August 23, 1883 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1G9 
The amateurs in the classes reserved for them made a very effective 
display. With flowering stove and greenhouse plants Mr. G. Pain, gardener 
to W. Ash, Esq., Weston-super-Mare, took the lead, and the second prize was 
awarded to Mr. T. T. Knyfton, Uphill, the specimens being good in each 
instance. Mr. Pain also took the lead with fine-foliaged plants, and was 
followed by Mr. F. Taylor and Mr. H. Pethick. Exotic Ferns were well 
shown by Mr. J. Davey, Chilton Polden, and Messrs. H. Pethick and F. 
Taylor; Adiantums by Messrs. F. Taylor and T. T. Knyfton ; Geraniums by 
Messrs. J. Wright and S. T. Sayce, both of Weston-super-Mare ; Balsams by 
the Rev. J. A. Yatman and Mr. J. Matthews, Weston-super-Mare ; Coleus by 
Messrs. W. Smith and J. Wright; Gloxinias also by the last-named ex¬ 
hibitors ; and Begonias by Messrs. H. Pethick and W. Ash, the exhibits being 
highly meritorious, and were awarded the prizes in the order named in each 
instance. 
There were a considerable number of classes both open and for amateurs 
provided for cut flowers, and throughout the competition was very close and 
good. _ Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, had the best stand of twenty-four 
varieties of Roses, three blooms of each, these including large and fresh 
examples of Alfred Colomb, Comte de Raimbaud, Etienne Levet, A. K. 
Williams, Mardchal Niel, Maurice Bernardin, Jules Finger, Madame Victor 
Verdier, Mrs. Jowitt, Harrison Weir, Marie Rady, Capitaine Christy, E. Y. 
Teas, and Marie Baumann. Messrs. Keynes & Co. were a close second, and 
in their turn were closely pressed by Messrs. G. Cooling & Son, Bath. Messrs. 
Paul & Son were also first with twelve Teas, among these being very good 
blooms of Catherine Mermet, Souvenir d’Elise Vardon, Jean Ducher,Madame 
Lambard, and Anna Ollivier. Messrs. Keynes & Co. were second, and Mr. 
J. Mattock, Oxford, third, both staging excellent blooms. Among the 
amateurs Mr. S. P. Budd took the lead with twelve varieties of Roses, these 
including very good blooms of E. Y. Teas, Duke of Wellington, and Alfred 
Colomb. Mr. D. Shellard. Hanham, was deservedly awarded the second 
prize. Double Dahlias were shown by Messrs. Keynes & Co. in their well- 
known fine style, and Mr. A. Hill, Bower Ashton, was a very creditable 
second. Mr. A. A. Walters, Bath, had the best lot of single Dahlias, and 
which were very bright and good. Mr. S. Dobree, Wellington, had by far 
the best stand of Gladioli spikes. Verbenas were well shown by Mr. W. 
Smith, Kingswood ; French Asters by Mr. Isaac Burgess, Bristol; Quilled 
Asters by Mr. A. A. Walters; herbaceous Phloxes by Mr. W. Luton, 
Twerton-on-Avon ; and Hollyhocks by Mr. A. A. Walters, and several others 
exhibited well in each of the same classes. Mr. Cypher had the best hand 
bouquet, and was also successful with buttonhole bouquets. 
Fruit was extensively and well shown, the Grapes especially forming 
an attractive feature. For a collection of eight varieties of fruit Mr. Austen 
took the first place, this consisting of fine well-finished bunches of Muscat 
of Alexandria and Black Hamburgh Grapes, a good Smooth Cayenne Pine, 
Ashton Seedling Melon, Violette Hative Peaches, Pine Apple Nectarines, 
Negro Largo Figs, and Morello Cherries, all in excellent condition. Mr. W. 
Iggulden, gardener to the Earl of Cork, Frome, was a good second, his 
collection including good Black Hamburgh and fairly good Muscat of 
Alexandria Grapes, a good Blenheim Orange Melon, and well-coloured 
Bellegarde Peaches. Mr. W. T. Crossman was awarded the third prize, 
bis best dishes being Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes. 
Mr. Austen was first with one Pine Apple, and was followed by Mr. W. 
