September 2i, 1882 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 277 
on to the lawn, is admirably suitable for the purpose, and to the plant 
groups a large tent was devoted on the lawn. 
Plants .—For culture and arrangement these were alike excellent. 
Many were used in the rooms to impart relief and variety to the 
stands of cut flowers and fruit; but the tent was wisely devoted 
solely to plants, huge stove and greenhouse plants occupying the 
centre, with mixed groups and Ferns along the sides—not in formal 
angular outlines, but in softly rounded or semicircular groups. For 
the silver cup given by the London and Brighton Railway Company 
for twelve stove and greenhouse plants Mr. W. Balchin gained an easy 
victory. All of them were good, but the most noteworthy was a 
grand Gleichenia rupestris glaucescens, a Croton majesticus perfect 
in colour and form, Allamanda Wardleana, Latania borbonica, a pair 
of Cycas revoluta, and a fine Stephanotis very full of bloom. Mr. 
Balchin also contributed many fine large plants not for competition, 
which were most useful in imparting the requisite finish to the long 
central group. For four plants of the same class Mr. Balchin was 
again first, his Dipladenia amabilis being especially remarkable for 
the large size and abundance of its lovely flowers. Mr. E. Meachen, 
gardener to C. Armstrong, Esq., was second, and for a grand pair of 
Erica Eweriana and E. retorta major merits special mention. Mr. 
Meachen was first in groups of four confined to Sussex gardeners ; 
Mr. W. Efuggett, gardener to Dr. Jeffery, Eastbourne, being second ; 
and Mr. H. Townshend, gardener to Captain Thompson, Withdean, 
third. 
Miscellaneous groups arranged for effect, and each occupying a 
space of 150 square feet, were highly meritorious. Here Mr. Balchin 
took first honours with a magnificent group, the colouring charmingly 
varied—an undergrowth of Coleus and Maidenhair Ferns, out of which 
sprang dwarf Palms, a few Crotons very highly coloured, and in the 
background a pair of Lilium auratum with the flower spikes half 
concealed by the gracefully pendent leaves of loftier Falms. Mr. W. 
Miles, "West Brighton Nurseries, was second. Smaller groups of 
75 square feet were also good. Mr. E. Meachen was first with a nice 
bright group in which some Crotons and Amaryllis were noteworthy ; 
and Mr. J. Turner, gardener to Major Way, Wick Hill, was second 
with a tasteful arrangement. 
To those general favourites, Ferns, an unusually prominent position 
was given, three prizes being offered for groups of 200 square feet, 
and a like number for groups of 75 square feet. In the first class 
Mr. J. McBean, florist, Cooksbridge, won the silver cup presented by 
James Ashbury, Esq., with an arrangement of great beauty and 
remarkable originality, for,instead of the stereotyped mound or undu¬ 
lating slope, the surface of his group was boldly broken into a series 
of miniature hills and valleys, the loftiest hill being in the back¬ 
ground, two somewhat lower standing out near the front, one crowned 
by a noble Adiantum farleyense, and the other by an equally fine 
example of A. cuneatum ; still lower was a mound of A. gracilis, and 
between these giants were charming undulations of Maidenhair Fern. 
It was really amusing to hear the exclamations of delight from the 
crowd, and Mr. McBean’s triumph was enhanced by the fact that he 
had three formidable opponents in Messrs. W. Miles, W. Balchin, and 
the veteran E. Spary, to whom second, third, and extra prizes were 
awarded in the order in which they are named. An extra prize was 
also awarded to Mr. H. Yincent, gardener to Mr. J. Hart, Keymer. 
For the smaller groups Mr. Turner, gardener to Major Wick, was 
first; Mr. E. Meachen second, and Mr. H. Townshend third. 
Of other groups Fuchsias were very good, Mr. W. Trangmer, gar¬ 
dener to H. Davey, Esq., Grand Parade, Brighton, being first for 
well-arranged plants of various useful sizes, all fresh and well 
bloomed. Mr. Meachen was second. Mr. T. Martin, gardener to 
J. G. Langham, Esq., Eastbourne, and Mr. W. Hills, florist, Steyning, 
were respectively first and second for pretty groups of Coleuses. 
