244 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ September 26, 1878. 
substance of petals as the varieties now alluded to would be a ] 
valuable acquisition. There is no reason why it should not 
‘be forthcoming; but in the meantime let the brilliant trio 
referred to be increased, for assuredly they are worthy of 
extensive cultivation. 
CHELTENHAM AND COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
THE autumn and final Show of the season of this Society took 
place. on the 18th inst. at the Montpelier Gardens, Cheltenham ; 
and although the weather in the morning was inauspicious, before 
the opening of the Exhibition at two o’clock the sky cleared, and 
a full measure of autumn sunshine helped to set off to the best ad- 
vantage the yet bright green tints of the lawns and foliage in this 
pretty and well-kept resort, the grounds looking almost as fresh as 
in early summer. It has seldom been my fortune to visit a better, 
although I have seen many larger shows, and the enormity as 
well as the quality of some of the individual exhibits, especially 
in the vegetable and salad departments, were far in excess of those 
usually met at horticultural shows ; and if the exhibitors do not 
find their efforts an overtax it is not in the interest of the sight- 
seeing visitors that such efforts should be contracted, for the 
improved effect of such masses over many small collections and 
specimens is undeniable. It is hardly possible to have too much 
of a good thing, but it is questionable whether eventually sound 
progress in horticulture can be attained or even advanced by the 
exhibition of baskets of salads 8 feet high by 6 feet: in diameter! 
Here half the space in a large marquee had to be deyoted to four 
baskets of salad; and about a bushel of Brussels Sprouts, two 
dozen large heads of Celery, twelve fine Broccoli, seyen brace of 
Cucumbers, 120 Tomatoes, and upwards of a peck of Capsicums, 
each constituted a dish of vegetables ; Potatoes, Carrots, &c,, in 
proportion! In former years I haye seen the profusion of good 
things coming from the Cheltenham Jardins Potagéres but the 
prodigious masses exhibited on this occasion show that the spirit 
of emulation in this department of horticulture has lately at 
Cheltenham been well kept alive there. It may be that vegeta- 
rianism is getting dominant in the garden town: certain it is 
also that the many showy and good fruiterers’ and greengrocers’ 
shops in the place exhibit a Californian profusion of fine vege- 
tables, and there must be, what I am looking for, some good 
garden land in the locality. The question, however, is, Will not 
this gigantic scale of exhibiting tend to bring round a counter 
current ? and is it not frequently one of the ultimate causes of 
failure of horticultural shows and the good they are intended to 
promote? It is only those who have been behind the scenes who 
know the extent of ground, the labour, and the cost of producing 
such collections ; and I have known an enthusiastic amateur and 
exhibitor decline further exhibiting on the ground that his gar- 
dener dug up an acre of Potatoes on one occasion for a show dish ! 
And I fancy that a rood of well-cultivated garden ground would 
not suffice for the origin of some of the Cheltenham exhibits. 
In tent No. 1, the first prize for a collection of vegetables, nine 
dishes, was awarded to Mr. Turk, who had good Early. Rose 
Potatoes, Cucumbers, Broccoli, Tomatoes, red and yellow Capsi- 
cums, Brussels Sprouts, Turnips, and Intermediate Carrots. Mr. 
Holder was second, having good Cucumbers, Artichokes, Parsnips, 
and White Stone Turnips. For the six dishes, Mr. Arkell, gar- 
dener to A. J. Skinner, Esq., whose exhibit was even larger in 
quantity and as good in quality as those in the previous class, the 
collection occupying a space of about 12 feet by 3. He had 
Fenn’s International Potato, fine; Cucumbers, Tomatoes, white 
Celery, red and yellow Capsicums, and Intermediate Carrots. 
Mr. Crump, gardener to J. S. Surman, Esq., was second, including 
an his lot good Peas, Broccoli, and Tomatoes ; and Mr. Reason, 
gardener to J. B. Winterbotham, Esq., was third. Peas were well 
shown by Mr. Arkell and others, the best being Ne Plus Ultra, 
Omega, G. F. Wilson, and Supreme. For the collection of salad 
Messrs. E. Smith & Son, Cheltenham, were first with a very large 
and varied basket quite up to the usual Cheltenham quality. The 
second and third prizes went to Mr. J. J. Smith and Mr. Holder 
respectively. They had rather smaller but equally good col- 
lections. Very fine and well-ripened Giant Rocca Onions, almost 
equal to the best Lisbon, came from Mr. Holder, Mr. Turk having 
also very good White Spanish. 
Fruit was good and largely shown. The first prize for a col- 
lection of six varieties was awarded to Messrs, E. Smith & Son, 
the second and third equally to Mr. Moorman and Mr. Green, 
the latter haying some very fine Black Alicante Grapes, bunches 
large, finish and colour good. The prize collections in this class 
are given for the annual dinner of the Society. For the col- 
lection of four varieties Mr. Mayo, gardener to G. Makgill, Esq., 
Cheltenham, was first, having recently-cut and old Bowood 
Muscat Grapes in the same dish. Good Grapes also came from 
Mr. Hunt, gardener to F. Butt, Hsq., who had three well-finished 
but not large bunches of Black Hamburghs, and was placed first. 
For the single dish of white Grapes Mr. Wiggins, gardener to 
Alderman Freeman, was first ; and for the two varieties of black, 
-be heard of this, as it is likely to be an advance. 
three bunches of each, Mr. Green was first with “large and well- 
coloured Black Alicante and good Black Hamburghs. In the 
class: for two varieties of white Grapes Mr. Moorman was first 
with White Syrian and a distinct white Muscat seedling, the 
berries being large and almost pear-shaped, but not quite ripe. 
