XOYEMBEB 9, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



855 



BRADFORD CHRYSANTHEMUM 

 EXHIBITION, 

 In ST GEORGE'S HALL, on 

 FRIDAY and SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15th & 16th. 



£50 for CUT BLOOMS ON BOAJIDS. 

 befii<3efl other valuable Prizes for oi)ein oompettition.. 



formis 



Horton Park, Bradford. 



HORTICULTURAL SHOW ADVERTISE- 

 MENTS are in&erted in thi« column at Sii- 

 thfIIO* per lin« th© minimum oharg* b^inff Two Sliil- 

 liigw and Sixpence. Offioee, 148 and 14», Alderegpate 

 Street. London* E.G. 



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A gt>od show? Yes; but not a show to 

 compare with those of former yeare. Such 

 was the g-eneral verdict of those who attended 

 the exhibition in Bindley Hall, which opened 

 on November 5 for three days. With that 

 verdict we agree; but, let it be understood, 

 the comparison with bygone shows must not 

 be taken to imply that there is anything 

 wrong at Birmingham, but that, in common 

 with other chrysanthemum shows, the changes 

 that have been made in the style and charac- 

 ter of the exhibitions have resulted in an 

 entirely different sort of show, and, in 

 consequence of the fact that shows appa- 

 rently have now less attraction for the gene- 

 ral public than they had twenty, or even 

 ten, yearns ago, diminishing patronage en- 

 tails restrictions in one form and another 

 that make the standard of all-round excel- 

 lence difficult to maintain. 



Birmingham for years held the foremost 

 position among chrysanthemum shows in the 

 provinces, and even yet it is questionable 

 whether any show out of London surpasses 

 the Bingley Hall Exhibition. One certainly 

 misses the big classes for Japanese and in- 

 curves shown on boards, although the 

 flowers in vases make a bold and more artis- 

 tic display. 



Chrysanthemums, however, are far from 

 being the only feature here, it being as much 

 of a fruit and vegetable show as anything 

 else. There used to be big exhibits of floral 

 designs, but these have passed away. Per- 

 petual carnations are now provided for, but 

 the primula and cyclamen classes do not 

 nowadays bring the strong entry they did 

 when the whole of the spacious gallery was 

 utilised for the strongly-contested classes 

 of pot plants. Mr. Alfred Noakes is still the 

 secretary, and we were pleased to see most 

 of the old faces among the officials- of the 

 ^iety; and, as lias ever been the case, the 

 whole arrangements were carried out in a 

 niethodical and business-like manner, every- 

 thing working s-moothly, and to the general 

 satisfaction. 



PLANTS. 



In each of the two classes for groups of 

 chrysanthemums there were two entries, 

 and really fine the exhibits were. The biggest 

 class was for a group occupying 16ft. by 

 10ft., and cut blooms in addition io plants 

 Were allowed, ferns and foliage being used 

 for furnishing. Tlie first prize was awarded 

 to Mr. Alfred Cryer. gardener to .1. A. Ken- 

 ^»ck, Esq,, Bornnv Tourt, Edgl>:usf on. Mr. 

 ^^yer has won in;iiiy a prize at this show. 

 *'*^d it may at (>ii<'<- said that the group 

 ^hich faced the judges on Tuesday was in 

 ^is best style, the quality of the flowers being 

 ^nhanced by tasteful arrangement. Mr. G. 

 ^orbett, gardener to Hume Pinsent, Esq., 

 ■ttarborne, was worthily awarded second 

 prize, juist a touch of \voakuo-,-> being evident 

 1^ the finishing off of his group in front. 

 Rff other groups each occupied 12ft. by 

 exhibitors in the preceding class l>oiug 

 excluded. The winner was Mr. L. Fewkes, 

 Ih t"^'' to H. Green, Esq., Gravelly Hill, 

 ^ho had excellent plants, arranged in rather 

 ^oi^mal style. His follower was Mr. Bullock. 

 ™ener to T. W. Piggott, Esq.. The Lions, 

 Moselcy. the arrangement in this exhibit 

 r^^^g of a looser, lighter character while 

 many ^rand floAvers were staged. 



liig- specimen plants have lost the prestige 

 i ^^'^^ held, and there was but one entry 

 ^ the class for six plants of large-flowering 



chrysanthemums, the exhibitor being Mr. A. 

 Cryer, who showed Mrs. J. B. Bryce, John 

 Wainwright, Mdme. Ferlat, H. W. T^orp. 