Weaver, Hereford. Most of the bunches of Muscat of Alexandria were 
coloured indifferently. Mr. Austen’s were much the best, the second and 
third prizes going respectively to Mr. G. Shelton, gardener to W. Wait, Esq., 
Clifton; and Mr. W. Ash for creditable exhibits. Mr. Austen’s first-orize 
bunches of. Black Hamburgh Grapes were large and spotless, but were a 
little wanting in colour. Mr. Iggulden had smaller bunches and well- 
coloured, and took the second prize, the third going to Mr. W. Carpenter, 
gardener to J. G. Livingstone, Esq., Westbury, nine others also staging 
creditably. With any other kind of black Grapes Mr. W. Duffurin, gar¬ 
dener to Mrs. Walker, Weston-super-Mare, took the lead, and was followed 
by .Mr. H. 0. Wills, Clifton, both staging Madresfield in fairly good con¬ 
dition. The best green-fleshed Melon was a good fruit of Earl of Beacons- 
field, staged by Mr. W. Bower, Weston ; the second prize going to Mr. A. 
Harris, gardener to Major Law, Banwell, for Best of All in good condition. 
Mr. Iggulden took the lead with a scarlet-flesh Melon, winning with a 
large heavy fruit of Blenheim Orange ; Mr. E. Thomas, Bishopstowe, follow¬ 
ing. with Hero of Bath. Mr. Duffurin had the best dish of Peaches, the 
variety being Grosse Mignonne in good condition ; and Mr. E. Trotman, 
gardener to H. O. Wills, Esq., followed with large well-coloured fruit of 
Vanguard. Mr. Austen had the best Nectarines, the variety being Pine 
Apple, Mr. Duffurin following with Elruge, the examples in both instances 
being highly coloured. Mr. Austen was also first for Figs and Red and 
White Currants, Mr. Iggulden first for Apricots and Cherries, Mr. J. Davey 
for culinary and dessert Apples, and Mr. Crossman for Plums. 
Large quantities of vegetables were shown, the quality throughout being 
very good.. With a collection of eight dishes Mr. Austen was a good first, 
the varieties being Hathaway’s Excelsior Tomatoes, James’s Intermediate 
Carrots, Snowball Turnips, Veitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower, Sion House 
Kidney Beans, Woodstock Kidney Beans, White Leviathan Onions, and John 
Bull Peas. Mr. T. Tilley, gardener to Col. Cotgrave, was a good second, and 
Mr. E. C. Law third. Mr. J. Coles took the first place in a large class of 
round Potatoes with Rector of Woodstock, and was followed by Mr. E. C. 
Law ; but there were several much better dishes passed over. Messrs. 
W. M. Baker and W. Iggulden were respectively second and third for kidney 
Potatoes, the variety in both cases being Woodstock Kidney. Messrs. Austen 
and Iggulden had the best Cauliflowers ; Messrs. W. Duffurin and T. Tilley 
Onions, autumn-sown ; Messrs. J. Davey and W. Duffurin spring-sown Onions ; 
and Messrs. Austen and E. C. Law the best Peas. A considerable number of 
Tomatoes were shown, Mr. Iggulden being a good first with a handsome 
dish of Phillips’ Perfection ; and Mr. Howe, gardener to Lewis Fry, Esq., M.P., 
a good second. The Rev. A. Yatman and Mr. Hall took the prizes for 
Cucumbers, Mr. H. Pethick and Mr. Jas. Davey for a basket of salad, and 
Mr. J. Coles and Mr. J. Davey for Lettuces. A grand lot of vegetables of 
all kinds were also shown by the cottagers. 
Mr. J. Matthews, The Royal Pottery, Weston-super-Mare, exhibited a 
large assortment of his new and extremely pretty style of terra-cotta vases, 
flower stands, and window boxes. Some of the patterns are very good 
imitations of the trunk, stems, and bark of trees, with Ivy and other trailers 
running over them. The large and deep half-round boxes or pans should 
eventually find a place in the fronts of many houses or in conservatories, 
being ornamental yet well adapted for the reception of choice climbers and 
other plants which could not well be planted out. The pedestals of the 
vases are also made in rustic patterns, the whole being really works of art, 
and reflect much credit on the manufacturer and his designers. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Lateral Growth .—If the weather is cool and showery it will be 
advisable to discontinue removing lateral growths earlier than usual this 
year, in order to induce full maturity and not waste the strength of the 
trees upon the production of worthless spray unfit either for the develop¬ 
ment of blossom or wood buds. For the next three weeks, therefore, 
shoots already several inches in length will be left to grow unchecked, 
and in our next calendar we will call attention to the important operation 
of twisting lateral growths to check the flow of sap in part so as to make 
the buds plump at the base without causing them to start into growth 
this autumn. 
