July 22, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 67 
with Penelope Mayo (full and good), Comtesse de Choiseuil, A. K. 
Williams, Constantin TretiakofE, Magna Charta, Madame Gabriel 
Luizet, Charles Darwin, Leon Renault, and Paul Jamain. Second, 
Messrs. Cranston & Co. with Madame Chiverot, Mary Pochin, Princess 
Charlotte de la Tremouille, Wilhelm Koelle, Duchess of Bedford ; 
the remaining varieties the same as mentioned above. Third, 
Messrs. Davison & Co. with a good bloom of Pearl and Mrs. Laxton. 
For twelve single trusses of any Hybrid Perpetual (dark).—First, 
Mr. T. Jowitt with Alfred Colomb as alluded to above. Second, 
Messrs. Cranston & Co., with an excellent box of Marie Baumann. 
Third, Mr. George Prince, Oxford, with a fine box of Duke of Edin¬ 
burgh. For twelve single trusses of any Hybrid Perpetual (light).— 
First, Mr. T. Jowitt with a magnificent stand of La Duchesse de 
Morny. Second, Messrs. Cranston A Co. with fine blooms of La 
France. Third. Messrs. Davison & Co. with much smaller blooms of 
La France. The other exhibitor was Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., 
Maidstone. For twelve single trusses of any Tea or Noisette.—First, 
Messrs. Cranston & Co. with large fresh blooms of Niphetos. Second, 
Mr. G. Prince with Souvenir d’un Ami. For twelve single trusses 
of any yellow Rose the only exhibitor was Mr. Prince, who was 
awarded first with attractive blooms of Perle des Jardins. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits .—Several boxes of Roses and some hardy 
shrubs in pots were exhibited by Messrs. Dickson & Robinson of Man¬ 
chester ; Messrs. Cranston & Co. exhibited a box of their new Rose 
Mary Pochin ; Messrs. Paul A Son a very fine stand of A. K. Williams ; 
Messrs. G. Bunyard A Co. a very good box of Ferdinand de Lesseps ; 
Messrs. Davison A Co., White Cross Nursery, fine stands of Xavier 
Olibo and Marie Baumann. Mr. Samuel Barlow, Stakehill House, 
Chadderton, exhibited three hundred blooms of Persian Ranunculi, 
which attracted much attention. 
Fortunately the day proved fine for the Exhibition, and large num¬ 
bers of visitors assembled. Mr. Bruce Findlay efficiently conducted 
the arrangements of the Exhibition. The Judges were Rev. H. H. 
D’Ombrain, and Messrs. Jowitt, Hawtrey, Whitwell, Curtis, Cranston, 
G. Paul, Prince, and Herbert. 
RHODODENDRONS NEAR LIVERPOOL. 
Some notes on Rhododendrons having recently appeared in the 
Journal, a few remarks as to how these handsome shrubs succeed 
near Liverpool may not be without interest. 
There are not many places m Lancashire where they can be seen 
to greater advantage than at Grassendale Priory, the residence of 
Mr. Horsfall of Liverpool. Considering the very limited space at 
command, this collection, consisting as it does of over one hundred 
varieties, may be described as almost unequalled. The wet season 
of last year checked many of the specimens, the constant rain 
having produced a second growth when they should have been 
setting their flower buds, but still on the majority the trusses have 
this season been larger and in some cases more numerous than 
usual. Some of the largest were over at the time of my visit, and 
fallen and faded blooms of Alexander Adie and Old Port told of 
glories which were past for this summer. The latter, however, 
was well succeeded by Sir Joseph Whitworth, a large very dark 
variety with handsome foliage. There were several good speci¬ 
mens of white varieties in flower, of which Purity bore the palm 
both for size and colour, though some of the larger bushes of 
Minnie and Lady Godiva were very striking. About thirty new 
varieties have lately been planted, several of which promise to be 
unusually good. Surprise is a fine late one, with large light- 
coloured truss and dark-centred flowers ; Kate Waterer, a splendid 
crimson with large yellow centre, one of the handsomest ; Quad- 
roona, Pelopidas, and Mr. John Kelk, all good pinks of different 
shades ; while amongst the white and light-coloured varieties 
The Countess of Headfort, Butterianum, Lady Olive Guiness, and 
Madame Chasson were prominent. 
It is difficult, however, to pronounce on the best of a collection 
which has beeu selected with so much care and judgment, every 
one having been chosen for some individual merit. Many besides 
those mentioned would prove ornamental additions to any garden ; 
and as these shrubs may be moved with the greatest ease and safety 
(which their rapid growth frequently necessitates to prevent over¬ 
crowding), they may be truly called the most valuable evergreens 
we have. Most of those at Grassendale Priory have been moved 
at almost every season of the year, even in full flower, without 
deteriorating in any way ; in fact one of the largest, a handsome 
white about 15 feet through and the same in height, was moved 
in flower two or three years ago, and made more growth the 
succeeding summer than it had ever done previously. 
A standard Lady Godiva had over three hundred flowers fully 
out at the same time. It was placed in the position it now occupies 
last year, and is an excellent proof of the way Rhododendrons 
will succeed if carefully moved.—R. E. H. 
Destroying the Onion Maggot. —If your correspondent, 
W. Jones, will cover his Onion ground half an inch deep with coal 
ashes sifted through a half-inch sieve, and water at once with 
liquid manure, and continue the watering once or twice every 
week unless the season is very wet indeed, I believe he will soon 
destroy the maggot.—D. Walker, The Gardens, Dunorlan. 