 Frank Trestian, and Souvenir de Wm. CLi- 

 bran. Mr. Cryer also had everything his 

 own way with three Japanese and for 

 single specimens, scoring also for three 

 singles over two other competitors ; Mr. 

 Bostock, gardener to E. Martineau, Esq., 

 Edgbaston, being second; and Mr. Bullock 

 third. 



CUT FLOWERS. 



and F. Joliff e 

 H. Wool man 

 the whole of 

 bright and fresh. 

 Mr. E. J. Brooks 

 Beecl 



Md 



his 



Six vases of Japanese varieties, each con- 

 taining three blooms, but all distinct, had 

 four entries, and it was here that one found 

 the quality, and saw the true results of 

 skilful cultivation. The coveted first prize 

 was won by Mr. J. R, Tooley^ gardener 

 to H. Andrews, Esq., Toddington Manor, 

 Winchcombe. Among the finest of a glorious 

 set of flowers were Master James, A. T. 

 Miller, and Mrs. Lopes, which occupied one 

 vase in front of the stand, but Lady Talbot 



were also splendid blooms. Mr. 

 Shirley, was a close second, 

 his flowers being particularly 

 Third place was taken by 

 gardener to Lieut. -Colonel 

 Coventry; fourth prize being awarded 

 to C. W. Catt, Esq., Duffield, Derby. Four 

 vases of three blooms each, in four distinct 

 varieties, found Mr. Brooks at the head of 

 the prize-winners, with immense but beauti- 

 fully developed flowers of Hon. Mrs. Lopes, 

 Lady TaJbot, F. S. Vallis, and Francis 

 Joliffe. Three yellows and an amber- 

 coloured variety did not make so varied an 

 exhibit as we should like to see, but we 

 have nothing but praise for the quality of 

 the flowers. Mr. W, H. Westbury, gardener 

 to J. H. Wheatley, Esq., Berkswell Hall, who 

 was placed second, showed a vase of Mrs. 

 G. C. Kelly, one flower of whch was just a 

 bit too open in the centre; D. B. Crane, 

 e. G. Rivol, and Hon. Mrs. Lopes were 

 other varieties. Mr. Tooley accounted 

 for third prize; Mr. Alex. Hoyle, Coventry, 

 taking fourth. 



An excellent and well-filled class was that 

 for twelve vases, each containing one bloo 

 of a distinct Japanese variety, set up with 

 small plants and foliage. The chief award 

 was secured by Mr. H. S. Foster, gardener 

 to F. E. Muntz, Esq., Umbersilade. The ex- 

 hibit contained flowers of medium size, quite 

 large enough to show their individual 

 charms to advantage, and the small crotons 

 and maidenhair ferns used made a beautiful 

 setting to the flowers, which were of pleasing 

 shades of colour. Second prize went to Mr. 

 Tooley, who arranged his exhibit against a 

 background of green baize, and used Aspara- 

 gus Sprengeri with copper-<^oloured berberis 

 foliage to show off the flowers. Mr. E. 

 Avery, gardener to J. B. Brooks, Esq., J. P., 

 Finstall Park, Bromsgrove, took third. 



Incurved varieties have isadly fallen away 



from the high position of former days, and 



the classes provided on this occasion failed 



to bring really good competition, the best 

 exhibitors being Mr. Bullock, Mr. A. Cryer, 



and Mr. H. F. Keep. 



Local and amateur classes were provided 

 with a lil)eral hand, and there were some 

 ^iiod exhibits in the Japano^e and decora- 

 tive classes, whilst in that tor twelve vases for 

 market varieties, Mr. Norman Davies, Fram- 

 field, scored with some splendid bunches of 

 very serviceable kinds, such as True Gold, 

 Black Prince. Christmas Gift, Felton's 

 Favourite, and others of a like character. 

 Mr. Davis's exhibit of a group of cut chry- 

 santhemums, Japanese and incurved, ar- 

 ranged with ferns and foliage on table space 

 18ft. by oft., was awarded a first prize, 

 which it richlv deserved. Beautiful flowers 

 of Thomas Lunt, His Majesty, a new ma- 

 hogiinv-crimson variety. Amber Queen, and 

 other Japanese were well supported by Clara 

 Wells. H. W. Thorpe, Romance, and other 

 good incurves A challenge shield accom- 

 panied the casli prize of £8 for this exhibit. 



