October 18, 1SS1. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOETICTILTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



309 



for many, many years. I often wonder what crinkuni- 

 crankum shapes the bottom roots of my old trees hare 

 assumed — I have not seen them for years. 



The amateur orchard-house cultivator should not be op- 

 pressed with the weighty cares of repotting ; it only troubles 

 h im to no purpose. A large tree in a large pot should be a 

 pleasant fixture, requiring, like a very old and well-polished 

 mahogany table, but little care to keep it bright. 



The " Singleton Pig " is a misnomer. Its new name 

 was given to it, I believe, by mistake, although it made it 

 more commercially valuable, for trees of it were sold at 

 10s. 6c?., whereas under its true name of White Ischia it 

 was not so dear. No Fig better deserves culture, but only 

 in the forcing-house, for it invariably drops its first crop, 

 which should ripen in May with others when forced; but 

 its second most abundant crop, which it should ripen in 

 July, amply compensates, for no Fig can be more rich and 

 delicious. 



One more paragraph and I have done. I have seen spring 

 surface-dressings applied by awkward gardeners so rough, 

 so uncouth, so unlike what they should be, that I have felt 

 a wish to toss pots and trees into some dark and swollen 

 Lethe-like river. The surface-dressings to which I allude 

 are great lumps of manure, undeeomposed, and unfit for any 

 place but the dunghill, heaped on the mould in the pot to 

 a depth of several inches. This covering most effectually 

 keeps out heat from the surface roots, the earth becomes 

 sodden, the leaves turn yellow, the fruit drops, and the wise 

 operator opens his mouth and wonders what can be the 

 matter. 



If my favourite compost for surface-dressing cannot easily 

 be procured, the best substitute is rotten or nearly rotten 

 manure chopped up into a neat-looking and friable state. 

 It should next be saturated with strong liquid manure for 

 two or three days, and then used — not piled on 5 or 6 inches 

 deep ; the depth should be from 2 to 3 inches — formed into 

 a neat shallow basin, the stem of the tree in the centre, so 

 that the water given should be retained. — T, E. 



SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING PROVINCIAL 

 HORTICULTURAL SHOWS.' 



The "Secretary of a Country Horticultural Show of thirty 

 years standing " asks our opinion on the proper time to hold 

 a show. That of the past season, he says, was held in the 

 last week in September, which was thought by many to be 

 too late. He adds, the accommodation for the show in a 

 public hall in the town is very good, and the competition 

 amongst exhibitors is great, cottagers also being favoured 

 with a class. From the inquiry made we suppose the ma- 

 nagers of the show would like to have it at a time likely to 

 bring together the greatest number of important products. 

 Although he mentions Dahlias, Hollyhocks, and Gladioli as 

 being favourites in the neighbourhood, we apprehend the 

 period that would bring the greatest number of attractive 

 objects to the show would be the one selected. 



Now, it is by no means easy to give good advice in a 

 ease like the above without more knowledge of the district 

 than we possess. Very often the best time to hold a show 

 is one in which horticulture is very little consulted; the 

 fashionable season at a watering place, or any event in a 

 county or district town calling a number of people to it, is 

 often made the time for a horticultural show. Visitors at 

 such places, more especially when the funds in a great mea- 

 sure depend on what is taken at the door, are more consulted 

 than any particular class of plants, fruits, or vegetables. 

 The latter have to be got ready for the show-day, not the 

 show-day for them. This state of things cannot be altered, 

 neither is it fair to find fault with- it ; but we will suppose 

 that the show in question is not fettered by any conditions 

 of the above kind, but simply that the good people of a quiet 

 country town want to know when is the best time to in- 

 sure a good and attractive show, regardless of all outside 

 influences. Although we are quite at sea where our corre- 

 spondent writes from, we will suppose him to reside some- 

 where to the south of York, and point out one or two modes 

 of dealing with the show, so as to meet the requirements 

 of the majority of those interested in the matter. That it 

 is impossible to satisfy all must be known to every one 



who takes upon himself the duty of secretary. By way of 

 assisting the inquirer we will state a few facts connected 

 with a local horticultural show of about the same standing 

 as the one alluded to, but which was, perhaps, at one time 

 at least, in a more prosperous condition, and its operations 

 more extended. Examples are always good monitors, and 

 we give this one before venturing an opinion. 



