168 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 23, 1883. 
sterling merit appearing amongst the seedlings; this is a great recom¬ 
mendation to amateurs, from whom the demands are very large. Verbenas 
are very beautiful, and, like most of the preceding, they are sold either 
mixed or in separate colours—a very convenient regulation. White, scarlet, 
blue, and purple are represented by beds as true to colour as if the plants 
had been increased by cuttings. Antirrhinums, too, are another feature, 
especially the Tom Thumb section, which is very dwarf and profuse¬ 
flowering, surprisingly distinct from the ordinary type, and possessing as 
many varied tints. Petunias, seifs, fancy-coloured and striped, have a 
large space devoted to them, and produce fine trusses of colour and load the 
air with perfume for hundreds of yards around. Then there are beds of 
Dianthuses, D. diadematus, nanus, atrosanguineus, and D. Ileddewigi, all 
beautiful and bright. Portulacas, yellow, white, rose, crimson, and 
striped, form other interesting beds. Balsams, Zinnias, Pansies, Penste- 
mons, and scores of others are similarly creditable. 
Especially noteworthy is that portion of the grounds devoted to the 
varieties of Phlox Drummondii which are flowering superbly, the colours 
exceedingly rich, bright, clear, and the shades numerous. Cinnabarina, 
Chamoise Rose, Snowball, hortensiflora and Victoria are only a few of 
many grand varieties, seifs, bicolors, tricolors, and striped. It is sur¬ 
prising what advances have been made with these plants in recent years, 
for there are now few annuals that are more appreciated either for mixed 
borders or ordinary beds in the flower garden. A bed of these varieties in 
Hyde Park is this season one of the most pleasing of all, and is a striking 
example of their value for such purposes. In addition to these flower 
trials considerable space is devoted to a trial of Tomatoes, all the varieties 
obtainable being grown out of doors for comparison, but they are not at 
present sufficiently advanced to be satisfactorily judged, though they are 
giving promise of fine crops. 
It need only be further added that the same methodical and excellent 
system of management which distinguishes Messrs. Suttons’ admirable 
seed warehouses is also seen in the trial grounds, no effort being spared to 
secure the best possible results—a principle of obvious value to both pur¬ 
chaser and purveyor.—X. 
TAUNTON DEANE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The last, but by no means the least pleasant of my judicial visits, is that 
which I pay to the beautiful county town of Somerset. To meet friends 
whom one knew and travelled with in the salet days of forty-three years 
past in scenes which can never be forgotten, to go amongst those whom one 
has been associated with for many years, and to come to an exhibition of a 
first-rate character and see the enthusiasm which pervades all classes—if all 
these do not combine to make a visit a pleasant and happy one, why one 
must be very hard to please ; and so to me this Taunton visit is always a 
pleasant one. We have to go to the West to see what is really thought of 
a flower show, and in no place that I know of is it so great a success as here. 
The whole town is enfcte, business is pretty well nigh suspended, the neigh¬ 
bouring gentry flock in and make it a point of being at home at the time of 
the Show,, and a few items from their last published account will evidence 
the favour with which its operations are viewed. I should say that in expla¬ 
nation of the very large amount of gate money, that an exhibition of fire¬ 
works, ever popular, takes place at night. This costs about £(i0, and produces 
generally a clear profit of £70 or £80. The subscriptions last year amounted 
to £241, and the gate receipts to £348, and so successful was the financial 
condition, that they were enabled to erect a new band at an expense of £116. 
One thing must, however, be added, that they hare generally been favoured 
with fine weather, and have had a succession of able Secretaries, not the 
least able one being their present one, Mr. C. H. Samson. 
I have been here now for the last ten years an annual visitant of the 
Taunton shows, and I unhesitatingly say that this was, without exception, 
the finest one I have ever seen. All the productions were of good quality, 
plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables, and I never anywhere saw such a bank 
of flowering plants as that which filled the long tent from one end to the 
other.. Mr. Tudgey was not there, but his place was worthily taken by a new 
exhibitor, Mr. Cleam of Crediton, whose plants displayed great skill in cul¬ 
tivation ; while Mr. Cypher surpassed himself. Mr. John Marshall of Bel¬ 
mont reappeared as an exhibitor with plants of great excellence, and Mr. 
Lawless showed that his gardener, Mr. Cole, could keep up his well-earned 
reputation. Mr. Cypher’s collection of twelve stove and greenhouse plants, 
for which he gained the premier prize of £20, was equal to any that even he 
has ever shown. They were Ixora regina, I. amabilis, I. Wil'liamsii, Clero- 
dendron Balfourianum, Allamanda nobilis and A. Hendersoni, Erica semula, E. 
