j»>- Cannell & Sons’ Complete Seed Guide. 
It was perhaps the best day’s worlv the Rodmershain Gardeners’ 
Association ever did when they wrested the Cliamjjion Belt 
(offered by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, seedsmen, Swanley, 
who are known all over the world) from the Milton Society last 
year. The Miltonians found that to win the Champion Belt of 
Kent meant something more than honour; it meant money. 
And the Eodmersham Association have just had a similar 
experience. The annual exhibition of fruit, flowers, and vege- 
tables in connection with the Eodmersham Gardeners’ Association 
took place on Wednesday and Thursday last, \inder the brightest 
auspices. In the first place, the Eodmersham horticulturists 
took occasion to mark their possession of the Champion Belt for 
the season 1894-5 by arranging their annual exhibition on a 
larger scale than usual, and the Eodmersham Exhibition has 
boldly blossomed forth into a floral fete. The interest that had 
been aroused in our own and other parts of the county over the 
Champion Belt competition justified Eodmersham in taking this 
step. The President, Mr. E. fiercer, takes a great interest in 
all that pertains to horticulture. Indeed, in IMr. Mercer and 
Mr. A. J. Thomas, two of the foremost fruit growers in Kent, 
they have two practical gentlemen who devote much time and 
attention to the work of the Association. Mr. Mercer kindly 
placed the Park at the services of the Society, and it was in this 
pretty spot, surrounded by fine old trees and a picturesque hop 
garden, that the exhibition was held. Fortunately for the success 
of the show, beautiful weather prevailed each day, and thus 
])i’ovided the one, but indispensable, element that was necessary 
' to an outdoor fete. The exhibits were staged in a large marquee, 
' the tables which ran down one side of the canvas structure 
being entirely taken up by the collections of vegetables which 
had been entered in the Champion Belt Comjietition. The 
exhibits of fruit, flowers, and vegetables from Eodmersham Were 
also numerous and of good quality — in fact, the whole exhibition 
sur])assed anything of the kind seen in Eodmersham. Those 
good men and true who helped to found the Society, and who 
can remember their early efforts in the exhibition line, might 
I well look j)leased, as they did on Wednesday, at the great strides 
that had been made. 
1 KEEN FIGHTING FOR THE BELT. 
I Although there is a ring of pugilistic jiroclivities about this 
heading, there is nothing to follow about which the gentle reader 
need feel alarmed. Ever since Messrs. Cannell & Sons hit upon 
the happy idea of promoting healthy rivalry and attainment of 
excellence in vegetable culture, the competition for possession of 
the sash of honour has each year become more keen. We who 
live in Kent know something of the terrible earnestness which is 
displayed in a football cup tie ; but footballers are not more keen 
on their game than are gardeners when they are fighting for the 
Cluampion Belt. The work of preparation extends over several- 
[ Rionths; and then, after all, the competitors have to pit their 
skill against the vagaries of the season. But, clever as they may- 
be, I^jjure will assert her supremacy ; and, if all that was said on 
GVednesd^ is to be believed, Natiu-e had very much to do with 
the disposition of the Champion Belt for the ensuing year. There 
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had been considerable speculation as to the result. Eodmersham, 
the holders, announced that they should make a big effort to 
retain the trophy-. Milton, the holders in 1898, and the runners 
up last year, were known to have been in strict training for some 
time past ; and if the Belt had to leave Eodmersham it was 
generally believed that it would be taken “ across the fields ” — 
vide Mr. Chopping’s prophetic utterance last year — to Milton. 
But with so many competitors, no one could for a certainty spot 
the winner, hence the delightful uncertainty that enshrouded the 
whole affair. There were fifteen entries, the largest number 
since the competition has been established. Of these, however, 
one society (Kei-ne) failed to put in an appearance on Wednesday. 
The competitors were : — Eodmersham (the holders), Milton, 
Ightham, Borden, Ashford, Westwell, Gillingham, Murston, 
Lynsted, Hartford, Ewell, Bapcliild. Gravesend, and Littlebourne. 
The competition, which was o))en to all amateur and cottage 
garden associations in Kent, was for twelve varieties of vegetables, 
viz., four cabbages, three cauliflowers, six beetroot, six tomatoes, 
three marrows, nine spring-sown onions, a dish of kidney pota- 
toes, a dish of round potatoes, 30 pods of peas, 30 runner beans, 
six carrots, and six turnips. The judges were Mr. .1. McKenzie, 
Linton Park, Maidstone ; Mr. Woodward, Barham Court, 
Maidstone; and Mr. F. T. Hart, Ospringe Road, Faver.sham. 
Of course the collections of vegetables occupied a considerable 
part of their time, and the result was awaited with almost feverish 
anxiety. At length the judging was completed, and the decisions 
were made known as follows : — Kent Champion Belt and 1st 
prize of £3, Milton; 2nd, £2, Eodmersham; 3rd, £1, Ightham. 
The points allotted to the successful grouj)s were : — Milton 54, 
Eodmersham 48, and Igtham 43, although Littlebourne ran the 
last-named collection very close for third honours, with 424 
points. The success of the Miltonians was greeted with cheers by 
the excited i-epresentatives u ho were present; and among the first 
to congratulate them were the Eodmersham exhibitors — a graceful 
act, which shows that the Eodmersham men know how to lose 
as well as win. Glancing at tlie merits of the collections, the 
-Miltonians certainly deserved their success. 'I’heir vegetables 
were the best on the tables. The collection included two lovely 
dishes of potatoes, and in this respect the winners were ahead of 
all their opponents. The iMilton pea.s, onions, and carrots were 
also noticeable, while the tomatoes were i-emarkably fine and well 
coloured. Eodmersham excelled in turnips, carrots, onions, 
cabbage, and beans. Their cauliflowers were also good. Tbe 
grouping of the vegetables, however, was not so effective as that 
of Milton. The Ightham collection consisted of vegetables of 
smaller growth, but the exhibits were bright and clean. In the 
Gillingham and New Brompton group were to be found what 
were authoritatively pronounced to be the best carrots in the 
competition. They were mottled, and of good coloui-, and three 
of them were of perfect shape. The onions were good throughout 
the competition. Borden, Bapcliild, and Murston were among 
the young hands in the fight for the championship, but they each 
made a creditable display, and by taking part in a competition of 
this character learned a good object-les.son. The splendid display 
of vegetables formed the chief feature of the show, and the 
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