or plants in Manchester since 1857, this 

 should inspire confidence in the belief that the proposed 

 National Floral Fete will be crowned with success. That this 

 may be the result must be the desire of every well-wisher of 

 horticulture, and that Mr. Findlay's anticipations may be 

 realised to the fullest extent is the sincere wish of— J. Wills. 



VINERY CONSTRUCTION. 



Allow an old hand at Grape-growing to offer some remarks 

 on the article headed as above in your Number of the 11th 

 inst. ; and if my opinions should seem to clash somewhat with 

 those advanced in answer to the queries propounded, allow me 

 to say in explanation that my experience in forcing very early 

 Grapes has been acquired in the eastern and northern counties, 

 whilst it is probable that the writer of the replies referred to 

 may have gained his experience in the southern or western 

 parts of the country, and if so, may not have learnt fully the 

 drawbacks attending early Grape-growing in hipped or span- 

 roofed houses. To be brief, then, let me advise your corre- 

 spondent to avoid these forms, for in winter and early spring 

 our " north-easters " will insinuate themselves rather too freely 

 into such structures to be advantageous either to the tender 

 foliage of the Vines or to the fuel bill. It is, therefore, preferable 

 to adopt the lean-to for these reasons, as well as others — viz., 

 a lean-to house absorbs and retains the slanting rays of the sun 

 better than the other fonns ; but a wall 10 feet high would not 

 be sufficient for a lean-to house for early forcing unless the 

 width were much reduced from 18 feet, for " H. W." would not 

 then obtain sufficient slope of roof to gather the sun's rays at 

 the season of forcing. If 10 feet is the maximum height of his 

 wall, he ought to reduce the width of his house (supposing it to 

 have a wall in front to pitch the lights on, and to hold ventila- 

 tors for giving front air), to 12 or 13 feet, and this width would 

 give him a rafter of 14 or 15 feet in length, and would be ample 

 for his purpose, as Vines subjected to winter forcing will not 

 carry such a length of cane as those forced at a more natural 

 season, nor can roofs of such a width as 20 or more feet be so 

 readily covered, covering being, in my opinion, a sine qua, non 

 in the winter forcing of Grapes as well as many other things. 

 Perhaps one of the best plans of effecting this for roofs not too 

 large is to sew mats together, and to attach them to a roller at 

 the top of the house until some better and more efficient plan 

 shall be perfected. Does double glazing answer for winter 

 work ? Let some of our fruit exhibitors at the early shows say 

 if they have tried it, and oblige many of their brother gardeners. 



I agree with the reply as to making the border inside, and also 

 arranging the pipes over the surface ; if the roots are allowed 

 to go outside, that part of the border should be covered with 

 wooden shutters or hot litter. 



I prefer planting in front, and at any period after the Vine 

 has somewhat hardened its growth, even if the leaves should 

 not have fallen ; but be sure that the border is made of well- 

 aired and tolerably dry material. A good plan is to keep the 

 soil in a ridge for a short time, and turn it occasionally. — H. 



[We assent, with some modification, to what you say as to 

 the value of a lean-to for early work, and especially in northern 

 districts. The lessening the width of the proposed house is 

 well worthy the attention of the inquiring correspondent ; but 

 we believe that he lives in a southern county, and then, taking 

 the proposed circumstances into consideration — a width of 

 18 feet, and as low a back wall as possible — we do think that 

 the hipped roof would best meet the conditions. With such a 

 length of rafter altogether, hip and southern slope, Vines could 

 be planted at back as well as near the front, and thus do away 

 with one of the objections. Of course it is quite clear that if 

 the width of the house be reduced one-third it would be all fair 

 sailing with the simple lean-to as " H." proposes, and we would 

 direct to it the attention of the original inquirer.] 



NOTES ON SOME OF THE CONTENTS OF 

 OUR LAST NUMBER. 



The hardy Canna at Battersea is not limbata, but a tall 

 sort allied to the Peruvian Achiras, which is the hardiest 

 known Canna. The real limbata is one of the very hand- 

 somest of the tribe, and far superior to the other as regards 

 blossom, but more tender. The whole of the Carinas of the 

 shops are grievously misnamed. 



Imported Satyriurns will always flower. They are of no great 

 beauty, though interesting. I have never flowered them twice, 

 though I think I could. It would be satisfactory to learn if the 

 plant exhibited in Ireland was flowered the second year. 



To flower or fruit the Eriobotrya procure a grafted plant ; 

 almost all the nurserymen's plants are seedlings, and may not 

 flower for a lifetime. Grafts of the fruiting sort might be 

 had by Fellows from the Royal Horticultural Society's garden 

 at Chiswick. 



