August 26 , 1880 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 183 
disqualified. For a tray or pan containing from twelve to twenty 
distinct plants to be staged and judged as a single specimen 
against a bond fide specimen plant is manifestly unfair, no matter 
how creditable they may be as a whole or individually. The 
massing of dwarf-growing Orchids is undoubtedly a step in the 
right direction towards producing a glorious display of such 
plants, and is worth the attention of those whose business it is to 
draw up the schedule. It is said there is no Act of Parliament 
but a coach and four may be driven through it, and it appears to 
me that there are rules of horticultural exhibitions through which 
a costermonger’s flower tray may be carried.—J, U. S. 
SUNDERLAND FLOWER SHOW. 
The above Show was held on Wednesday, August 10th, in the 
Albert Hall, Toward Road, in close proximity to the principal park 
in Sunderland. As it was not possible to hold all the Exhibition in 
the Albert Hall, a capacious marquee was extemporised adjoining to 
the building, where most of the gardeners’ and amateurs’ produce were 
placed. The Committee were well organised, punctual to every 
minute detail, even to exactness ; the Secretary’s office being consp'cu- 
ously situated in the hall, where access was easy. Another feature 
not unworthy of mentioning perhaps is that placards were freely 
posted over the Exhibition telling the names of the members of the 
Executive Committee, so that exhibitors knew whom to apply to at 
once. In the centre of the hall was placed a stage running length¬ 
ways, on which the principal plants were exhibited, the boards of 
which were mostly covered with machine-cut grass ; this amongst the 
pots had a neat and pleasant appearance. 
In the open class for six plants Mr. John Thompson, nurseryman, 
Newcastle, was deservedly first with very fresh plants of Cleroden- 
dron Balfourianum, a large Rondeletia speciosa major, Erica Wilsoni 
superba, and an average Dipladenia amabilis. R. G-aynor, Esq., The 
Cedars, Sunderland (Mr. Graham), was second with two good Alla- 
mandas, a good large Stephanotis, and a Bougainvillea. Mr. Gardner, 
Dunston, was third. 
The Society offered £3 for six foliage plants. There were five com¬ 
petitors. Mr. Graham was deservedly first with, amongst others, a 
fine Encephalartos villosus and a handsome Croton Andreanus 7 feet 
high. Theo. Fry, Esq., Darlington (Mr. Noble), was second with 
a good Cycas revoluta and a Croton Johannis superbly coloured. 
H. Cravan, Esq., Sunderland (Mr. Appleby), was third. For six exotic 
Ferns Mr. Noble was first with very good specimens of Davallia Moore- 
ana, Gleichenias spelunc® and rupestris, and Adiantums. He was 
also first in the gentlemen’s gardeners’ class for six, and obtained 
premier honours with British Ferns. In the gentlemen’s gardeners’ 
class for six plants Mr. Henry Watson was first, Mr. Noble was second, 
both with good specimens. The foliage plants in this class were 
also good. Zonal Pelargoniums were in all classes excellent, very 
fresh, well flowered, and not too formally trained, the entries filling 
one side of the marquee. Mr. E. Laidlaw was first with a good col¬ 
lection. 
Table plants, cut flowers, fruit, and epergnes were arranged round 
the hall on side stages. For twelve bunches of cut flowers Mrs. Pease 
(Mr. McIntyre), Woodside, Darlington, was first, a special prize of 
£2 10s. being offered. Bouquets and epergnes were exceptionally fine, 
Sunderland exhibitors having already gained a well-earned success. 
Mrs. Crament, Sunderland, was first for both bridal and hand 
bouquets ; Mr. Watson, Laurence Street, Sunderland, being second. 
There were nine epergnes, all of which were above the average. John 
Henderson, Esq. (Mr. Thos. Rutherford), Leazes House,Durham, was 
first, the second and third being both creditable. In the open class 
the fruit was very inferior. The first prizes for black and white 
Grapes were gained by H. Stephenson, Esq., M.P., Westoe (Mr. Henry 
Smailes), the Grapes being well finished. Some average dishes of 
Peaches were exhibited, but all the fruit was shown unnamed. This 
great defect also occurred in many other classes, and the Committee 
would do well another year to strictly enjoin the naming of all the 
exhibits. 
Florists’ flowers were not numerous ; Mr. Walker, Low Fell, and 
Mr. Harkness, Allendale, winning the principal prizes for Dahlias 
with flowers that were rather coarse, although of good size. Mr. 
Spoors of Swahvell had some fine Gladioli; and Mr. Battersby, Hogg 
Hill, staged some excellent Phloxes. 
A great portion of the centre of this tent was devoted to Fuchsias, 
which were in fine condition. The vegetables were excellent. Mr. 
