August 7. 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
125 
Sons, Knutsford, Chesliire, who arranged a large and imposing group of 
very choice trees and shrubs near the entrance, and for which the Society’s 
gold medal was awarded. 
CUT FLOWERS. 
Bases. —Considering the weather during the past two or three weeks the 
blooms were numerous, of fine size and substance, while the colour was 
remarkably bright. In the class for forty-eight single blooms three collec¬ 
tions were staged. Messrs. F. & A. Dickson & Sons, Upton Nurseries, 
Chester, gained the premier position with a grand collection of very bright 
flowers. Some of the finest were Charles Lefebvre, Madame Eugenie Ver- 
dier, very good j Louis Peyronny, Barthelemy Joubert, Leopold I., Frangois 
Fontaine, Duke of Edinburgh, John Stuart Mill, Souvenir de Spa, Ulrich 
Brunner fils, good ; Baron Adolphe de Rothschild, and Lord Beaconsfield. 
Messrs. Perkins ifc Sons, Warwick Road, Coventry, were a good second, and 
staged really fine flowers of Mrs. Laxton, Mdlle. Marie Rady, Mrs. Jowitt, 
Niphetos, Louis Van Houtte, Alfred Colomb, and Marie Baumann. Messrs. 
R. Mack & Sons, Catterick Bridge, Yorkshire, the remaining prize with fresh 
even blooms. In the corresponding amateurs’ class for twenty-four blooms 
T. B. Hall, Esq., Larchwood, Rock Ferry, was well to the front with first- 
rate blooms, amongst them being very noticeable Dtipuy Jamain, Mardchal 
Vaillant, grand ; Gdndral Jacqueminot, bright; Alfred Colomb, La France, 
Madame Victor Verdier, and Etienne Levet. The remaining collections in 
this class need no comment. For twelve Tea and Noisette blooms Mr. T. B. 
Hall was again the chief winner with some fine blooms of Comtesse Riza du 
Parc, Belle Lyonnaise, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Comte de Paris, Marie Van 
Houtte, and Madame Lambard. Messrs. Perkins & Sons were second, having 
a good bloom of Marechal Niel, and a bloom of Madame Eugenie Verdier, 
a new Rose with a striking canary-coloured centre, but the bloom staged was 
not a good one. Messrs. R. Mack & Son the remaining prize. For twelve 
Hybrid Perpetuals Mr. Hall again took the lead, having good Beauty of 
Waltham, La France, Duke of Edinburgh, Alfred Colomb, and Mardchal 
Vaillant. Mr. R. Brownhill gained the second award with neat but smaller 
blooms. Mr. W. E. Hale, Higher Bebington, the remaining prize. For 
twelve blooms of any dark variety only two collections were staged, Messrs. 
Mack & Son being placed first with a fine box of Alfred Colomb, and Messrs. 
F. & A. Dickson ik Sons a close second with Mrs. Jowitt, very good. Two 
boxes were staged by the same exhibitors for twelve blooms of any light 
Rose, the last-named exhibitor being first with Madame Eugdnie Verdier, 
and Messrs. Mack & Son second with Comtesse de Serenye. For the 
best and most tastefully arranged box of Roses Mr. R. G. Waterman, gar¬ 
dener to A. Tate, Esq., was deservedly first with an assortment of Tea and 
Hybrid Perpetuals, single blooms, shown on moss with Adiantum cuneatum 
freely intermixed. Mr. T. B. Hall second with a neat but heavier arrange¬ 
ment, having staged the blooms in bunches of three. The most effectively 
arranged collection was a box of Tea blooms intermixed with Adiantum 
cuneatum and Selaginella Wildenovi, staged by Mr. E. Claxton, The Rosery, 
Allerton, but the box in size was not in accordance with stipulations in the 
schedule, and was therefore awarded an extra prize. 
Stove and Greenhouse Flowers were, as they usually are, shown in 
large bunches, and attracted considerable attention. Mr. W. Mease took 
the lead in the class for eighteen varieties with perhaps the finest collection 
we have ever seen staged, Mr. W. Bustard being placed second with a very 
good lot, but much smaller bunches. The winning collection was composed 
of Cattleya crispa superba, Miltonia spectabilis, Disa grandifiora, Anthurium 
Andreanum, Bougainvillea glabra. Pancratium fragrans, Ixora Duffi, Dipla- 
denia Brearleyana, Erica insignis, Allamanda nobilis, Kalosanthes coccinea, 
•and a bunch of its variety superba, Lapageria alba and L. rosea, Stephanotis 
floribnnda, and Gloriosa superba. For twelve bunches the only name 
attached to the exhibits was Mr. J. Warrington, who was placed second, a 
first and third award being given. 
Herbaceous Floioers. — These were really charming, and the competi¬ 
tion in thi various classes was good and keen. The display was of un¬ 
usual excellence ; the large bunches of each variety rendered the collections 
very striking and effective. For twenty-four varieties Mr. W. Mease was 
first with a charming collection composed of Dianthus Napoleon III., 
Phlox Virgo Marie, P. Brilliant, Penthtemon Mrs. Sutherland Walker, P. 
