17G JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ August 25, 1881. 
more than two varieties of Grapes, Mr. Pratt was first with some 
splendid fruit. Mr. Hannagan was a good second, only being a point 
or two behind. Mr. Milner was third. The best dishes in the first 
collection were the Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria 
Grapes, Pine, Apricots, Brown Turkey Figs, Elruge Nectarines, and 
a good dish of Pears. 
The Grapes in the second collection were very good, and with large 
berries; Pitmaston Nectarines large, and good Royal Charlotte 
Peaches. In the collection of nine dishes (Pine excluded) Mr. Pratt 
was again first, having fine Grapes. Mr. Lambert was a close second 
with a fine dish of Apricots and good Grapes, but scarcely ripe. Mr. 
Warrender was third. The competition in this class was very keen. 
Mr. Pratt was the only exhibitor in the class for one Pine, and staged 
a good Queen. Mr. Shaw', Kidderminster, and Mr. Warrender ob¬ 
tained the prizes for one dish of Peaches. The same exhibitor was 
first for a dish of Nectarines, and Mr. Lawley, gardener to A. Darby, 
Esq., second, and Mr. Milner third. Messrs. Earp, C. Taylor, gardener 
to R. C. Cholmondeley, Esq., and Mr. R. Cooper, Bridgnorth, were 
the pnzetakers for Apricots. Mr. S. Jones, gardener to W. Hayledine, 
Esq., took the lead for green or yellow and purple or red Plums. 
Messrs. Owen, Hannagan and Pratt were the prizewinners with 
green-fleshed Melons ; and Messrs. W. H. Harrison, Owen, and Earp 
with scarlet-fleshed Melons. Messrs. Hannagan, Pearson, J. McLean, 
gardener to Lady Cotes, were the principal exhibitors of Cherries. 
VEGETABLES. 
These were of superior quality, and the competition was keen in the 
several classes. In the class for a collection of eight dishes thirteen 
lots were staged, and all good; the premier prize being awarded to 
Mr. Lambert, who staged a good dish of Brussels Sprouts, Conqueror 
Tomato, Canadian Wonder Beans, good Autumn Giant Cauliflowers, 
Yeitch’s Black-leaved Beet, International Kidney Potatoes, very 
fine, Telegraph Peas, fine James’s Intermediate Carrots, and capital 
Major Clark’s Red Celery; Mr. Milner second, and Mr. Pratt third, 
with nearly equally meritorious collections. There were twenty 
entries in the class for six dishes of Potatoes, and the examples were 
clean, large, and well-shaped. Mr. Milner was first with Gloucester 
Kidney, Vicar of Laleham, International, Centennial, Beauty of 
Hebron, and Trophy. Mr. Bremmell was a close second, showing 
Porter’s Excelsior, Blanchard, and others similar to the first-prize 
varieties. Mr. A. Myers was third. For three dishes over twenty 
collections were again staged, Mr. G. Berrington, Ludlow, being first; 
Mr. Pursar, gardener to J. Watson, Esq., second ; and Mr. S. Bremmell 
third. Mr. J. Bain, gardener to Sir C. R. Broughton, Bart., was first 
for a dish of Tomatoes ; Mr. Pursar and Mr. Pearson second and 
third. Mr. Bain took the lead for Peas with Ne Plus Ultra ; Mr. 
Bremmell second with Telephone; and Mr. W. Davies third, an 
enormous quantity of Peas being staged. Onions were grand, Mr. 
Hawkesford taking the lead for spring varieties, and Mr. Pearson for 
autumn varieties. Mr. Lambert was first with Cucumbers, showing 
a fine pair of Carter’s Model. Mr. Myers and Mr. Davies were second 
and third. Messrs. H. Cross, Lambert, and Lawrence were the suc¬ 
cessful exhibitors for Cauliflowers, and Messrs. Milner, McLean, and 
Nevin for Celery. For French Beans, Parsnips, Carrots, and Turnips 
the chief prizewinners were Messrs. J. Watson, Lambert, Pursar, and 
Brown. A special prize was awarded to Mr. R. Wildblood for a good 
dish of Pride of America Potatoes. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits. —Messrs. F. and A. Dickson & Sons, Upton 
Nurseries, Chester, exhibited a good collection of small decorative 
stove and grtenhouse plants and a very fine group of young Conifers, 
principally choice kinds. Messrs. J. Dickson & Sons, Newton Nurse¬ 
ries, Chester, sent some Vines in pots, which were remarkable for 
strength, short-jointed wood, and plump eyes, also a number of fine 
young Figs in fi-inch pots. Many of thelittle bushy plants had a 
dozen or more fruits, though only about seven months old. Messrs. 
Pritchard & Sons staged an assortment of small stove and greenhouse 
plants. Mr. A. Myers, Sutton Lane Nursery, Shrewsbury, had a 
similar collection of plants ; and Messrs. Jones & Sons also contri¬ 
buted a variety of plants to the Exhibition. 
A large tent was devoted to the productions of cottagers, the side 
stage being well filled with vegetables, and the centre with cut 
flowers, window plants, and hardy fruits. The vegetables were espe¬ 
cially worthy of note, and the soil in the neighbourhood of Shrews- 
bury must be particularly favourable. It is stated there were over 
eight hundred entries for the classes devoted to cottagers, and this 
is considerably under the number of last year, owing to the entrance 
fee of Is. being now required. It is to be hoped that this Society will 
encourage the cottagers’ portion of their fine Exhibition by again 
allowing a free entrance. 
