August 28, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
189 
Rawlings, Joseph Green, Revival, and Goldfinder. Messrs. J. Cheal it Sons, 
Crawley, were second with a good stand of blooms representing some fine 
varieties. Mr. Tranter was also fir-t with twelve Fancy varieties, the majority 
of which were as fine as the others, and Messrs. J. Cheal it Sons were again 
second wfith a good stand. Hardy flovvers were capitally shown by seven 
exhibitors, the prizes going to Messrs. Summers, Bridge, Durman, and Booker. 
For such a late period of the year Roses were shown in good numbers and 
fair condition. Messrs. J. Cheal it Sons were the most successful in the 
class for eighteen blooms, taking the first prize with bright, even, and fresh 
examples. Mr. Garden, gardener to Miss Watson Taylor, Headington, and 
Mr. Bridge were respectively second and third with smaller blooms. Mr. 
Garden also h.ad the best twelve and the best six blooms, followed in the 
latter class by J. T. Strange, Esq., Aldermaston, and Mr. Tranter. With 
single Dahlias Messrs. Cheal it Sons were first, showing a good stand of 
bright varieties, for one of which, named Formosa, with well-formed dark 
scarlet blooms, a first-class certificate was awarded. Asters were numerous, 
and in several other small classes the competition was good. Mr. Phippen 
had the best collection of stove and greenhouse flowers, and in the bouquet 
and buttonhole classes he was the principal prizetaker as usual with tasteful 
arrangements. 
FRUIT. 
In point of numbers this section was well represented, hut the majority 
of the Grapes shown were not quite satisfactory in colour. For eight dishes 
of fruits Mr. Goodman, gardener to 0. Hammersley, Esq., Bourne End, gained 
the first place, showing Foster’s Seedling and Black Alicante Grapes of 
medium quality, Spencer Nectarines very fine. Brown Turkey Figs, Belgian 
Purple Plums, and Williams’ Bon Chretien Pears. Mr. Wells, gardener to 
R. Rivenhill, Esq., Winkfield, was second with fine examples of Morello 
Cherries, Victoria Plums, Fernbill’s Scarlet Melon, and Cooper’s Black 
Grapes. Mr. Home, gardener to Sir R. Sutton, Bart., Benham Park, New¬ 
bury, took the third place with good Cherries and fine Bananas, Mr. Cake- 
bread being equal third, showing good Peaches. In the class for six dishes 
Mr. Ashby, gardener to W. Fanning, Esq., Whitchurch, took the lead for 
neaD well-finished examples of Victoria Nectarines, White Ischia Figs, Black 
Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, and Sutton’s Masterpiece 
Melon. Mr. Turton followed, his principal dishes being Madresfield Court 
Grapes and Early Louise Peaches. Mr. Booker was third, having Victoria 
Nectarines very handsome. 
In the Grape classes Black Hamburgh was the best represented, Mr. 
Ashby leading with three fine bunches, large in berry and of good colour. 
Mr. Osborne, gardener to the Rev. H. Golding Palmer, followed with smaller 
bunches but large handsome berries. Equal third prizes were secured by 
Mr. Moore, gardener to Mrs. Haig, and Mr. Home with samples of medium 
merit. For three bunches of any other black variety Mr. Ashby was first 
with Madresfield Court, large in bunch and berry, but not well coloured to 
the footstalk. Mr. Lockie was second with Alnwick Seedling, large berries 
of fair colour. For three bunches of Muscat Grapes Mr. Ross was first 
with Bowood Muscat, having fine heads and berries of a clear good colour, 
and quite distinct from Muscat of Alexandria as shown by Mr. Ashby who 
was second with finely coloured bunches. In the any other white variety 
class Mr. Lockie took the lead with Buckland Sweetwater, extremely large 
bunches and berries, altogether handsome in size, but were not so well 
coloured as the smaller bunches of the same variety from Mr. Wells, for 
which the second prize was awarded. The first, however, well deserved their 
position, for they were beautifully grown samples. Mr. Ashby was third 
with Golden Queen of good size, but dull and dirty-looking. 
Nectarines were shown by eight competitors, all close. Mr. Goodman 
being first with fine fruits of Milton ; Mr. Osborn took the second prize for 
Pitmaston Orange of creditable size and colour : Mr. Ashby following with 
Victoria. Six dishes of Peaches were entered, Mr. Mortimer leading with 
Royal George, large and handsome. Mr. Ashby was second with the same 
variety not quite so well coloured, and Mr. Osborn was third with Noblesse. 
