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JOUENAL OP HOETICULTUEB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ October 5, 1871. 



seemed, somettiag else to do that evening. There was, in- 

 deed, the Mayor — a major and a half of most mayors, a fine, 

 tall, broad, rosy-cheeted, and kindly-minded west-conntryman ; 

 but he complained of the fewness of those present, and said 

 he was surprised that no more people came when the object of 

 the meeting was so undeniably excellent. The tidings of the 

 thinness of the meeting spread to a waggish friend of mine, 

 who wrote, " Tour flower show does not seem to flourish." 

 Bat beginnings are seldom to be trusted. Thus, what a small 

 beginning has many a wide rolling river ; and what a bad be- 

 ginning many people have who have a good ending, notably 

 doctors. There are no men who more worthily, more quietly, 

 and more thoroughly respectably discharge their professional 

 duties, and fill their place in the world, than medical men — if 

 anything, too quietly and too unostentatiously, letting those 

 talking lawyers take a place above them. By the way, I am 

 glad to read of another doctor made a baronet, for it is a pro- 

 fession not sufficiently honoured. But to return ; how very 

 badly the medical profession begins. Think of that queer, 

 noisy, loudly-dressed genus — medical students. I have known 

 them all my life, and a short time since saw a group inside the 

 court of old Bartholemew's, tossing up their hats and cheering 

 at their suee3s at a recent examination. They were just what 

 they always were, for the most part funnily dressed, funny 

 iellows, some fops, some the reverse, all, or nearly all, decidedly 

 queer dogs ; and yet these will presently become quiet, orderly, 

 do-their-duty, hard-working medical practitioners. I might 

 notice other beginnings, but enough. 



To go on with our Chippenham flower show. That very 

 small beginning, that very sparsely-attended meeting, did a 

 great deal. (N.B. — If you want work done, don't have many 

 to do it ; a small committee does most, and you know the pro- 

 verb, " Many cooks," &c.) II was decided that there should 

 be, come what might, a Chippenham Flower Show and Cottage 

 Garden Improvement Society. Then it was also decided that 

 it should include all the parishes in the Chippenham Union — 

 that is, about thirty parishes. This was a wide decision, for if 

 you want a horticultural society to prosper, and a cottagers' 

 improvement society to do good extensively, let it embrace a 

 district surrounding a town. Then there was a very excellent 

 device hit upon. All the clergymen of the thirty parishes 

 were elected Vice-Presidents ; that secured the support, influ- 

 ence, and co-operation in each parish of its incumbent, and 



secured also thirty subscribers. Then this little meeting re- 

 vealed to us an excellent Hon. Secretary, a stranger almost, 

 but one who knew what to do and did it. Besides the clergy, 

 all other men of position, lords, squires, and professional men 

 were asked to become Vice-Presidents, and the member for the 

 borough to become the President, and so by next meeting a 

 nice £100 or more was subscribed. A good working Committee 

 was appointed, business men being lovers of a garden, and the 

 leading nurserymen. You want in such cases business heads 

 to manage, as well as hearts that warm towards a garden. 



I have entered somewhat minutely into details, and shall 

 enter thus into further details, because I can well fancy that 

 some who read this paper will be wishing in their neighbour- 

 hood to do next year as we have done, so I want this article to 

 be such as can be referred and be a guide to such persons. 



To return. One thing, we all at that little meeting promised 

 to do — try to do all we could in every way to forward the object 

 in view, to procure copies of rules for our guidance, &c. So 

 " WiLTSHiKE Eecioe " Wrote to one of his " old Gooseberries." 

 The Editors of this Journal gave themselves that name, and 

 frequently refer to it, so evidently they like it. Well, one of 

 the "old Gooseberries" answered, "We have first-rate rules for 

 flower shows, and we lend them to ignorant parsons." " W. E." 

 had a great wish to squeeze that " old Gooseberry " very hard for 

 his sauciness, only he could not put out his arm quite a hun- 

 dred miles ; in fact, he wished to play " old Gooseberry " with 

 him. However, some people's deeds are a great deal better 

 than their words. So it was in this case; or, perhaps, it was 

 the other old Gooseberry who caused those excellent rules to be 

 published in the next week's Journal — viz., that for July 20th. 

 This is a great boon, for there are those capital rules to be re- 

 ferred to at any time, and used by all needing their assistance. 

 Armed with these rules I went to the next meeting, where, 

 aided by them, we drew up rules locally suitable, for circum- 

 stances and localities differ somewhat. The " old Gooseberries " 

 promised and sent a number of their useful manuals as addi- 

 tions to the cottagers' prizes. Specially did I plead for chil- 

 dren's prizes— c,(7., for the best nosegay of wild flowers, for 

 British field ferns, &o. 