Lambert of Wbickham exhibited two Cucumbers, not named, nearly 
3 feet long. Messrs. Fell & Co., and Messrs. Joseph Robson & Son of 
Hexham, contributed excellent stands of Coniferm, alpine and bed¬ 
ding-out plants, which were much admired. We hope by another 
year, with the exertions of the Committee, and the business tact and 
courtesy of the Secretary and Treasurer, Messrs. John P. Chapman 
and J. Blacklock, that still better results will follow financially and 
horticulturally.—B. Cowan. 
The Hollyhock Disease. — I send you a sequel to my note 
on Hollyhocks of several weeks back. The fungus proved too 
much for me, attacking not only the leaves but the stems. 
Then I cut every one of them an inch or two below the surface of 
the soil, and made only the clean eyes and offsets into cuttings. 
In the frame the fungus was not long in appearing, and pinching 
off leaves and throwing away badly infected cuttings is again the 
order of the day. But worst and strangest of all, the growths sent 
up by the old plants are also more or less diseased, and where 
could it come from ? They will be cut off again in a few days, 
and the clean growths propagated.— It. P. Brotherston. 
THE SHANKING OF GRAPES. 
Anything from Mr. Harrison Weir’s pen or pencil is always 
interesting and generally reliable. There are doubtless thousands 
like myself who eagerly catch at anything from the friend we 
seem to meet and fraternise with every day of our lives. We 
know that what he undertakes to do he makes up his mind to do 
well, be it to sketch a bird’s nest or grow a bunch of Grapes. 
There are certain cases, however, in which this very confidence is 
a source of danger, from the fact that many might be inclined to 
take without question any new plausible theory from such a source 
and throw to the winds that which is an indisputable practical 
fact. Probably less than twenty years ago shanking was by the 
majority of gardeners considered to be a disease, and as such 
there was scarcely any hope of entirely preventing it ; but we 
have advanced since then, and can now produce shanking at will. 
Happily, also, we can to a considerable extent check it when it 
does unfortunately appear. Mr. Harrison Weir says “ a Vine may 
be in first-rate condition, the roots, the wood, and foliage right, 
and yet the fruit will shank.” This is quite true as far as appear¬ 
ances go, and the Vine may be even luxuriant; but we know that 
the best of us can be easily misled by appearances, especially in 
the case of Vines with which we are not personally acquainted. 
Some which look weak and puny will produce a marvellous crop 
of fruit year after year ; others which are strong and luxuriant are 
liable to have some failing peculiar to them, the effects of which 
are difficult to hide even in the hands of the most experienced, 
while even the much-coveted moderate canes with ripe plump 
buds are not all we could wish. The explanation is, that though 
there may have been everything necessary to produce wood 
growth, there has been a deficiency of something essential to the 
perfect production of fruit. The deficiency may be in the soil, 
but it is not always there. Sometimes a grower who has been 
eminently successful in one place will move to another, and find 
great difficulty in satisfying himselt with his productions. 
The fact is gardeners know too little about the constituents 
of soils. Those of us who have a good knowledge of fruit culture 
succeed admirably so long as we have an unlimited supply of new 
loam and take ordinary precautions, even in districts where fruit 
does not succeed well naturally ; but to cart a large quantity of 
the top spit of a pasture about every other year to add to a Vine 
border, as many of the foremost Grape-growers do, is very expen¬ 
sive, and in these hard times for landed proprietors, which show 
no signs of diminishing, cannot long be allowed ; neither will any 
expenses be likely to be allowed in the long run which do not 
return an ample market value. I do not mean that the crop 
produced must necessarily be sent to market, but that it must be 
produced for the same amount it would fetch there ; and that 
although it is very desirable to please the eye in prosperous times, 
it may become under altered circumstances more important to 
study the exchequer. I am afraid that many gentlemen look on 
their gardens as very expensive luxuries. That they are luxuries 
as far as the ornamental part is concerned there is no doubt, and 
employers are justified in curtailing expenses in that quarter if 
they are beyond their means ; but the productive part of a well- 
managed garden, even in a bad season like the last, more than 
pays for its expenditure, and that employers would soon find out 
were they to buy all they require for a couple of years instead of 
growing it. Unfortunately, the ornamental and the useful are so 
mixed for the sake of economising space and labour that it is not 
possible to show the exact expenditure of either department. 
There are many places where good culture alone with the 
natural soil would produce magnificent Grapes, and I believe 
there is no place in this country where an unlimited quantity of 
soil is added to good culture that good Grapes could not be pro¬ 
duced after a few years. Now if we examine the conditions 
under which Vines flourish naturally, we find that it takes very 
little indeed in bulk to satisfy them ; and does not this show, that 
although carting loam by hundreds of loads is very successful, 
it is nevertheless a cumbrous method, and that if we knew the 
particular ingredient or ingredients lacking in the soil already 
surrounding the roots, we could probably supply it in one load 
instead of in fifty ? To illustrate what I mean, and show how 
easily one may be misled by the surroundings, I may mention a 
case of my own. I am situated almost between two hills of lime- 
