August SO, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
101 
bottom heat for Melons that are required to ripen early in the season. 
For cutting in August and September we have for years grown Melons 
without the aid of either flues or hot water for affording bottom heat. 
A start is given to the plants by a few barrowfuls of leaves and manure, 
and the heat of the pit does the rest. We should not think, however, 
of covering the manure with slabs. We placed the soil on it, and had 
the roots become too dry, causing the plants to fail before the crop was 
ripe, the fault would have been ours, either by not having prepared the 
fermenting material properly or by watering inefficiently afterwards. 
Thin slabs do not materially obstruct the heat, but a flue may be sur¬ 
rounded with rubble if preferred, placing on this fermenting material, then 
soil with no slabs intervening. By this plan, if the Melons fail through 
drought at the roots it will be the fault of the cultivator and not of the 
system. A correspondent described on page 168 last week how the base 
of a bed might be kept moist if it cannot be done by other means. And 
now to the queries. Mr. Luckhurst appears to have answered them in 
anticipation, and has at the same time given a choice of three structures 
in one figure. 
Fig. 34 shows sections of three houses : A, a snug little lean-to— 
propagating, Melon, or Cucumber house. B, a semi-span possessing all 
the advantages of a with the important additional one of a stage for 
stove plants and Orchids ; or it could be turned to account for a variety 
of useful purposes, especially the early forcing of Boses, flowering shrubs, 
such as Deutzias, Weigela=>, Lilacs, as well as Lily of the Valley and 
bulbs, or for wintering bedding plants. This house would also answer 
vourite, Charming, and Elegant, were from 10 to 12 feet in height, and well 
furnished throughout. H. Pocock, gardener to G. P. Haden, Esq., was placed 
third, and an extra prize was awarded to Mr. J. Matthews, gardener to 
W. R. Brown, Esq., both exhibiting several fine specimens. Mr. Pocock was 
first with four Fuchsias, having fine specimens of varieties included in the 
sixes. Mr. Lye was a good second, and Mr. J. Matthews a close third. 
Fuchsias were also well shown by amateurs and cottagers. 
All the classes for stove and geenhouse flowering and fine-foliaged 
plants and Ferns were filled, and many noteworthy specimens were included 
in the long array of plants. Mr. J. F. Mould, Exotic Nursery, Pewsey, had 
the best nine flowering plants, these being Ixora Begin®, I. Colei, I. 
Williamsi, Erica Austiniana, E. cerinthoides coronata, E. Iveryana, Alla- 
manda nobilis, Dipladenia Brearleyana, and Clerodendron Balfourianum, all 
well flowered and fairly fresh. Mr. J. Matthews was a creditable second, his 
group including Erica Marnockiana, Allamanda nobilis, Dipladenia amabilis 
and Ixora aurantiaca in good condition. The third prize was awarded to a 
good collection staged by Mr. II. Pocock. Mr. Tucker was placed first with 
six flowering plants, the best of these being Lapageria rosea, Ixora "Williamsi, 
and Bougainvillea glabra. Mr. Matthews was a creditable second. The best 
three plants, consisting of well-flowered specimens of Stephanotis floribunda, 
Dipladenia Brearleyana, and Bougainvillea glabra, were staged by Mr. H. 
Pocock, the remaining prizes going to J. Matthews and G. Tucker. 
The first group of fine-foliaged plants staged by Mr. Mould included good 
examples of Cycas revoluta, Croton Andreanus, C. Victoria;, and C. Warreni, 
the second and third prizes going respectively to Mr. J. C. Drummond, Bath, 
and Mr. A. Shadwell, gardener to T. Chandler, Esq., Devizes, both exhibiting 
creditably. The latter was first with a single specimen, showing a handsome 
Fig. 34.— COMBINED SECTION OF PROPAGATING PIT, MELON HOUSE, AND VINERY. 
admirably for Vines in pots and Kidney Beans, c shows a section of a 
loftier elevation—a lean-to, forming the most simple style of vinery as 
well as the most efficient. Sweep away all internal fittings the stage, 
the inner wall, the soil and rubble ; put plenty of pipes near the floor, 
not on it, but just elevated a few inches upon pipe stands, so as to turn 
all the heat to account and let none of it be wasted by absorption into 
walls and floors, as is too often the case ; pierce the front wall and plant 
Vines in the soil, and we do not see what more a skilful Vine-grower 
would require, or what advantage a more elaborate state of things would 
confeT upon a non-skilful one.] 
