NOVEMBER. 



161 



THE METROPOLITAN EXHIBITIONS. 



Royal IIorticultueaij Society, Sept 9th.— In the department for cut flowers 

 there was a complete " rush," and it was necessary to extemporise tahles to accommodate 

 the numerous subjects. Dahlias were very much finer than at the Crystal Palace, and it is 

 said they were even in better condition at Brighton a few days after this date, while an 

 extensive batch of seedlings were displayed, Fruit was not quite so numerous as at the 

 Palace, but it was very fine indeed. One old fruit-grower told me he had never before seen 

 such fine Plums, while Peaches were of surpassing sizo. 



With cut blooms of Hollyhocks, Mr. W. Chater, of Saffron Walden, took the first prize 

 for twelve varieties ; second, Messrs. Minchin & Son, Hook Norton ; third, Messrs. Paid 

 and Son, Cheshunt. A few of the best flowers were Rev. J. Dix, Prince of Wales, Princess, 

 George Young, Macrantha, Decision, Minerva, Invincible, Warrior, Acme, and Carus. 



Mr. R. H. Betteridge, of Abingdon, was first in both Classes of Asters for quilled and 

 tasselled or flat-petalled flowers, twenty-four blooms being staged in each Class. Mr. C. 

 Wyatt, gardener to H. Willis, Esq., of Epsom, was second" in both divisions ; and Mr. C. 

 Sandford, gardener to T. Thomasset, Esq., Walthamstow, was third in each Class. 



With twenty-four spikes of Gladiolus, Messrs. Youell & Co., Great Yarmouth, were 

 first with a collection very similar to those exhibited by them at the Crystal Palace, some 

 splendid spikes of flowers being among them; second, Mr. J. Standish, with a group of his 

 fine seedlings ; and, third, Mr. G. Prince, Market Street, Oxford, with spikes of the leading 

 French hybrids. In the Class for twelve spikes, exhibited by Amateurs, Mr. J. Sladden, of 

 Ash-next-Sandwich, was first with fine spikes of Hector, Volunteer, Prospero, and Lord 

 Clyde (seedlings of 1863, of his own production, all shades of scarlet and crimson), Madame 

 Priest, Le Poussin, Couranti fulgens (shades of scarlet and carmine), and others. Second, 

 Mr. C. J . Perry, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, who had Premices de Montrouge, Achille, 

 Raphael, Le Poussin, J anire, Mazeppa, Jeanne d' Arc, Sulphureus, Madame Vatry, Marie, 

 and a seedling. Third, Rev. H. Dombrain, of Deal, with Victor Verdier, Lucifer, Earl of 

 Carlisle, Lord Warden, Orange Boven, Endymion, Lemonade, Mrs. Reynolds Hole, Mrs. 

 Dombrain, Mrs. Livingstone, Bridesmaid, and Viola. Besides these a large miscellaneous 

 group was staged by Messrs. Youell & Co., prominent among which, by its striking colour, 

 were bunches of G. Brenchleyensis, of which variety immense numbers are grown by this 

 firm, who seem also to be the largest growers of Gladiolus in the present day. 



One collection only of Phloxes, in twenty-four varieties, appeared in Class 6. They 

 were from Mr. Turner, of Slough, and comprised the best of the herbaceous varieties grown. 



With stands of twenty-four cut Verbenas, in bunches of five trusses each, Messrs. S. 

 Perkins & Son, of Coventry, were first ; second, Mr. C. J. Perry, of Birmingham ; third, 

 Messrs. W. Minchin & Sons, Hook Norton, Oxon. The varieties in Messrs. Perkins' stands 

 were identical with those at the Crystal Palace. The flowers were very fine indeed : no 

 trace_ of injury or age coidd be detected among any of the trusses. Mr. Perry had some 

 seedlings in his stand that promised to be valuable acquisitions. 



Mr. Turner, of Slough, was first with a splendid collection of Dahlias in forty-eight 

 varieties. It was composed of the following :— Norfolk Hero, Andrew Dodds, Mr. C. Waters, 

 Donald Beaton, Hon. Mrs. Trotter, Warrior, Sidney Herbert, Miss Pressly, Mrs. Church, 

 Mr. Stocken, Criterion, Garibaldi, Princess of Prussia, Midnight, Madge Wildfire, Mrs. 

 Bush, Grand Master, Triomphe de Pecq, Goldfinder, Pre-eminent, Lord Cardigan, Beauty of 

 Hilperton, Hugh Miller, Lord Derby, Delicata, Mrs. W. Pigott, General Jackson, Sir George 

 Douglas, Lady Popham, Bob Ridley, Mrs. Henshaw, Earl of Shaftesbury, Chairman, Juno, 

 Pioneer, Charlotte Dorling, Lord Clyde, Volunteer, George Elliot, Umpire, Cygnet, Mauve 

 Queen, Lord Palmerston, and seedlings. Second, Mr. J. Keynes, Salisbury, with Edward 

 Purchase, Juno, Lord Derby, Disraeli, Willie Austin, George Elliot, John Keynes, Miss 

 Henshaw, Goldfinder, Harlequin, King of Sweden, Model, Earl Shaftesbury, Golden Drop, 

 John Wyatt, Annie Keynes, Donald Beaton, Fanny Purchase, Garibaldi,' Jenny Austin, 

 Pauline, Criterion, Lord Clyde, Miss Herbert, Delicata, Souter Johnny, Lady L. Paulet, 

 Norfolk Hero, Leopard, Lilac Queen, Regularity, General Jackson, Earl Pembroke, Marquis 

 of Bowmont, A. Dodds, Hon. Mrs. Trotter, British Triumph, Count Cavour, Hugh Miller, 

 Bob Ridley, Sir G. Douglas, C. Dorling, Cherub, Baron Taunton, Lord Palmerston, and 

 seedlings. Third, Mr. J. Cattell, of Westerham. With twenty-four blooms Mr. Turner was 

 again first, and Mr. Keynes second; Mr. J. Perkins, of Market Square, Northampton, being 

 third. The flowers in this Class were but a repetition of the varieties just given. With 

 eighteen Fancies Mr. Keynes was first ; Mr. Turner second ; and Mr. H. Legge, of Edmonton 

 third. These three stands contained fine blooms of Harlequin, Countess of Bective, Pauline' 

 Starlight, Elegans, Queen Mab, Confidence, Lady Paxton, Miss Jones, Mrs. Crisp, Norah 

 Crerna, Madame Sherrington, Summertide, Fairy Queen, Mrs. C. Kean, Countess of 

 Shelburae, Pluto, Zebra, Garibaldi, Rev. J. Dix, Triomphe de Roubaix, Mrs. Wickham, 