Great credit is due to the exertions of the Hon. Secs.. Messrs. 
H. W. Adnitt and W. W. Naunton, and the able Committee, for the 
business-like manner in which the work of the Society is carried out. 
TOMATOES UNDER VINES. 
Fully a year ago there was some discussion in the Journal as 
to whether Tomatoes could be grown profitably on the back walls 
of lean-to vineries, some correspondents holding that it could not 
be done, others taking the opposite view. Some time ago we 
had fine crops from plants against our back walls. The Vines 
were only a year or two planted, and hence, before the canes had 
time to reach the top and obstruct the sun’s rays, the Tomatoes 
were in good health, had a crop of fruit set and swelling off, and 
there was no great trouble in ripening fine Tomatoes, even after 
the light became obscured. So long as matters were in that state 
we felt inclined to think Mr. Muir right and his opponents wrong, 
although his remarks were rather too disparaging in tone. Now, 
however, the roof is covered densely, and we find the Tomatoes on 
the back wall, elevated as they are near the roof, are a complete 
failure. To be sure we have in Scotland, at least in the mildand 
counties, had but little sun, but we do not think matters would 
have been very different if we had been favoured with bright 
sunshine, for little of it could possibly reach the Tomatoes. 
Whether the impression be right or wrong (we have mislaid 
some numbers of the Journal and cannot, in consequence, speak 
with certainty), we still have the impression that Mr. Muir attri¬ 
buted his success to keeping the foliage so thin on the roof that 
light enough penetrated to secure the well-being of the Tomatoes 
underneath. Not being a believer in sacrificing even a proble¬ 
matical amount of Grapes for even a good crop of Tomatoes, 
and believing that Vines are benefited by being allowed to carry 
as many leaves as possible without absolute crowding, we allow 
the Vines to fill all available space. The consequence of this is 
no Tomatoes. But, according to Mr. Muir’s directions, we are 
led to believe that he, too, covers his roof densely in order to 
secure well-coloured Grapes. Are our impressions incorrect ? 
Does Mr. Muir grow good crops of Tomatoes under a roof densely 
shaded with Vine leaves? We are concerned about the answer ; 
for we find that employers, our own among the number, who 
believe but do not understand what they read, think that Tomatoes 
can be grown under the dense shade of robust Vines, and are 
disappointed when they read of others doing it and find that 
their gardener has not capacity for the—shall I call it, feat ?— 
A Scotchman. 
EWENNY PRIORY. 
This estate, the seat of Col. T. Picton Turberville, is situated 
near Bridgend, one of the most beautiful and fertile agricultural 
districts of Sonth Wales. Unlike many parts of Glamorganshire, 
the land around Ewenny is all of an arable character, and no 
better part could be found in which to gain a knowledge of Welsh 
farming operations, and the widely respected owner of the Priory 
is a gentleman well known for the substantial support he gives 
to all the leading agricultural societies in the country. But it is 
not to these alone that he devotes his time and money, as his 
practical knowledge is well shown in the excellent state of the 
land, farm houses, cottages, &c. As one instance of the owner’s 
thoughtful care, we may notice that the weather forecast for the 
day is telegraphed from London every morning and posted up in 
the most accessible part of the estate. During the hay and grain 
harvests this cannot fail to be of much benefit to those engaged 
in these operations. 
In proceeding towards the Priory the road is a truly historic 
one of the old English description, with beautiful hedgerows, 
abundance of wild flowers, and a good footway. Long before the 
Priory is reached there are two erections seen of a widely different 
kind. The one is the modern mansion, the other a grand ruin of 
the old Priory. History says the latter was built in 1111, and 
the church connected with it, which is still that of the parish, is 
being judiciously restored by the present owner. The ruins and 
the mansion are almost in one, and must be highly interesting to 
those of an antiquarian or archaeological turn of mind. 
Our chief object was, however, the garden, and, above all, the 
orchard bouses, for which Ewenny is justly celebrated. One large 
span-roofed house and another lean-to are filled with fruit trees 
in pots, and these were just at their best at the time of our visit. 
The trees are chiefly Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, and Pears. They 
are mostly about 5 feet high. The pots are from 10 to 15 inches 
in diameter, and they altogether number about fifty. The first 
glance at the trees proves them to be in excellent health—not a 
spotted leaf or an insect being visible, and the crops are surprising. 
On a small tree of Rivers’ Early Alfred Peach there were six dozen 
of good fruits, and Mr. Hawkins, the skilled grower, speaks highly 
of the variety as a sure cropper. Next to this there was one of 
Rivers’ Purple Gage Plums which had sixteen dozen fine fruit on 
it last year, and this season they number ten dozen. This is con¬ 
sidered the finest flavoured of all Plums. Pears were equally 
fine, a small sprig of a tree of Brockworth Park bearing fourteen 
fruit, each more than 8 inches in circumference ; Louise Bonne of 
Jersey had forty fine fruits. These are finer than we have seen 
in the open air against walls or in any other position. Some 
samples of Pears were extremely fine. Three varieties were especi¬ 
ally noteworthy—Doyenn6 du Comice, five fruit of which weighed 
4 libs. 3 ozs. ; Pitmaston Duchess, and Duchesse d’Angouleme, one 