TROWBRIDGE SHOW. 
August 22nd. 
Flower shows have been annually held in Trowbridge for thirty-four 
years, and to all appearance the great interest taken in them by the general 
public is still unabated. Many thousands of people visited that last held, 
and a more generally successful exhibition could not well be arranged. 
Fuchsias are always a great feature, not only here, but at other Wiltshire 
exhibitions, and this season they appear to be better than ever. The veteran 
Fuchsia grower, Mr. J. Lye, gardener to the Hon. Mrs. Hay, was awarded the 
first prize for six specimens, but Mr. G-. Tucker, gardener to Major Clarke, 
had still finer plants, although scarcely forward enough. Mr. Lye’s immense 
pyramids consisted of Bountiful, Lye’s Favourite, Hon. Mrs. Hay, Mr. 
Bright, Emily Lye, and Doel’s Favourite. Many of Mr. Tucker’s finely 
grown pyramids, and which consisted of Arabella, Bountiful, Doel’s Fa- 
plant of Croton majesticus, Mr. Mould following with a large Allamanda. 
Mr. Mould was first with Ericas; Messrs. J. Matthews, J. Lye, and W. C. 
Drummond being the other prizewinners. Caladiums were successfully 
shown by Messrs. J. Matthews, and G-. Pymm, gardener to Mr. J. Gould- 
smith; Gloxinias by Messrs. H. C. Mayall, Bath, and A. A. Walters, Bath ; 
Begonias by the same exhibitors and Mr. J. L. Graham; Pelargoniums by 
Messrs. J. Lye and A. S. Hall, Bath ; Coleuses by Messrs. J. Matthews and 
G. Pymm ; Petunias by Messrs. A. T. Hall and W. C. Drummond ; and 
Cockscombs by Mr. G. Tucker and Mr. J. Jane, Chippenham, the specimens 
in every instance being very creditable. 
Ferns are quite a speciality at Trowbridge, and several fine groups are 
arranged by local growers. Mr. G. Tucker took the lead with, among other 
noteworthy specimens of Gymnogramma peruviana cristata, G. sulphurea, 
Adiantum gracillimum, A. farleyense, and A. concinnum latum. Mr. H. 
Pocock took second honours, and Mr. Jas. Coke, gardener to Mr. A. P. Stan- 
combe, and Mr. W. Plyfield, gardener to J. Kemp, Esq., were awarded equal 
thirds. . , 
Cut Roses were wonderfully fine for this time of year, and although 
Messrs. Keynes & Co. succeeded in defeating Messrs. G. Cooling <fc Son, 
Bath, the stands were nearly equal in merit, those shown by the latter 
being the freshest in the afternoon. Among Messrs. Keynes’ twelve tri¬ 
plets the most noteworthy blooms were of Reynolds Hole, C. Lefebvre, Helen 
Paul, Xavier Olibo, A. Colomb, and Capitaine Christy. Among Messrs. 
Cooling’s were beautiful blooms of Madame Victor Verdier, Madame Swartz, 
May Quennell, C. Lefebvre, and Maurice Bernardin. Messrs. Cross & Steer, 
Salisbury, were a creditable third. The best blooms in Messrs. Keynes and 
Co.’s premier stand of twenty-four singles were of A. Colomb, Marie Baumann, 
J. S. Mill, Beauty of Waltham, John Hopper, Rosieriste Jacobs, Marie Van 