Marnockiana, E. Austiniana, a magnificent plant, and E. ampullacea Barnesii; 
Stephanotis floribunda, very fine ; and Dipladenia amabilis. Mr. Lawless 
(gardener, Mr. G. Cole) was second with a beautiful lot not quite so massive, 
comprising Stephanotis floribunda, Clerodendron Balfourianum, Ixora Prince 
of Orange, Erica Marnockiana, E. Earmeri, E. Jacksonii, and E. aemula; 
Eucharis amazonica, Allamanda Hendersoni and A. nobilis, and Lapageria 
rosea. In the class for six stove and greenhouse plants in flower Mr. J. 
Marshall of Belmont was first with fine plants of Bougainvillea glabra, Alla¬ 
manda Hendersoni, Dipladenia amabilis, Stephanotis floribunda, Ixora Prince 
of Orange, and Statice profusa. J. H. Mould, Esq., was third with Bougain¬ 
villea glabra, Allamanda nobilis, Allamanda Hendersoni, Ixora Williamsii, 
and Eiica Irbyana. In the class for eight foliage plants the contest was so 
sharp that the Judges were obliged to give the two first collections equal 
first, Mr. B. N. Cleam and Mr. Lawless being the exhibitors. The former’s 
plants .were Croton Williamsii, Areca lutescens, Cycas revoluta, Croton 
Disraeli, Latania borbonica, Croton Johannis, Alocasia intermedia, and Sea- 
forthia elegans. The colouring of the Crotons in this collection was some¬ 
thing unusually grand. Mr. Lawless’ were Croton undulata and Croton 
Warneri, Thrinax elegans, Kentia Belmoriana, Nepenthes Rafflesiana, 
Croton Disraeli, and Livistonia altissima. In the class for eight Ferns Mr. 
B. W. Cleam was again first with Cibotium princeps, a grand plant: Cyathea 
dealbata, Nephrolepis davallioides, and Davallia Mooreana, Gleichenia Spe- 
luncse, Adiantum trapeziforme, Marattia Cooperi, and Davallia polyantha. 
Mr. Lawless was second with Microlepia hirta cristata, Davallia polyantha, 
Gleichenia rupestris, Gleichenia Mendeli, Nephrolepis nidus-avis, Gleichenia 
Dicksonii, Davallia Mooreana, and Nephrolepis davallioides and fareana. 
In the class for new flowering plants Mr. Cypher was first with Dendro- 
bium Dearii. In the classes confined to the county of Somerset Mr. Mould 
was first with the curious Attacia cristata, Clerodendron Balfourianum, Dip¬ 
ladenia amabilis, Ixora Williamsi and I. regina, Stephanotis floribunda, Ixora 
Dixiana, Bougainvillea glabra, and Erica retorta major. In Class 31 Mr. 
Marshall was first with Curcuma Roscoeana, Dipladenia Brearleyana, Ixora 
Regina, Dipladenia profusa, and Erica Yerdii. 
There was an excellent display of cut flowers, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Roses, 
Asters, &c. Mr. Kelway staged a splendid lot of his choicest flowers, while 
Mr. Dobree of Wellington, who has for years held the first place as an 
amateur in the west of England, had a stand of seventy seedlings, in 
addition to those staged for competition, among which where some very 
fine flowers. Like everyone who has tried their culture he complains of 
sad losses, even amongst his seedlings ; and, in truth, Gladiolus-growing is a 
very expensive hobby. I give the names of Mr. Kelway’s flowers, as they 
comprise some of the best of his immense stock. Pelargo, dark red, Veronica, 
Hercules, Lilianis, Princess Charlotte, creamy buff, a novel flower, Callipbon, 
Lady Aberdare, Rev. II. D’Ombrain, ex., ex., (of course !) Mrs. Eyton, Jessica, 
Accacia, CEsopus, Ella, Dr. Woodward, Lord Leigh, Countess Craven, Rev. 
J. M. Berkeley, Marica, Cleobula, Belgare. Of these Pelargo, Princess Char¬ 
lotte, and Lilianis obtained certificates. Mr. Keynes of Salisbury exhibited 
Roses as I have rarely seen shown in August, fresh, of good form and 
substance. His stand of forty-eight contained Charles Lefebvre, Helen Paul, 
Alfred Colomb, Capitaine Christy, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Madame Yerdier, 
very bright and pretty ; George Moreau, Elie Morel, Ferdinand de Lesseps, 
Etienne Dupuy, Beauty of Waltham, John Hopper, in excellent form ; Star of 
Waltham, Madame Lambard, Xavier Olibo, Duke of Edinburgh, Marie Van 
Houtte, Reynolds Hole, La Reine, A. K. Williams, Triomphe de Rennes, 
Bride of Waltham, Marie Rady, Duchesse d’Orleans, Wilson Saunders, 
Eugdnie Yerdier, Due de Rohan, Madame Eugdnie Yerdier, Paul Neyron, 
Mrs. Jowitt, Marguerite de St. Amand, Charles Dawson, Baronne de Roth¬ 
schild, William Koelle, Baron Gonella, Madame Victor Yerdier, La France, 
Duchess of Bedford, Comtesse d’Oxford, Beaute de l’Europe, Madame Charles 
Wood, Catherine Mermet, Souvenir de Spa, and Duchesse de Morny. Mr. 
