222 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 19, 1878. 
the Peaches were remarkably fine. There were ten dishes of 
Nectarines, the first prize being secured by Mr. Elsworthy with 
Victoria, Mr. Crozier and Mr. Laidlaw being next in order of 
merit. 
Apples were both numerous and good. There were eleven 
dishes of dessert Apples. Mr. C. Rylance was placed first, and 
Messrs, Oliver & Petty second. For kitchen Apples Mr. Rylance 
was again first, his Lord Suffields being very fine; Mr. Service 
was second with fine fruit of Ecklinville, Tower of Glamis, 
and Withington. Dessert Pears were also excellent, the first 
prize for four varieties being secured by Mr. Metcalfe, Grantham, 
with Louise Bonne of Jersey, Beurré d’Amanlis, Williams’ Bon 
Chrétien, and Thompson’s. The prizes for Plums were won by 
Mr. Rylance, Mx. Service, and Mr. Ingram, all staying Jefferson’s. 
Cur FLowERs.—Within a circle of some twenty miles around 
Newcastle, writes Mr. Witherspoon, perhaps we have the keenest 
growers and exhibitors of florist flowers to be found anywhere in 
the kingdom. Toselect a dozen names, all amateurs, is no enviable 
task, but the following “baker's dozen” can make a show in 
September anywhere that is worth going a long distance to see. 
The gentlemen named not only can grow flowers, but also all know 
them well, and woe betide the reputation of the judge who blunders. 
We have first Mr. Battensby of Blayden, a capital all-round 
grower; Mr. Brown of Fence Houses, much the same but on a 
smaller scale; Mr. Brown, Bedlington, noted for Dahlias ; Mr. 
Codling of Meldon for Gladioli, Hollyhocks, and Roses ; Mr. Fen- 
wick, Netherwitton, famed for Gladioluses. As usual, his win- 
ning stand was superb, and his leading flower, Catherine Fenwick, 
a seedling, white with carmine flakes, well merited the certificate 
awarded; it is a flower of great substance and without a fault. 
Mr. Flowdy for Dahlias; the Messrs, Harland and Mr. Scott for 
Pinks, Picotees, and Carnations. The Brothers Harkness of 
Allendale with rapid strides are coming on, as also is Mr, Oliver, 
who on this occasion had a certificate for a very fine light 
Dahlia ; Mr. Sanderson of Whorlton for Globe Asters (his stand 
was really grand). Next we have Mr. Sporr of Swalwell, also 
quite an enthusiast, and who especially does his Gladioli well ; 
and next, Mr. Walker, the acknowledged northern amateur cham- 
pion Dahlia grower. On this occasion this good cultivator, who 
works hard in the Gateshead railway shops every day, took equal 
first for twelve, second for six; and though he was only awarded 
third for twenty-four, there were many good judges, including 
Mr. Bosten of Bedale, who would have been satisfied had he been 
awarded first. To speak separately of the many exhibits at this 
great Show made by the above and other exhibitors is impossible, 
as will be obvious when it is stated that the cut flowers staged 
exceeded four thousand. 
Valuable miscellaneous collections of plants, &c., were exhibited 
by Messrs. Clark Brothers, Watson, and Robson & Son, which con- 
tributed greatly to the interest of the Exhibition ; and the skeleton 
leaves from Mrs. Hodgkin, Manchester, had hosts of admirers. The 
weather was brilliant, and the crowd of visitors immense. The 
Newcastle Show has more than sustained its reputation, and the 
able and indefatigable Hon. Secretaries, Messrs. Taylor and 
French, have won another triumph. 
PROTECTING: PEARS FROM BIRDS. 
MEETING the other day a gentleman who is deyoted to 
his garden, and works in it both with zeal and skill, we 
commenced talking about fruits and the fruit of this year— 
thence I mentioned the terrible destruction by the birds. My 
friend said, “I prevent all that mischief to the Pears by cut- 
ting a slit in a card the size of a playing card and passing the 
stalk of the Pear through the slit up to the middle of the card, 
forming, in fact, a sort of collar or Elizabethan ruff-to the 
Pear ; then the birds cannot reach the fruit to pick into it, and 
all is safe.” The plan is ingenious, and may be adcpted by 
amateurs in regard to their pyramid fruits. I had noticed 
that the Pears most frequently injured were those which had 
a convenient perch for the little depredators just above the 
fruit, and that being wanting some escaped; but the card 
plan would cause the Pear to be perfectly protected from the 
piercing and destroying bill, as no bird can pick into fruit 
while it is on the wing or hovering—it must have a firm foot- 
hold, and then, having that, will work away; lacking it, it 
cannot reach the dainty, and must depart considerably dis- 
appointed.—WILTSHIRE RECTOR. 
PERILLA ATROPURPUREA LACINIATA. 
THIS is the first year I have grown this dark-foliaged plant, 
and I must say I likeit very much. It is far superior to the old 
Perilla nankinensis, which usually turns brown in the autumn, 
which the new one does not, its colour being a rich purplish 
black. For large beds or borders when associated with yellow 
Calceolarias, as we haye it here, it is fine, and has been much 
admired during the past summer. In addition to its capital 
colour the foliage is deeply cut and serrated, as the latter part of 
the nameimplies. I obtained the seed from Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons of Reading.—GEORGE COOKE, Vannan Park Gardens, 
North Wales. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
SEPTEMBER 17TH. 