I pleaded for children's prizes for this reason. There are 

 just a few years in human life when a taste is created, or a 

 bent is given — from about ten to fifteen. Before, children are 

 too young, and then after fifteen life's duties and life's work 

 lay their stern claim upon us all, when a taste can scarcely be 

 given, but may be cultivated at spare hours and give great 

 delight, a pleasure none can prize sufficiently highly. Thus a 

 lad learns in those years to handle a cricket-bat, and gets to 

 understand the game and plays a match or two, and the taste 

 is set. But the boy grows, and that great youth-swallowing 

 London receives him. He yearns at times for the country, 

 specially on bright spring or summer mornings. He longs as 

 a S»iss does for his mountains. He thinks of the downs or 

 hedgerows where he shot rabbits, or it may be swampy places 

 where he brought down a snipe or two. He cannot do as 

 General Oglethorp, Dr. Johnson's friend did, shoot snipes in 

 the Strand, but he can play cricket in Battersea Park. So 

 eager-eyed and glad he rushes cfi on Saturday afternoons to 

 his cricket match. Bat for that learning cricket between the 

 ages of ten and fifteen he would have been, as so many are, a 

 listless pipe-sucker, with no healthy hobby to cheer him. So 

 of other tastes. A love of pets allowed in the boy hangs by 

 the man, and he in many a happy hour blesses that taste early 

 given and permitted. But chiefest of all, flowers. The boy 

 or girl who at twelve years of age gets a prize will most likely 

 be a lover and cultivator of flowers during life. So I was very 

 anxious for children's prizes, and also that the cbOdien in all 

 schools of the humbler class should be admitted to the show 

 in the afternoon at a penny a-head. 



Many committee meetings followed where real work was 

 done. All arrangements having been made, not forgetting the 

 eatables and drinkables (mark well this recommendation — have 

 in addition a tea tent, it always tends to sobriety), then comes 

 the great anxiety about the weather, for upon a fine day all 

 depends. If Jupiter Pluvius (I wish that fellow were drowned 

 and done for), shon-ld reign, then comes utter ruin to show and 

 to pocket. 



I must further remark that it is of the highest importance 

 to choose a fit place for a show. A peer residing four milea 

 off most kindly offered his park, but that was too far distant 

 from the town. All committees of shows should regard the 

 well-being of the tradesmen of a town, not only that of inn- 

 keepers, but of shopkeepers. I have a strong feeling that 

 every class should live and let live. Tradesmen date from the 

 time of Chaucer at least. No co-operative stores for me. I 

 support the regular tradesmen and feel it a duty so to do. 

 Thus, I think, not only should a flower show be held close to a 

 town, but the tradesmen should not be asked to close their 

 shops as early as the show opens, but at least two hours after. 

 John wants a brooch for Mary, so the jeweller will have a turn. 

 Jane will want new gloves, and the girls will before the day, or 

 on the day, want, I know not what, for just let women get into 

 a draper's shop and see how long they will stay ! The bill 

 may usually be measured by the length of the husband's or 

 father's face when he looks over it. This last is but a joke, 

 but seriously I say, help the tradesmen. 



Fortunately, Chippenham has a park almost in the town ; 

 Chippenham lies on one side of the Avon, and Monkton Park 

 on the other, the entrance being from the town. Added to 

 its other advantf ' = is this great one, that the resident always 

 readily permits' '^ aeetings conducive to the welfare of the 

 inhabitants of 1"° i awn to be held in Monkton Park. 



All ready, and 'sill waiting for the weather. Monday, Septem- 

 ber 4th, was a wet day. Barometers were tapped very often in 

 many houses, for Tuesday is to be the day of the Show. The 

 wholly unweather-wise man who has no barometer anticipated 

 rain, having very likely a meagrim about the moon ; the half- 

 wise man who has a barometer and does not understand it, 

 going by the words and not the proportionate rise or fall, also 

 prophesied rain ; while the wholly weather-wise-man, who 

 both had and understood his barometer, declared it would be 

 fine on the morrow, and it was fine. A heavy, heavy mist 

 hung over us in the early morning of Tuesday, as sleepy eyes 

 saw, and then came a bright, bright forenoon ; just a glorious 

 sunshiny-day between two wet ones. The grass green as an 

 emerald with late rain, and on the roads all dust laid thoroughly, 

 and yet no dirt. I drove early into the town and saw that, the 

 inhabitants of the ancient borough (its charter dates from King 

 John's day), were determined to do their utmost. Arches were 

 being erected, flags large and small and tiny were drooping, 

 flying, and fluttering according to their size. As usual, too 

 many " Welcomes," and not enough variety. Still the good 