John Mattock was second. In twenty-four trebles Messrs. Keynes were 
again first with Alfred Colomb, Elie Morel, Charles Lefebvre, Madame Marie 
Verdier, Duke of Edinburgh, Eugdnie Yerdier, Marie Van Houtte, Beauty of 
Waltham, Triomphe de Rennes, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Helen Paul, Lord 
Macaulay, Madame Victor Yerdier, Marguerite de St. Amand, Xavier Olibo, 
Capitaine Christy, Marie Baumann, John Hopper, Baronne de Rothschild, 
Baron Gonella, Mons. Boncenne, Madame Lambard, and William Koelle.— 
D., Deal. 
WATERING CUCUMBERS. 
I NOTE there seems to be a standing difficulty in keeping the beds 
well watered. I have adopted a plan by which I can do it effectually 
and with half the labour of the usual way. I have a series of 4-inch 
drain pipes (upright) passing through the bed to the hot flue, a 9-inch 
pipe from the boiler under, which pipe is laid in a hollow chamber. By 
these first series I water the flue, raising a steam underneath the bed ; 
also by covering or uncovering the tops of these pipes I regulate the 
heat of the bed at will. The second series of pipes I put on at the first 
earthing upright on the bed. That and each successive earthing after 
is put in around them. Their tops are open to the house. By these I 
can pour water direct to the middle of the bed, which fully saturates to 
the bottom. The top of the bed, with which there is no difficulty, I do 
in the ordinary manner. I daresay the idea, although original to me, 
is as old as our Devonian formation, but it may be useful to amateurs. 
—Torbay. 
WESTON-SUPER-MARE SHOW. 
August 14th. 
The eleventh annual Exhibition of this popular Society was held, as usual, 
in the Rectory Ground, and was in every respect a great success. Much of 
this success is due to the energy of Mr. Frampton, the Secretary, and the 
Committee generally, who work hard, first to secure a good sum of money 
to offer in prizes, and again in arranging the thoroughly good representative 
display resulting. Among the plant-exhibitors Mr. Cypher of Cheltenham 
was highly successful, and probably a much better group of flowering plants 
than his were never before exhibited. Mr. Mould of Pewsey also staged well 
and successfully, and among the amateurs H. Pethick, Esq., was deservedly 
awarded several first prizes. Mr. Austen, gardener to Sir Greville Smyth, 
staged a considerable quantity of fruit and vegetables in his well-known 
excellent style, and obtained a number of first prizes. 
Mr. Cypher’s remarkable group of twelve flowering plants in the open 
classes consisted of Erica Marnockiana, E. semula, E. Austiniana, E. ampul¬ 
lacea Barnesii, Ixora regina, Allamanda nobilis, Anthurium Schertzerianum, 
Clerodendron Balfourianum, Dipladenia amabilis, Allamanda Hendersonii, 
Ixora Williamsii, and Stephanotis floribunda, all fresh and beautifully 
flowered. Mr. Mould’s second-prize group included good specimens of 
Bougainvillea glabra, Erica insignis, E. Iveryana, and E. Lmdleyana. The 
third prize was awarded to Mr. W. Hughes, gardener to H. Pethick, Esq.; 
and the fourth to Mr. D. Bloodworth, both exhibiting creditably. Mr. Cypher 
also took the lead with six plants in bloom, and was followed by Messrs. 
Mould and Bloodworth, and the same positions were occupied in the class 
for fine-foliaged plants. Mr. Mould staged the best six Ferns, and was 
closely followed by Mr. S. Brown and Mr. P. Cassell, both of Weston-super- 
Mare. Mr. Pethick’s first-prize group of Adiantums were very good, and 
Mr. G. Lane, gardener to F. Taylor, Esq., was a good second. Lycopodiums 
were well shown by Mr. G. Matthews, gardener to S. T. Knyfton, Esq., 
Uphill, and Mr. F. Taylor ; Pelargoniums by Messrs. S. Brown and W. Adams, 
gardener to W. Smith, Esq., Weston-super-Mare; Clematises, Fuchsias, and 
Liliums by Mr. S. Brown, Mr. W. Pain, and Mr. Partridge Cassell; while 
Mr. Pethick had the best Achimenes and Begonias, and Mr. H. C. Mayall, 
Bath, the best Gloxinias. 