FRUIT. 



the 



There was abundant evidence from 

 manner in which visitors lingered around the 



fruit exhibited that its attractions were 

 almost, if not fully, as great as were those 

 of the floral and purely ornamental exhibits, 

 and the trade exhibitors who put up their 

 exhibited for commercial purposes appeared 

 to be meeting many people who were pre- 

 pared to do business. The most attractive 

 class was one for a 10ft. by oft. table of 

 British-grown fruit, including grapes, the 

 principal winner being Mr. Geo. Mullins, 

 gardener to Lady Henry Somerset ^ Eastnor 

 Castle, Ledbury. Mr. Mullins had some beau, 

 tifully coloured bunches of grapes, including 

 Gros Maroc, Gros Colmar, Alicante, and 

 Muscat of Alexandria. The bunches, al- 

 though not extremely large, were beautiifully 

 balanced, and carried in every instance most 

 perfect bloom. Some melons and quite a 

 collection of the best dessert apples and 

 pears made up the staud, which was deco- 

 ated with small plants, autumn foliage, and 

 rov/an berries. 



A table of hardy British-grown fruits found 

 Mr. E. Parry, gardener to Sir R. L. Lucas 

 Tooth, Bart., Holm Tracey, Hereford, at 

 the top of the list. The space occupied was 

 12ft. by 8ft., affording room for a goodly 

 number of dishes, and there were splendid 

 examples of Doyenne du Cornice, Beurre 

 Diel, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Berkmans, and 

 other pears, many kinds of apples, and such 



thing8 a^ medlars, walnuts, white currants> 

 and Coe's Golden Drop pi 



Mr. Mullins, Eastnor Castle Gardens, led 

 the way with six bunches of grapes, showing 

 Muscat of Alexandria of rich amber colour 

 and good size. Black Alicante and Gros 

 Maroc were the black varieties shown. Mr. 

 J. R. Tooley followed for second place. 

 Mr. Tooley's three bunches of Black 

 Alicante were awarded first in their class, 

 Mr. Mullins taking second place, but 

 leading again in the w^hites, Mr. Henry Tay- 

 lor, gardener to the Right Hon. Lord Hather- 

 ton, Teddesley Park, Penkridge, following. 



MISCELLANEOUS PLANTS AND 



'FLOWERS. 



Messrs. Young and Co., Cheltenham, took 

 first prize for a collection of perpetual-flower- 

 ing carnations, the quality of the flowers, 

 selection of varieties, and blending of col- 

 ours being worthy of the award; second 

 prize winner in this class was Mr. Mortimer, 

 Farnham. Mr. John Farmer, gardener to 

 L. Spiers, Esq., Edgbaston, had the best 

 dozen plants of Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, 

 and nice stocky plants they were, literally 

 smothered in bloom ; second prize w^ent to 

 Mrs. R. Peyton, Edgbaston, whose plants 

 were w-ell flowered, but not so nicely trained- 

 Mr. Foster s six plants were even better spe- 

 cimens than his dozen. Some really good 

 c\clamc»n were shown by the Rev, H. Buck- 

 stou. Sutton Hall, Derby, most of the flowers 

 bfing of the fringed or crested type. Pink, 

 white, salmon, and crimson were all good, 

 and the foliage was attractively mar'bled. 



TABLE DECORATIONS. 



There v/as a class for dinner table decora- 

 tion on an 8ft. by 4ft. table, and there w^re 

 no less than nineteen entries, occupvint^f tlie 

 A\hole width of the hall, standing side by 

 side with just a pathway between each pair. 

 The judges must have had a very difficult 

 task to pick cut the winners, but the table 

 arranged by Mr. J. V. MacDonald, gardener 

 to Sir C. H. Kenrick, Edgbaston, was 

 awarded first. Bronze-crimson chrysanthe- 

 mums, selaginella, and croton leaver vv 

 used with good taste. Mrs. Batchelor. 

 Hanipton-in-Arden, used a single yellow 



chrysanthemum with trails of ampelopsis and 

 small sprays of maidenhair fern. Her effort 

 w as rewarded with second prize ; whilst Mrs. 

 Greaves, Wormington, took third with a 

 prettily-coloured single chrysanthemum in 



a lilac shade. 



VEGETABLES. 



The whole of the vegetable classes were 

 provided by various seed firms, and. taking 

 the exhibits all round, they made a 

 big and very meritorious display. The 

 biggest array was to be seen in the 

 classes provided by Robert Sydenham 

 Limited, Birmingham, the exhibits in which 