Zonal Pelargoniums were fine and in excellent condition. For scarlet 
varieties Mr. H. Townshend was first, Mr. Meachen second, and Mr. 
J. Spottiswood third. The same three exhibitors divided the prizes 
for other colours of Zonals, and for Gold and Silver Tricolor Pelar¬ 
goniums. For six double Zonals Mr. Balchin was first, and Mr. 
Huggett second. 
Of other plants Tuberous-rooted Begonias were present in consider¬ 
able numbers, and in great beauty. Mr. R. Pannett, florist, Crawley, 
had a first-prize group containing upwards of sixty plants—small but 
very full of large finely formed flowers with colours of many shades 
of pink, crimson, scarlet, yellow, and white. Mr. W. Margetts was 
second. Mr. Margetts was first for four plants, and Mr. W. Huggett 
second, his Mrs. G. B. Howes, a fine scarlet variety, being especially 
noteworthy. For variegated plants John Warren, Esq., was first 
with some highly coloured Crotons, a magnificent Anthurium crys- 
tallinum, and a good Pandanus Veitchii. Mr. Meachen was second. 
Cut Flowers .—Six prizes were offered in two classes for twenty-four 
varieties of cut flowers in bunches. These were very much admired, 
nine stands in all being shown, all the flowers being choice kinds cut 
from stove or greenhouse plants. Mr. Balchin’s stand was best, but 
excellent stands were also shown by Mr. T. Gilbert, nurseryman, 
Hastings ; Mr. W. Archer, gardener to G. S. Gibson, Esq., Saffron 
Walden ; and Mr. E. Morse, nurseryman, Epsom. Some good Roses 
for this time of year were shown. Messrs. Paul & Son, Old Nurseries, 
Cheshunt, for three trusses each of forty-eight varieties, the flowers 
of Duke of Teck, Comtesse de Choiseuil, Duchess of Bedford, and 
Perle de Lyon being really excellent. Messrs. Mitchell of Piltdown 
were second, and Mr. W. Yirgo, nurseryman, Guildford, third. For 
twenty-four varieties, three trusses of each, Mr. Balchin was first, 
and Mr. W. Seale, Vine Nursery, Sevenoaks, second. Mr. Balchin 
had excellent trios of Marie Baumann and A. K. Williams. Messrs. 
Paul were again first for twelve Teas with Alba Rosea, a lovely 
white ; Perle de Lyon, yellow, full, and finely formed flowers ; 
Catherine Mermet, Etoile de Lyon, lovely pale yellow ; Madame 
Lambard, Niphetos, Madame Camille, Souvenir de Paul Neyron, 
Souvenir d’un Ami, Marie Guillot, Bouquet d’Or, and Comtesse de 
Nadaillac. Mr. A. Slaughter, Jarvis Villa, Steyning, was second, 
and Messrs. Mitchell third. For twelve Perpetuals Mr. A. Slaughter 
was first, and Mr. R. Spinks, gardener to Lady H. Somerset, was 
second. Dahlias, Asters, Phloxes, and Gladiolus were all well repre¬ 
sented. Single Dahlias, especially those by Messrs. Keynes, were 
deservedly admired, for they were very lovely, comprising shades 
of white, yellow, rosy purple, striped pink, and scarlet. 
Of table decorations Mrs. Seale, Vine Nursery, Sevenoaks, had the 
best three stands, of which the leading characteristics were lightness 
with fulness, no crowding, and the colours well blended. Mr. W. 
