August 31 , 1882 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 201 
unpleasant glare of colour. Mr. Lees was adjudged the premier prize 
for a free, light, and diversified arrangement, the base consisting 
chiefly of Adiantums and other small Ferns, from which arose taller 
Palms. Ferns. Aralias, and Crotons, with specimens of Campanula 
pyramidalis, Petunias, Ixoras, and Pelargoniums. The margin was 
very tasteful, comprising Tradescantia multicolor, Panicum variega- 
tum, Fittonias,. and Ferns. Mr. Phippen of Reading gained the 
second prize with a very meritorious group, in which the useful 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora largely predominated, the plants 
being all healthy and bearing very large trusses of flowers. Fuchsias, 
white Lilies, Gloxinias, Begonias, Coleuses, Galtonias, Ferns, and 
Palms were also freely and effectively employed. An extra prize 
was awarded to Mr. Sumner, gardener to Mr. Millard, Reading, for a 
bright group, in which Tropmolums were very telling. Mr. Mayne, 
gardener to Miss Moon, Reading, was also adjudged an extra prize, 
and similar recognition was accorded to Mr. Turton, gardener to 
J. Hargreaves, Esq., Marden-Erleigh. 
Cut flowers formed an attractive feature in the old hall, Dahlias, 
Roses, Phloxes, and Gladiolus being particularly well shown. Messrs. 
Turner, Lees, Tranter, Atkins, Phippen, Burgess, Jones, Howe, and 
Durman, gardener to J. W. Wakman, Esq., Reading, were the princi¬ 
pal prizewinners. Buttonholes and vases of flowers were chiefly 
contributed by Miss Kate Phippen, who had some very tasteful 
arrangements well deserving the awards secured. 
Fruit .—The competition in most of the leading classes for fruit 
was close, the general quality being very satisfactory, especially of 
the collections. Grapes were also well shown, Plums, Peaches, and 
Nectarines being very numerous. For a collection of eight dishes, 
distinct kinds, Sir. Austen, gardener to Sir G. Smythe, Bart., Ashton 
Court, won the first prize presented by Messrs. Sutton & Sons— 
namely, a silver cup value five guineas, with good bunches of Madres- 
field Court and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes well coloured, Williams’ 
Bon Chretien Pears, Brown Turkey Figs, a seedling Melon from 
Blenheim Orange, fine Barrington Peaches, Pine Apple Nectarines, 
and a large Smooth Cayenne Pine Apple. Mr. Miller, gardener to 
W. H. Long, Esq., M.P., Rood Ashton Park, was a good second, 
having well-coloured Black Alicante Grapes, fine Moorpark Apricots, 
Kirke’s Plums, and Bellegarde Peaches. Mr. Atkins, gardener to Sir 
R. Lloyd Lindsay, M.P., Lockinge, was third, having praiseworthy 
Black Hamburgh Grapes. There were also five competitors in the 
class for a collection of six dishes, in which Mr. Goodman, gardener 
to C. Hammersley, Esq., Bourne End, won the chief award, having 
Black Alicante and Foster’s Seedling Grapes of moderate size but in 
good condition, Crimson Galande Peaches, Moorpark Apricots, Hum¬ 
boldt Nectarines, and Nectarine Plums. Mr. Lockie, gardener to 
Lord O. Fitzgerald, Oakley Court, Windsor, was a good second, and 
Mr. Mortimer third. Black Hamburgh Grapes were well shown by 
Messrs. Ashby, Miller, and Austen, who won the prizes in that order 
amongst five other competitors. For three bunches of any other 
black Grapes Mr. Heath, gardener to R. Ovey, Esq., Henley, gained 
the chief prize with grand bunches of Black Alicante, large, even, 
and bearing fine bloom. Messrs. Ashby and Everest followed. The 
best Muscats were staged by Mr. Austen, who had large bunches and 
berries, even and well ripened. Mr. Robinson, The Royal College, 
Englefield Green, and Mr. Ashby followed in that order, there being 
seven other collections staged. The last-named exhibitor gained the 
principal prize in the Any other white Grape class with fine bunches 
of Buckland Sweetwater; Mr. Atkins was second with Golden 
Queen, also good; and Mr. Wells, gardener to R. Ravenhill, Esq., 
Windsor Forest, was third with fair bunches of Buckland Sweet¬ 
water. Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, and Melons were well 
represented, the principal prizetakers being Messrs. Osborn, gardener 
to the Rev. A. Golding, Sonning; Jones, gardener to Lord Calthorpe, 
Elvetham Park ; Goodman, Atkins, Ross, Lockie, and Austen. Culi¬ 
nary Apples were also largely shown, Messrs. Ross, Turton, and 
Bennett taking the chief prizes. Messrs. J. Carter & Co.’s prizes for 
two fruits of Blenheim Orange Melon were gained by Messrs. Lockie, 
Mortimer, and Burgess, all of whom staged fruit of moderate size, 
even, and well netted. 
Vegetables .—In addition to the prizes offered by the Society for 
miscellaneous vegetables, which were well competed for, Messrs. E. 
Webb & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge, and Messrs. James Carter and 
Co., High Holborn, contributed special prizes of considerable value. 
Messrs. Webb offered four prizes for collections of six distinct kinds 
of vegetables, and for these there were twelve competitors, all show¬ 
ing admirable collections. Mr. Lockie was first with clean examples 
of Ne Plus Ultra Peas, Reading Onions, Rivers’ Ashleaf Potatoes, and 
Model Cucumbers, amongst others. Messrs. Bryant, Bradford, 
gardener to L. Cooper, Esq., Caversbam, and Howe secured the other 
prizes in that order. Messrs. Carter’s prizes for Model Cucumbers 
were won by Messrs. Lockie, Burgess,and Mortimer, all showing even 
and good fruits. 