Peaches and Nectarines were good. J. L, Anley, Esq., and Mr, 
Green having Rivers’ Princess of Wales Peach, fine; J. Gall, 
Esq., also having Pitmaston Orange Nectarine, good. Mr. Mayo 
showed an Apple called Lord Clyde, of the Golden Noble type, in 
conjunction with Bon Chrétien Pear, and was placed first in the 
class for a dish of each. Some pretty specimens of Apple Orange 
Pearmain were also shown, but the flavour was poor and pasty. 
Potatoes were not so good as usual for the season. In the open 
collection, number of varieties, the first prize was awarded to 
Messrs. E. Smith & Son, who had a Jarge collection of about fifty 
varieties, and amongst them good specimens of Gloucestershire 
Kidney, McKinlay’s Pride, Bountiful, Webb’s Surprise, King of 
Potatoes, Dalmahoy, large; Early Rose, Climax, and a variety 
called Smith’s Seedling, in appearance very much like Scotch 
Blue, but the collection in the whole was irregular and badly 
matched. Mr. Barnes was second, showing a less number of 
varieties but a very even lot, all being good alike. He had School- 
master, International, Wheeler’s Safeguard, Bountiful, Royal 
Ashleaf, Scotch Champion, Snowflake, Early Don, Rector of Wood- 
stock, Blanchard, Ashtop Fluke, Bresee’s Prolific, Model, Red 
Emperor, American Breadfruit, Early Rose, Imperial Kidney, 
Giant King, Climax, Queen of Flukes, Late Rose, Manchester, 
and Sutton’s Magnum Bonum, of which Potato I hear from many 
quarters marvellous reports as to its good quality and productive- 
ness. Mr. Crump was third, having good examples of William 
Earley, Safeguard, Peachblow, Rivers’s Ashleaf. Sutton’s Per- 
fection, Fenn’s Early Market, Red-skin Flourball, and Gloucester- 
shire Kidney. 
Tent No, 2 was in a blaze with the most brilliant, best grown, 
and profusely bloomed lot of Zonal Geraniums I have seen for 
some time. They» were staged very effectively on a lew platform 
about 1 foot 6 inches high. Each plant was about 4 feet in dia- 
meter, and the tout ensemble was very fine. The best twelve came 
from Mr. Rose, gardener to Mrs. Boulton, who had Col. Holden, 
very good; De Lesseps, Acme, La Tournaise, Madame Werle, 
Dame Blanche, Mrs. William Paul, Master Christine, and Peeress. 
Mr. Cypher was second, haying striking specimens of Santley, 
Adelina Patty, and Woman in White. Mr. A. Mansfield was 
third ; Comet, Mrs. H. Cannell, Mrs. F. Fenn, Polly King, and The 
Shah being the best. 
In cut flowers good autumn Roses were shown. A fine stand 
of twelve varieties, not less than three trusses, coming from Mr. 
Shaw (it is a matter of regret that the addresses of the exhibitors 
were rarely given). He had Marquise de Castellane and Duke of 
Edinburgh very fine, also good blooms of Prince Camille de 
Rohan, Comtesse d’Oxford, Beauty of Waltham, Baronne de 
Rothschild, La France, Annie Wood, Gloire de Dijon, and Charles 
Lefebvre. Mr. Jackson, Blakedown Nurseries, Kidderminster, 
was second, haying W. Wilson Saunders fine, and nice blooms of 
Capitaine Christy, A. Rigotard, Paul Neyron, Marguerite de St. 
Amand, and Souvenir de Pal Neyron, Teas. Mr. Garraway, 
Bath, was third, Maréchal Niel, Perle des Jardins, Catherine 
Mermet (fine and shell-like), and Comtesse d’Oxford being his 
best. A stand of twenty-four very clean and magnificent blooms 
of Maréchal Niel not for competition also came from Mr. Garra- 
way, and to which an honorary prize was awarded. These 
appeared quite equal to the fine blooms usually seen at the 
Crystal Palace Shows in June. 
Dahlias were very good, the finest stands coming from Mr. 
Jackson of Kidderminster, who was first both for the twenty-four 
Show and twelve Fancy. It may be of service to growers and 
amateurs to have a list of those shown by this successful grower. 
His twenty-four Show varieties consisted of John W. Lord, Henry 
Walton, Herbert Turner, Admiration (Keynes 1878), Burgundy, 
Perfection of Primroses, Charles Leicester, Acme of Perfection, 
Henry Bond (Keynes 1878, a distinct mauve), Empress Maud, 
Vice-President, Monarch, Artiste, John Neville, Criterion, Mrs. 
John Downie, Thomas Goodwin, John Bennett, John Standish, 
Royal Purple, Rev. Dr. Moffat, Jeanie Grieve, Leader, and Lady 
Herbert. Mr. Jackson’s twelve Fancies were George Barnes, 
Hercules, John Lamont, Richard Dean, Henry Glasscock, Regu- 
larity, John Saunders, Letty Coles, Mrs. Saunders, Egyptian 
Prince, Flora Wyatt. and Fanny Sturt. Mr. Shaw was second 
for the twenty-four Show, haying very fine blooms of Woman in 
White and Herbert, White, two large pure whites; Messrs. Heath 
and Son being third, Lord Derby and Charles. Backhouse being 
very brilliant and conspicuous in, their stand. For the twelve 
Fancies Mr. Shaw was second, and Mr. Barnes third. 
Messrs. Heath were awarded an honorary prize for seedling 
Dahlia Sir Stafford Northcote, bronzy orange of good form, but 
as shown slightly flat in the centre: more, however, will probably 
Messrs. Heath 
had also a large stand of a new white bouquet Dahlia, Guiding 
Star. 
Asters were remarkably good, and formed a great contrast to 