Ethel, Gladiolus brenchleyensis, Lilium auratum, L. chalcedonicum, L. longi- 
florum, Aconitum Napellus, Spirsea Ulmaria variegata, Telekia speciosissima, 
Achillea Ptarmica fl.-pl., Gaillardia grandifiora, Helenium pumilum, Spirsea 
Filipendula fl.-pl., Potentilla maculata. Spiraea venusta, Vicia sylvatica, 
Monarda didyma, Sedum maximum, Agrostemma rosea, and Alstroemeria 
aurea. Mr. J. Bostock, gardener to E. Harvey, Esq., Riversdale Road, 
Aigburth, a close second with an excellent collection ; Mr. W. Bustard the 
remaining prize with a very nice lot. In the amateurs’ class for twelve 
varieties Mr. J. Warrington was first, and Messrs. R. G. Waterman and 
A. R. Cox second and third. Mr. R. G. Waterman was again first in the 
corresponding class for the same number of varieties. Prizes given by Mr. 
T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, London. 
Bouquets on the whole were very good, and the prizes oflfered were well 
competed for. Mr. J. Cypher took the lead for two, followed closely by 
Messrs. Turner Brothers, Allerton, and Mr. G. Downes, Lodge Lane, who 
were awarded the remaining prizes in the order here named. For one 
Messrs. W. Mease and T. Robinson, Mossley Hill, were the prizewinners. 
The epergnes or vases for table decoration were only fairly represented, the 
prizewinners being Mr. P. Barber, gardener to Mrs. Barnsley, Messrs. W. 
Bustard and C. Copple. 
Carnations, Pansies, and Dahlias were all fairly well represented consider¬ 
ing the limited number of classes devoted to them. For eighteen varieties 
of Carnations Mr. R. Brownhill gained the principal position with really 
good blooms of John Bull, Robert Scott, Dreadnought, Royal Visit, Beauty 
of Cheltenham, William IV., Mrs. Anderson, Miss Gibhs, Queen of Summer, 
John Keet, Clara, Mary Ann, Dr. Epps, Mrs. Brown, and Lady Carrington. 
For Pansies Messrs. R. Brownhill, J. Staneyer, and C. Townsend were the 
successful competitors in the order here named. For Dahlias the principal 
prizewinners in the two classes were Messrs. R. G. Waterman, J. Jellico, 
and W. Bustard. 
FRUIT. 
The show of fruit was good, and the classes devoted to it were well filled ; 
in fact the competition in some of them was very keen. The Grape classes 
were wonderfully well filled, but on the whole not quite so numerous as we 
have seen at previous shows, especially the Black Hamburghs, w'hile the 
Muscats were finer in the berry and finish generally than we have before 
seen them. In the class for eight dishes, distinct kinds, Mr. Edwards, 
gardener to the Duke of St. Albans, Bestwood, Nottingham, gained the 
premier position with good Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria 
Grapes, the latter being fine in every respect, but scarcely ripe ; Melon 
William Tillery; Elruge Nectarines, good; Chancellor Peaches, very fine; 
White Ischia Figs, Bigarreau Cherries, and a good Queen Pine. Mr. Ward, 
gardener to T. H. Oakes, Esq., Biddings House, Alfreton, was a close second, 
having superb bunches of Muscat Hamburgh Grapes, even in the berry, large 
in the bunch, and splendidly finished ; such examples are seldom seen. His 
other good dishes being Read’s Scarlet-flesh Melon, Bellegarde Peach, 
Violette Hative Nectarines, and Jefferson Plums. Mr. Wallace, gardener to 
Rev. W. Sneyd, Keele Hall, Staffordshire, was a good third. For six dishes 
Mr. T. Elsworthy, gardener to A. R. Gladstone, Esq., Court Hey, took the 
lead with superior examples of Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria 
Grapes ; Bellegarde Peaches, large and splendidly coloured; good Elruge 
Nectarines, Scarlet Premier Melon, and Brown Turkey Figs. Mr. W. Mease 
followed closely with very fair Grapes, Best of All Melon, good Chancellor 
Peaches, and Pine Apple Nectarines. Mr. F. Ferguson, gardener to Mrs. 
Paterson, Kirklands, Rock Ferry, received the remaining prize, having very 
creditable examples of fruit. 
Dines were not numerous, but the fruits, staged were good examples of 
cultivation. For two fruits Mr. J. Bennett, gardener to the Hon. C. H. 
Wynn, North Wales, was the only exhibitor, and was awarded the first prize 
for good Queens. For one fruit the same exhibitor was again first with fine 
large fruit of Smooth Cayenne. Mr. J. Stephenson, gardener to Mrs. Horsfall, 
Grassendale, followed closely with a good Queen. 