In the Society’s classes Potatoes were largely exhibited, Messrs. 
Ross and Millen being the chief prizetakers. Cauliflowers, Celery, 
Onions, Tomatoes, and Cucumbers were also abundantly and well 
represented. 
Miscellaneous exhibits were numerous and attractive, especially 
two handsome collections of single Pompon, Show, and Fancy Dahlias 
from Mr. C. Turner of Slough, which comprised a large number of 
beautiful varieties, the blooms in the two last named sections being 
extremely fine. Messrs. C. Lee & Son, Hammersmith, had a large and 
interesting collection of sprays of variegated and ornamental hardy 
trees and shrubs, while Messrs. Cross & Steer, Salisbury, exhibited 
blooms of the new Clove Carnation, The Governor. This variety has 
creamy-white flowers of good form and substance, and was much 
admired. T. S. Cocks, Esq., Marlow, sent a collection of Plums grown 
out of doors, comprising excellent fruits of Imperatrice, Coe’s Golden 
Drop, Nectarine, Jeffevson’s, Belgian Purple, Washington, Yictoria, 
Greengage, and Reine Claude Yiolette. 
GARDEN NOTES FROM NORTH DURHAM. 
A few fallen leaves make us look up to the trees, and their 
old-fashioned summer garments remind us that the time is 
approaching when we should make a note of what has done well 
with us and is worth keeping another year, and also we must 
make a note of failures—things not to be attempted again under 
the same conditions. 
Foremost among our own little troubles is a bed of dwarf 
Tropasolums 'which is not at all a failure in one sense, since it has 
been and is yet a perfect sheet of splendid scarlet; yet is not 
what I should have liked, or is not what I expected it would be, 
which is something worse. Last year we had a bed of scarlet 
Tom Thumb Tropreolums which was admired by everybody for its 
brilliancy of colour and the compact regularity of the plants. 
This bed was on the side of a wide main road ; on the opposite 
side of the road is an herbaceous border, where the tall-growing 
section of Tropseolums are grown in abundance for the purpose of 
covering the boundary wall. Such was the general admiration of 
the dwarfs that I determined to save some of the seeds for another 
display the following year. The seeds were saved in quantity and 
were freely distributed amongst the public, a good number being 
sown this spring in a cold frame. Only one bed has been exclu¬ 
sively planted with them, and that at the entrance, and out of the 
whole bed there are scarcely ten plants have not shown the un- 
mistakeable habit of the tall Tropacolums that grew opposite them 
last year. Instead of the small dark leaf and compact dwarf 
habit, they exhibit large bright green leaves with a tendency to 
“ sprawl ” all over the place. Is this degeneration, or is it the 
result of insect-fertilisation ? Cuttings from the same plants as 
the seeds were saved off are quite satisfactory. 
Another failure of the same sort— i.e., plants turning out to be 
something else than they were expected to be, is a new Golden 
Feather sent to me by a neighbour with a flourish of trumpets 
that it “ was to eclipse the old variety altogether.” It has a long 
high-sounding name which I never knew, or ever cared to learn ; 
suffice it to say that neither here nor in my neighbour’s garden 
has it been anything at all equal as a yellow-leaved plant to the 
old Golden Feather. But as a white-flowered dwarf plant it is 
about as pretty as anything I know of ; it has pure white double 
Daisy-like flowers which it produces in abundance, and does not 
exceed 8 inches in height. If it is very hardy and can be utilised 
for spring flower gardening there is a great future in storef or 
but as a golden or yellow-leaved bedding plant it is no use at 
in this neighbourhood. 
Pansies have been a great success, especially Blue King, Tory, 
Pilrig Park, and Duchess of Edinburgh, and I had almost omitted 
the best—Magpie. The first and last of these I often see thriving 
famously in town gardens. Cloth of Gold does not do well with 
us, a remark which applies to all the yellows that I know. A local 
sort without a name is a favourite from its free-blooming proper¬ 
ties, and its fine dark colour, splendidly relieved by a bright 
golden eye. Lilacea is a free and continuous bloomer but of very 
little substance, and nothing save that property and its remark¬ 
ably sweet scent to recommend it. By keeping the seed pods 
and spent blooms assiduously picked off them Pansy beds and 
borders may be kept in good condition the whole of the summer. 
Some of ours that are in bloom now commenced flowering in 
February, and are still good. 
Antirrhinums have been very good. We never sow any ; there 
are always plenty coming up in the borders, both of them, Fox¬ 
gloves, and Canterbury Bells ; and by exercising a little care in 
saving them and transplanting them when and where necessary 
the stock is kept up and improved. Every year the varieties be¬ 
come more numerous and the flowers better. We have no great 
quantity of herbaceous plants, but it would be difficult to find 
anything more beautiful, or anything to give a greater amount of 
flowers over a longer period, than the red Valerian and its varie¬ 
ties, the white one being particularly fine. Sweet Williams were 
among our best flowers, large masses of them being very fine. 
Stocks and Asters do not do well with us, and the only few plants 
we had of the true Myosotis dissitiflora disappeared during the 
dry weather in May. 
Manure as it is usually understood has no existence here ; neither 
have we any approved earth closets. We have sifted ashes, refuse 