The horticultural society alluded to is connected with a 

 town of some 25,000 inhabitants in a rural but somewhat 

 wealthy neighbourhood, and not a hundred miles from 

 London. Most of the leading gentry and principal trades- 

 men of the town and neighbourhood are members paying 

 one guinea annually, for which they have four tickets of 

 admission to each show, there being two in a year. Gardeners 

 pay 5s. subscription, which by a defect in the administration 

 merely allows them two tickets to each show. The funds 

 are also augmented by payments at the doors, visitors at 

 an early hour being charged 2s. Gd., and later in the day Is. 

 The first and most important show is held in the last week 

 in June, under canvass, in a field commanding one of the 

 finest prospects in England, there being at least half a dozen 

 large tents, with two military bands, and all the pomp of 

 a metropolitan show ; and if the day proves fine it is so well 

 attended that, notwithstanding the tickets of subscribers, a 

 sum of upwards of .£100 has frequently been taken for ad- 

 mission. The second show is generally in the first week in 

 September, and is held in the public hall or market-room — a 

 spacious room, in which it has been said that six hundred 

 have dined. The September show is more for fruit than 

 plants; but there are the cut flowers of various kinds, 

 with vegetables of almost every description ; and as an ex- 

 hibition of horticultural produce and skill it is far superior 

 to the June show, but never so attractive. Fashionable 

 visitors like more space, and, consequently, attend in less 

 numbers, so that in the most successful days the pay- 

 ments for admission bring but a small sum to the exchequer, 

 and this show, as compared with the June one, is a dead 

 loss to the Society. The prizes are not large at either of 

 the shows, but the varied productions make up a consider- 

 able display, and the June show is looked upon in the neigh- 

 bourhood as a fete at which the best articles of attire are 

 brought forth. Now, this Society, like all others, has been 

 liable to the visitations common to such institutions — one or 

 two unfortunate days, and a change of place for holding the 

 show, coupled with, perhaps, the fact that its novelty is 

 wearing ofF, has much impaired its position, so that, instead 

 of having a considerable sum in hand, the Society is, or was 

 very lately, on the verge of insolvency, not from any want 

 of care or mismanagement of its affairs, but solely from the 

 misfortunes which such institutions are liable to. 



With a case like this before us, we confess feeling some 

 hesitation in giving advice ; but as our correspondent's 

 query simply relates to the best time to hold one show, the 

 matter is circumscribed, still our answer must be a qualified 

 one. If the show be for plants, or if they are regarded as of 

 more consequence than fruits, June is the best time, and 

 not too late in the month. If, however, forced fruits, in 

 addition to plants, be in requisition, the last week in June 

 will in a great measure answer for both, as by that time 

 Grapes, Melons, and possibly Peaches and Nectarines, may 

 be forthcoming, with Cherries and Strawberries from out of 

 doors, and a host of vegetables and plants of the finest 

 description. If an extended show of fruit and cut flowers 

 be the desideratum, the first week in September will generally 

 furnish both ; but, as stated at the beginning of this article, 

 if the company is likely to be greater in June than in Sep- 

 tember, let the fact have due weight in the decision, as no 

 show, nor in fact anything else, can well go on without 

 visitors. In most cases an energetic secretary, and half a 

 dozen active business committee-men, having a perfect 

 knowledge of the feelings and requirements of the neigh- 

 bourhood, are able to judge whether it is prudent to make 

 a bold move in a progressive direction or not. If your 

 Society has existed thirty years, and is still popular, there 

 is proof that the principle is healthy, and that a more 

 liberal course might be ventured upon with advantage. 

 Although we would strongly advocate the increase of prizes, 

 and the encouragement of horticulture, we are not blind to 

 the fact that the public at large look also at some other 

 source of amusements as being necessary adiuncts to such a 