Preparations for Planting .—Early planting is so important a factor 
in the culture of young fruit trees, that wherever much planting is to be 
done this autumn the drainage of the land and making the stations 
should be begun soon enough for all to be in readiness for the planting 
by the first week in November, which is only ten weeks from the present 
time. If a plot of land is to be devoted entirely to the growth of fruit, 
first make the drains 30 feet apart and from 2 feet 6 inches to 4 feet 
deep, according to the nature of the soil—deep for light porous soil, 
shallow for a heavy tenacious one. In a deep rich loam specially 
prepared stations are unnecessary, but in poor thin soil the stations must 
be 6 feet square and 2 feet 6 inches deep, each station to be drained by a 
branch drain laid across the centre of the bottom and connected with 
the drain nearest to it. Six inches of broken stones or bricks is then put 
in the bottom of the station, care being taken not to move any of the 
drain pipes, and the remaining 2 feet is filled with the best soil obtainable, 
such as the top spit of a meadow with the turf and a slight admixture of 
wood ashes, charcoal, coal ashes, and mortar rubbish mixed with lime or 
gritty road scrapings. Those additions are not mentioned as indispensable 
for fruit trees, but rather as useful substances to which planters beset 
with the difficulties of a poor soil turn most gladly to account. If 
inferior meadow soil is only to be had, then mix a small quantity of old 
farmyard manure with it and a liberal sprinkling of crushed bones, and 
do not forget that at best your stations only contain sufficient fertility 
for the requirements of a small young tree ; and that subsequently in the 
course of three or four years, if the soil around the stations has not been 
enriched and made thoroughly fertile, most of the fruit trees will suffer, 
canker will attack many, and the fruit will be inferior in size and flavour. 
This method of preparing stations applies to all sorts of tree fruit, both 
upon walls and in the open. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vines. — Grapes Colouring .—If the bright weather that now happily 
prevails continues, take especial care that inside borders especially are well 
supplied with water. Both root and atmospheric moisture are often 
unduly limited at this season when the fruit is ripening, and red spider 
and other insects are afforded a favourable opportunity to spread, and 
they never fail to make the most of it. With early and ample ventilation 
a moderately moist atmosphere in no way impairs the colouring of 
Grapes, but, on the contrary, often assists it; and so does liberal moisture 
at the roots, particularly when the Vines are heavily cropped. Hesitate 
in removing laterals from black Grapes now, as they almost invariably 
colour the best under a rather thick canopy of foliage. 
Pines .—Suckers obtained from the summer-fruiting plants will soon 
be ready to be repotted. Transfer the strongest to pots 10 and 11 inches 
in diameter according to the variety, affording the plants a position near 
the glass in a light airy house, keeping them gradually growing through¬ 
out the winter months, under which conditions they start into fruit 
readily about the following May or June, and afford a good supply of 
early autumn fruit. The remaining portion of the plants above referred 
to should be wintered in 7 or 8-inch pots, and placed in larger pots in 
spring. These, with suckers of Smooth-leaved Cayenne and Charlotte 
Rothschild started last March, will without much difficulty provide a 
successional supply of ripe fruit throughout the winter months, and be 
supplemented by Queens and other varieties which were started at the 
same time. 
Melons .—The weather for the past few days has been all that the 
grower can desire, good fruit consequently being very plentiful. Before 
the fruits are very ripe they should be cut with a good portion of stem, 
and placed in a dry cool place so as to prolong the season of supply. 
Fire heat may safely be dispensed with during a continuance of such 
weather, closing the house early and maintaining a moist atmosphere to 
all plants other than those setting or ripening fruit. Under ordinary 
circumstances the houses, pits, and frames may be closed and the plants 