Apricots were represented by six lots, all good fruits. Mr. Read secured the 
premier position with Moorpark, followed by Mr. Wells with Frogmore 
Yellow, and by Mr. Scammell with Moorpark. With Figs Messrs. Ashby and 
Horne were the prizetakers ; and in the Plum class, in which there were nine 
entries, Mr. Goodman was first with Belle de Louvain, very handsome ; 
Mr. Osborn second with Washington, and Mr. Jones third with Jefferson’s. 
Melons were shown in good numbers, Mr. Lockie leading in the scarlet-flesh 
class with Invincible Scarlet, and Mr. Ross in the green-fleshed class with 
Carters’ Emerald ; other prizetakers being Messrs. Scammell, Cakebread, and 
Horne. Messrs. Sutton & Sons also offered three prizes for the best brace of 
Melons of any variety, and the competition was exceedingly keen, no less 
than twelve entering the class. Mr. Mortimer gained first honours for Hero 
of Lockinge, with deep flesh and of fine flavour, Mr. Turton following with 
Hero of Bath, and Mr. Lockie with a seedling. Messrs. Carter & Co., 
Holborn, also offered three prizes for a brace of Blenheim Orange Melon, 
which were secured by Messrs. Lockie, Mortimer, and Clarke, Moorpark, 
Farnham, with good fruits. A class was provided for miscellaneous fruits, 
in which Mr. Ross was first with two magnificent Smooth Cayenne Pine 
Apples, large, even, and handsomely ripened. Mr. Goodman was second 
with some good Peaches, Grapes, and Plums, and Mr. Read third with fine 
samples. Outdoor fruits, especially Apples, were well represented, Messrs, 
Turton, Horne, Hart, and Clarke taking the chief prizes. 
Tomatoes were staged in good numbers and capital condition, the majority 
of the fourteen dishes containing large, even, and finely coloured fruits. Mr. 
Lockie won first honours with Sutton’s Perfection, very beautiful samples; 
Mr. Cakebread was second with Hackwood Prolific, handsome, solid, even 
fruits ; and Mr. Thorne, gardener to G. Pigot, Esq., Sunninghill, was third 
with Dedham Favourite, neat in form, but dull in colour. Of eleven braces 
of Cucumbers those of Royal Windsor from Mr. Lockie were selected for 
premier honours, beautiful even fruits bearing good bloom. Mr. Mortimer 
followed with Purley Park Hero ; and Mr. Lees was third with Berkshire 
Challenge. Messrs. Carter & Co, also offered prizes for a brace of their 
Model Cucumber, for which there were four entries, Messrs. Lockie, 
Mortimer, and Eliott gaining the prizes in that order. 
VEGETABLES. 
The great feature in the vegetable classes were the Potatoes in com¬ 
petition for the special prizes, nearly 200 dishes being staged of remarkably 
handsome tubers, probably the finist disp’ay of Potatoes ever seen at a 
Reading Show. Messrs. Sutton it Sons offered four prizes for collections of 
nine varieties, nine tubers of each, and for these there were thirteen entries 
all so close in quality that the Judges had much difficulty in awarding the 
prizes. Mr. Ilott won first honours with clean even tubers of Vicar of 
Laleham, Prizetaker, Reading Russet, Fifties Annie, Lifeguard, Adirondack 
International, Woodstock Kidney, and First and Best. iMessrs. Ross, Eliott, 
and Howe followed closely. Mr. C. Fidler also offered four prizes for nine 
varieties, twelve tubers of each, and eight competitors appeared, ilr. Ross 
was first with fine examples of Mr. Bresee, Suttons’ Fillbasket, Reading 
Russet, Fenn’s Perfection, Princess of Wales, M.P., Piizetaker, Suttons’ First 
and Best, and Vicar of Laleham. Messrs. Eliott, Ilott, and Lees followed 
with good collections. 
Some excellent collections of vegetables were staged in competition for 
the four prizes offered by Messrs. Webb it: Sons, Stourbridge, ten even and 
praiseworthy lots of six dishes being entered. Mr. Kneller, gardener to 
M. Portal, Esq., Malshanger Pa' k, took the lead with admirable specimens 
of Autumn Giant Cauliflower, Giant Rocca Onions verv large and solid. 
Intermediate Carrots, International Potatoes, C,inadian Wonder Beans, and 
Ne Plus Ultra Pea®. Mr. Howe was placed second with a good collection, 
being closely followed by Mr. Lockie and Mr. C.ikebread. In the Society’s 
classes for Onions, Vegetable Marrows, Peas, and Potatoes, the competition 
was good and the quality of the exhibits satisfactory. 
MEASURED SUNSHINE. 