TWO KENTISH SHOWS. 
HARTFORD. 
The annual Exhibition of the Dartford and District Horticultural 
Society was held on Wednesday, the 14th inst., in the grounds of 
Cranford Lodge, for which privilege the Society is indebted to C. T. 
Laurence, Esq. The entries were numerous, and the general quality 
of the exhibits was admirable, the plants being particularly notice¬ 
able for their freshness and vigour. Two tents were occupied with 
the gardeners’ productions, one containing the plants, and the other 
the vegetables, fruit and cut flowers, while a third was devoted to the 
cottagers’ classes. The arrangements were very satisfactory, and the 
whole conduct of the Exhibition was creditable to Mr. W. Ethering- 
ton, the Secretary, and several energetic members of the Committee 
who ably assisted him. 
Plants were well represented, several fair collections of stove and 
greenhouse plants being staged. Coleuses and the varieties of 
Begonias with fine foliage were also shown in excellent condition ; 
the latter were exceptionally vigorous, and the former well coloured. 
Two fine collections of Cockscombs were exhibited, a3 dwarf as could 
be desired, with large richly coloured heads of flowers. Flowering 
Begonias were bright and effective. Several tasteful groups, Fuchsias, 
Ferns, fine-foliage plants, and numerous other plants contributed 
greatly to the pleasing effect of the tent. The chief prizewinners in 
the above classes were the following :—J. Honychurch, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. Paris), A. H. Keep, Esq. (Mr. Bailey), R. White, Esq. (Mr. Collins), 
R. S. Dunbar, Esq. (Mr. Armstrong), R. C. Miller, Esq. (Mr. Hazell), 
E. A. Quail, Esq. (Mr. Manser), Mr. Preddy, and Mr. Ryder. 
Fruit was not shown very abundantly, but collections of well- 
ripened Grapes, Peaches, Strawberries, Ac., were staged by R. Stewart, 
Esq. (Mr. Etherington), J. C. Hayward, Esq. (Mr. J. Dean), and 
Messrs. Armstrong, Ryder, Collins, Hazell, and Manser, who were 
awarded the most important prizes in the classes. Yegetables were 
in excellent condition, the competition being very close, and the col¬ 
lections well made up. Potatoes were represented by several clean 
even examples. The successful exhibitors in these classes were J. B. 
White, Esq. (Mr. Westcrook), and Messrs. Etherington, Dean, Preddy, 
Paris, and Bailey. Some of the best cut flowers and Roses were staged 
by Messrs. Etherington, Westcrook, and Collins, the Roses being 
rather deficient in substance, but fresh and of good colour. The 
cottagers’ exhibits were very numerous, and generally of exceptionally 
good quality. Yegetables, and particularly Potatoes, were remark¬ 
ably fine, the latter even excelling those from the gardeners. Flowers, 
plants, and fruit were also very well shown. 
The weather proved favourable, and numerous visitors attended 
the Exhibition ; but the Society scarcely receives the support it 
deserves, although by judicious management the Secretary was able to 
obtain a small balance to the credit of the Society last year. 
BEXLEY HEATH. 
This Society held its fourteenth annual Exhibition on the same 
date as the above, and though it could not have been favoured with 
a more beautiful situation than Danson Park (the seat of A. W. Bean, 
Esq.), nor fairer weather, yet the exhibits were not very numerous, 
nor was the competition very keen in any of the classes. Several 
tents were, however, occupied with the contributions of gardeners 
and cottagers, the groups of plants filling the greatest portion of the 
space, and constituting the chief attraction. The tents were placed 
in a part of the Park which slopes down to an extensive lake, the 
ground rising beyond being densely and picturesquely wooded. The 
scenery was charming, and was evidently as much appreciated by the 
majority of the visitors as the Exhibition itself. 
One of the chief groups of plants was that from A. W. Bean, Esq. 
(Mr. G. Taylor), which occupied the centre of a large tent, and con¬ 
tained some handsome specimens, a Croton variegatus being especially 
noteworthy for the rich colour of the foliage and vigour of the plant. 
C. A. Ionides, Esq. (Mr. Tomlin), also contributed a large and elegant 
group, comprising good Ferns, Dracaenas, and Cockscombs. Both 
these groups were not for competition, being generously staged for 
the benefit of the Society. Mr. R. Smith, East Wickham, won the 
chief prize for a collection of Pelargoniums with well-flowered plants, 
a group comprising numerous varieties being also staged by the same 
exhibitor. The principal prizewinner in the classes for Fuchsias, 
Ferns, and many other plants was Mrs. Arbuthnot, Bridgen Place 
(Mr. Mitchell), who was awarded a large number of premier prizes 
for healthy well-grown plants. W. C. Pickersgill, Esq., Blendon 
Hall (Mr. Moore), sent a large group of plants not for competition, 
among them being a fine specimen of Dendrobium Farmeri with two 
large racemes of flowers. Cut Roses were bright and of fair quality, 
the chief exhibitors being the Rev. J. M. Fuller, Bexley ; Mr. J. W. 
Todman, Chatham ; the Rev. H. Johnson ; and Messrs. Williams and 
Robins. 
Fruit was well shown by Mr. Mitchell and T. Friend, Esq. (Mr. 
Wilcox), the latter, in addition to various collections and single 
dishes, staging several healthy well-fruited Peach trees in pots. 
Yegetables were fresh and good, those from J. G. Batchelor, Esq. 
(Mr. Foster), C. Graham, EsqT (Mr. Sewell), and Mr. Mitchell securing 