Miles was second, and Mr. J. R. Chard, florist, Clapham Common, 
third. Twenty-three bridal and ballroom bouquets were shown, 
most of them meritorious, though some were sadly crowded. They 
were shown in pairs, and Mrs. H. H. Moore, florist, Chichester, was 
first with excellent bouquets—light, full, and elegant; the leading 
flowers in the bridal bouquet being Eucharis, Stephanotis, and Tube¬ 
roses, and in that for the ballroom Eucharis, Blush Roses, white 
Lapageria, and scarlet Bouvardia. Mr. W. Balchin was second, and 
Mr. W. Miles third. Eight funeral wreaths were shown on black 
velvet, Mi - . W. Brown, florist, Richmond, being first with a magnifi¬ 
cent wreath some 2 feet in diameter ; Mr. Balchin being second, and 
Mr. H. H. Moore third. Eucharis amazonica was much used in every 
wreath. Wild flowers were shown in a neat and creditable manner, 
Mrs. M. Dixon, Searles, Fletching, being first with upwards of a 
hundred varieties. Mr. W. Hills was second, and Mr. J. Budd, Worth, 
Crawley, third. 
Fruit .—Grapes were generally well coloured among black varieties, 
but the bunches were of medium size. Muscat of Alexandria was 
shown in considerable quantities, most of the bunches being large ; 
but almost all were deficient in colour, a striking exception being the 
two first-prize exhibits of Mr. T. Chatfield, gardener to T. Holman, 
Esq., East Hothly, whose bunches were small but of a rich uniform 
golden amber that was highly creditable. Other prizewinners for 
Muscats were Messrs. C. Goldsmith, S. Ford ; and for black Grapes 
first prizes to Mr. S. Ford and Mr. J. Austin ; seconds to Mr. G. J. 
Warren, gardener to Mrs. Hankey, Balcombe Place, and Mr. J. 
Spottiswood ; and third to Mr. W. Huggett. Melons.—Mr. W. Martin, 
Blackstone, Woodmacote, was first with a small Hero of Lockinge. 
Other fruits were inferior, excepting some fine examples of Shepherd’s 
Perfection exhibited by Messrs. Cheal & Sons, nurserymen, Crawley, 
who also had a creditable exhibition of forty dishes of Apples. Good 
examples of Warner’s King, Nelson’s Glory, Dumelow’s Seedling, 
Reinette du Canada, and Lord Suffield were also shown by other 
exhibitors. Among Pears were several good dishes of Beurre 
d’Amanlis, Mr. H. Townshend gaining a first prize with it. Very 
few Peaches were shown. The best were some fine Barringtons by 
Mr. R. Biggs, High Beeches, Crawley ; and Mr. McLeod, gardener to 
The Speaker, Glynde Place, had some Lord Palmerstons, to which a 
third prize was awarded. The best Plums were Golden Drop and 
Green Gage, first prize being awarded to both in different classes, the 
one to Mr. J. Staples, Chipstead, Sevenoaks. and the other to Mr. J. 
Burtenshaw, gardener to Mr. Cartwright, Albourne Place. A first-prize 
dish of fine Brunswick Figs came from the Speaker’s garden, Mr. T. 
Butler, North Lancing, being second, and Mrs. M. Wood, Shoreham, 
third, both for the same kind. Only one collection of twelve dishes 
of fruit was exhibited by Mr. C. Goldsmith, gardener to Mrs. Lambert, 
Bletchingley, who had excellent examples of Black Alicante and 
Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, and a handsome Melon well netted. 
THE APPLE CROP. 
The Apple crop generally appears very small this year, and 
nearly all well-known varieties have failed ; yet there are solitary 
instances where trees are heavily laden, while the majority of 
their neighbours are fruitless. Some of the late-flowering kinds, 
of which Court Pendu Plat is an example, are conspicuous for 
their absence of fruit, while comparatively small bushes of the 
same size and age of Lord Suffield, Cellini, Cox’s Pomona, and 
Sturmer Pippin are heavily laden with large fine fruit. The first 
two have never failed with me during the past five years, and 
could not be in a much worse locality in any part of the country. 
The first-named is too well known as a free, useful, early kitchen 
Apple to need any recommending ; but this variety with all its 
good properties is useless for planting where the soil is wet and 
cold. I am well acquainted with localities in Lincolnshire where 
fruit generally does well, but Lord Suffield fails to give satis¬ 
faction, and the trees after they have been planted a season or 
two canker badly. During the winter of 1880 and 1881 hundreds 
of trees of this variety were most severely injured, and it is ques¬ 
tionable if ever they recover. Here the Boil is well drained from 
the rock being very near the surface, and consequently of too 