In the course of an article upon this subject in a daily contemporary the 
following remarks are of especial interest to gardeners, who know full avell 
the value of sunshine :— 
“ It is now known, not merely from long e.xperience, which the most 
ardent admiration for British climatology does not enable us to deny, but 
from exact scientific data, that in the most favoured parts of this country 
and during the finest parts of the year just about one-third of the sun’s 
bright rays reach us, and that two-thirds are spent in the atmosphere or 
reflected from the clouds. There are two ways in which sunshine can be 
accurately measured. The first is to let the solar rays fall directly upon a 
thermometer, and after an exposure long enough to produce their full effect, 
to mark the result. In this way, on Monday, Aug. 11th, said to have been the 
hottest day for the past twenty years, the heat registered rose to 150 8°. 
This was a measure, not of the temperature of the air, baat of the degree to 
which the sun’s rays could heat any substance by falling directly and con¬ 
tinuously upon it. It was about three-fifths of the tempsratiare required to 
boil water. With this mode of estimating the sun’s power the public have 
been familiar since the beginning of the seventeenth century, when 
Galileo invented the air thermometer. Of late years, however, it has 
been supplemented by a new instrument, invented by Mr. Campbell, 
and recently much improved by Professor Stokes and others—the Sun¬ 
shine Recorder, which leaves a permanent record of the time during 
which the sun has been shining brightly on the place where the instrument 
is situated. This simple apparatus, shown in the grounds of the Health 
Exhibition, and explained by Mr. Wedenby to numbers of the visitors, is as 
easy to understand as the thermometer. It consists simply of a strip of 
prepared card fixed under and in the focus of a globe of glass about .3 inches 
in diameter. The globe is placed in the open air, and the moment the sun¬ 
light falls upon it its rays are concentrated by the globe, which, acting like 
a burning glass, incinerates or chars the paper so as to trace a black line, the 
length of which shows accurately how many houi's or parts of an hour there 
has been bright sunshine. Thus, for instance, on Monday, the 11th inst., 
there were thirteen hours of sunshine out of above fifteen that were 
possible, and last Saturday, the IGth inst., the proportion was nearly as 
great. 
“ We are indebted to the Sunshine Recorder for some very interesting facts 
and for illustrations of important truths. That peculiar phenomenon with 
which every summer familiarises us, “ a close day,” for which there seems no 
sufficient reason, is explained by this small instrument. June the 26th, for 
instance, was the hottest day of the year up to that date, and there were 
thirteen hours of sunshine in London. The thermometer in the shade, how¬ 
ever, only registered 78°, and, moreover, light as was the day, no one com¬ 
plained much of the heat. The succeeding day, June 27th, on the other hand, 
was very oppressive ; the shade temperature rose to 71)°, and yet the Recorder 
showed only two hours of bright sunshine. That the brighter day was the 
more bearable was because the air itself was cooler, and it was cooler for the 
reason that there was a clearer sky, and there was more radiation outwards 
from the earth’s surface. On the second date there was enough of mist to 
prevent the sun burning the paper, and the same filmy screen kept in the 
heat and made it feel oppressive. For the same reason those climates that 
are favoured with a clear sky are much more tolerable when the heat is torrid 
than damp regions like the Gold Coast, with their pall of moisture, which is 
deadly even when the temperature is not more than 80° or 90°. More than 
this, the Sunshine Recorder throws a clear light on the vagaries of the 
British summer. In the month of July, 1881, we had 4i’8 per cent.of all the 
possible sunshine—a very large proportion—the effect being that crops were 
hastened forward wonderfully. But in August the proportion fell to 29'9 ; 
instead of sun there was rain—an invariable alternative, and the ripened 
crops were gathered in with difficulty and great loss. For July and August 
last year the figures were 27'4 and S9-7, and for the present year the averages 
promise to be much more favourable, A proportion of one-third sunshine 
for the whole year would make a very tolerable climate ; and the average in 
England is strikingly constant; but the cardinal defect clearly shown in 
these records is that there is so often a fatal lack during the three critical 
months of the year—June, July, and August, the times avhen crops are 
growing, maturing, and being harvested. 
“ One most striking fact is brought to light by the sunshine records for the 
year 1883. It appears that out of the whole number of hours—ll.iG—during 
which the sun was above the horizon it was shining brightly on the city of 
London (as recorded by an instrument at Bunhill Row) 971 hours, at Green 
wich 1241 hours, at Kew 1481, Croydon 1368, Marlborough 1501. while at 
Hastings the number rose to 1825. Thus the south coast of England had 
nearly twice as many sunny days as the metropolis, while even its own 