Grapes. —These were numerous, and in some classes the competition was 
very keen, the exhibits throughout very highly creditable, while many 
examples were of superior merit. In the class for four varieties, distinct, two 
bunches of white and two of black, six collections were staged. Mr. C. A. 
Young, gardener to J. Evans, Esq., Hurst House, Prescot, took the lead with 
bunches of large size, but scarcely ripe, the varieties being Madresfield 
Court, Muscat of Alexandria, Foster’s Seedling, and Black Hamburgh. Mr. 
G. Middleton, gardener to R. Pilkington, Esq., Windie Hall, was a good 
second with a fair-sized bunch of Muscat of Alexandria well finished, and 
with berries of a very large size; the bunch of Black Hamburgh was well 
finished, while the bunch of Madresfield Court was all that could be 
desired except in finish, which was scarcely perfect, the weak bunch in 
this collection being Buckland Sweetwater; Mr. R. Brownhill, gardener 
to H. Hargraves, Esq., Ravenswood, Rock Ferry, being the remaining 
successful exhibitor, and staged Muscat of Alexandria in good condition. 
Some thirty bunches were staged for the three prizes offered for two 
bunches of Black Hamburgh, and some really grand examples were 
exhibited. Mr. Ward gained the j)remier position with faultless examples. 
Mr. J. Barker, gardener to J. T. Raynes, Esq., Rock Ferry, followed closely 
with larger bunches with equally fine berries, one bunch being a little 
under-coloured at the point. Mr. W. Wilson, gardener to H. Cunningham, 
Esq., Gateacre, third with smaller but well-finished bunches. For two 
bunches of Muscat of Alexandria Mr. G. Middleton was well ahead with 
well-finished bunches and berries of an enormous size, such that are 
seldom seen in this variety. The examples of this Grape staged by this 
exhibitor were conspicuous for the size of their berries. Mr. Elsworthy 
followed with fine bunches, well finished, but considerably less in the 
berry; Mr. W. Mease being a capital third. Six collections were staged. 
For two bunches. Black Hamburghs excluded, ten collections were staged. 
Mr. Ward took the lead with fine examples of Madresfield Court, the 
bunches and berries being large and the finish and bloom perfect. Mr. 
W. Wilson followed with large well-finished bunches of Alicante; and 
Mrs. Lawton, Lawton, Cheshire, third ^vith grand bunches, scarcely ripe, 
of the same variety as shown by the first-named exhibitor. For two 
bunches of white Grapes, not Muscats, Mr. Chappell, gardener to S. Led- 
ward. Esq., Hillbauk, Frankly, Birkenhead, was well to the front with the 
finest examples of Buckland Sweetwater in the Show; Mr. J. Bennett being 
second with a fair bunch of Duke of Buccleucli; and Mr. J. T. Ebbatt, 
gardener to F. Wright, Esq., Swan wick, Alfreton, third with Golden Queen. 
Some very large bunches of Foster’s Seedling were shown in this class, but 
most of the samples were scarcely ripe. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —These we have seen more mimerous at previous 
exhibitions held by the Association, but the quality of the fruit on this 
occasion has never been surpassed. The examples of Bellegarde staged by 
Mr. T. Elsworthy are worthy of special note, for they were remarkably 
large and superbly coloured. In the open class for one dish Mr. Elsworthy 
took the lead with Bellegarde, followed by Mr. Edmonds, who staged grand 
fruit of Royal George; Mr. C. Fiimigan, Palace Gardens, New Brighton, 
third with very large fruit, eight dishes being staged. In the correspond¬ 
ing class for one dish the same exhibitor was again first with the same 
variety equally good. Mr. J. Warrington, gardener to T. Bright, Esq., 
second; and Mr. W. Evans, gardener to Mrs. Lockett, third, twelve dishes 
being staged in this class, and the fruit in every instance was really first- 
rate. In the open class for one dish of Nectarines about ten dishes were 
staged, Mr. J. Bennett taking the lead with a good Pine Apple; Mr. H. 
Hurst second with the same variety ; and Mr. Wallace the remaining prize 
with weU-coloured fruits of Downton. About the same number of com¬ 
petitors staged fruit in the correspionding class for one dish. Mr. Jos. 
Staneyer was first with Elruge, Mr. J. Bennett second with Violette 
Hative, and Mr. J. Lambert third with Pineapple. 
Melons. —These were well represented, some thirty fruits being staged in 
the two classes devoted to them. For a green-fieshed variety Mr. Hartwell, 
gardener to Lord Newborough, C.irnarvon, was first with Bailey’s Green- 
flesh, and Mr. Edmonds second, no name being attached to the third-prize 
exhibit. No names were attached to the first and second exhibits in the 
class for a scarlet-fleshed variety, Mr. W. Mease being third with a good 
fruit of Masterpiece. 
Hardy Fruits. —For one dish of Strawberries Mr. J. Bennett took the lead 
with Elton Pine, followed by Messrs. J. Staneyer and W. Mease, the former 
Staging good fruit of Stirling Castle, and the latter of Bonnie Lassie. Mr. 