THIS, the first of the monthly meetings that are held through- 
out the winter, was not a large one, but was rendered attractive 
by fine collections of Dahlias from Messrs. Keynes & Co., Mr. C. 
Turner, and Messrs. Rawlings Brothers. Some good Tuberous 
Begonias were exhibited, and an interesting collection of fruit 
was sent by Mr. Rivers; also some good dishes of Tomatoes were 
staged in competition for the prizes offered by Messrs. Carter and 
Co. and Messrs. Hooper «& Co. 
Frvuir CommirrEr.—Henry Webb, Esq., V.P., in the chair. 
Mr. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth, sent twenty-two dishes of fruit, 
amongst which were Stump the World, Radcliffe, Lord Palmer- 
ston, and Princess of Wales Peaches. Amongst the Pears was a 
seedling not named, to which a first-class certificate was awarded 
on condition that a name be given before the certificate is handed 
to Mr. Rivers. It is a seedling from Seckle, and of very high 
quality. Several varieties of Plums were included, mostly seed- 
lings, and promising, especially one raised from Autumn Compéote, 
which is very prolific, much darker than its parent, and very fine. 
Gros Maroc Grape was represented by a bunch of fine appearance, 
the berries being very large and purplish black in colour. A vote 
of thanks was unanimously awarded for the collection. Mr. 
Mould sent a seedling Grape, which was not considered equal to 
other varieties already in cultivation. From Mr. E. Nelson, Dun- 
more House, Stanwell, and J. C. Atten, Esq., Stamford, came 
seedling Apples which were of no particular merit. Mr. A. Rann, 
St. Giles’s Cemetery, Cambridge, sent an Apple named St. Giles’s 
Seedling, which was of good keeping quality but not ripe. Mr. 
D. Abbot, gardener to Charles H. Frith, Esq., Riverdale, Sheffield, 
sent a seedling Pea, which was desired by the Committee to be 
tried at Chiswick, also a Tomato, for which a letter of thanks was 
awarded. From the Society’s gardens came Late Admirable, 
Rivers’ White, Exquisite, Belle Imperiale, and Desse Tardive 
Peaches, also a seedling Peach, No. 40, and Nectarine Albert 
Victor. Mr. Thomas Andrews, Elmstead Lodge, Bath, sent a. 
seedling Pea, which was recommended should be tried at Chiswick. 
Some very fine Onions came from Mr. Walker, Thame, showing 
the same variety raised from winter and spring-sown seed, to 
which a cultural commendation was awarded. A large and hand- 
some kitchen Apple, D. T. Fish, was sent by Mr. Turner, which 
measured 134 inches in circumference. It was gathered from a 
cordon, and is a variety evidently deserving of cultivation. 
For the prizes offered by Messrs. James Carter & Co., High 
Holborn, for twelve fruit of Vick’s Criterion Tomatoes ten dishes 
were staged, the first prize falling to Mr. R. Phillips, gardener te. 
Capt. Jackson, The Deodars, Meopham, Kent; the second to Mr. 
C. Ross, gardener to C. Eyre, Esq., Welford Park, Newbury; and the: 
third to Mr. W. Scott, Pembroke Cottage, Cambridge, all showing 
very smooth and even dishes, but we have seen this variety attain 
a larger size. Prizes were also offered by Messrs. Hooper & Co. 
for a similar number of fruits of Acme Tomato. Mr. A. Hopkins. 
was awarded the first prize for very large fruit, and Mr. Miller, 
gardener to J. Friend, Esq., Northdown, Margate, the second. 
The Acme is a larger and flatter fruit than the Criterion, but not 
quite so smooth and firm. 
FLoraL Commirter.—Dr. Denny in the chair. Dahlias were 
the principal feature of the meeting. A very fine collection of 
sixty named varieties came from Messrs. Keynes & Co., Salisbury, 
also a dozen promising seedlings, two of which received certificates. 
Aurora, a beautiful variety of excellent shape ; the petals are 
somewhat pointed, flat, and imbricated ; the ground colour is buff 
with bronzy orange shading; an elegant symmetrical flower, and 
very distinct. This variety received a first-class certificate. A 
second-class certificate was awarded to Gaiety, which is also a 
very large flower, each petal containing three distinct colours, the 
ground being yellow flaked and striped with red, the points of the 
petals being tipped with white. A vote of thanks was also 
awarded to Messrs. Keynes & Co. for the collection. A first-class 
certificate was awarded to Mr. Turner, Slough, for Dahlia Joseph 
Ashby, a very bright crimson-scarlet flower, full, and symmetrical. 
Mr. Rawlings, Romford, also received a first-class certificate for 
Dahlia Clara, a very striking variety, colour rosy lilac changing 
to mauve, the centre of the petals being tinted with salmon. To 
Mr. Cannell, Swanley, were awarded two first-class certificates 
for single Dahlias lutea and Paragon; the first is clear yellow, 
about 2 inches in diameter, and very useful for cutting; the 
other is a beautiful velvety maroon edged with claret, and a 
most striking flower. Mr. Cannell also exhibited a collection of 
twenty-four varieties of Pompon Dahlias, a stand of Verbenas 
admirably set up, the flowers forming perfect pyramids of bloom, 
the stand being covered with Lycopodium denticulatum ; also 2 
