JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
502 
[ December 2 1880. 
were marvellous examples of culture. They were about 2 feet high 
from the pots, with slightly convex surfaces from 5 to 0 feet in diameter. 
Nor were the plants “staked out” so as to make them appear as 
large as possible; on the contrary, the flowers appeared rather to 
have been drawn together as if to reduce the size of the specimens 
to permit them to be passed through the doors of the building. This 
somewhat marred their appearance, as it exposed the bent stems. 
Had these specimens been tied out as thinly as some that have been 
exhibited this year, notably at Kingston and Westminster, they would 
have been 9 fpet in diameter. The smallest, and probably the most 
meritorious, specimen was Bronze Jardin des Plantes, with nearly or 
quite a hundred flowers of superior quality. Such a large and well- 
finished example of this variety has probably never been seen before. 
The specimens of the Mrs. Bundle type were crowded with excellent 
flowers, from two hundred to three hundred on each plant; indeed 
every plant was of wonderful excellence, and showed how much 
could be accomplished by attention and good culture. Mr. J. Crook, 
gardener to W. Milward, Esq., was a close second. The training was 
less cramped, more natural, and the foliage and blooms were excellent, 
but the stems of the back plants were a trifle weak. It was hard to 
lose with a collection that would probably have secured the foremost 
position at any other show that has been held this year. Mr. F. 
Henning, gardener to J. Jaffray, Esq., was placed third with smaller, 
yet good, and the most correctly trained plants of all. An extra 
prize was worthily awarded to Mr. Dyer, gardener to T. W. Webley, 
Esq., in this great and admirably contested class. In the class for 
six plants Messrs. Stacey and Dyer were the respective winners ; for 
three plants Mr. Crook, and Mr. Jinks, gardener to J. E. Wilson, Esq., 
all the specimens being fine, those of the last-named exhibitor rather 
small but admirably trained. After such splendid examples of culture 
as those referred to the single specimen class was disappointing, the 
plants being overtrained and lacking vigour, and the class might 
well have been dispensed with. 
Pompons were numerous, very large, and as none of them had been 
disbudded, densely flowered. In the class for six plants Mr. Stacey 
was again to the fore with free informal specimens, closely followed 
by Mr. Newell, gardener to J. Hayman, Esq. For three plants the 
redoubtable Mr. Stacey was once more the victor, Mr. Jinks second ; 
and for a single specimen Mr. Dyer was the winner with the freshest 
and most naturally trained plant in the Show, not a stake nor bent 
stem being visible. Mr. Newell was an excellent second in this class, 
and Mr. Stacey was awarded an extra prize. All the plants in these 
classes were very fine, but some of them too flat and closely trained. 
In the class for one Japanese Chrysanthemum Mr. Denning won with 
a large and attractive example of Elaine, Mr. Jinks following with a 
smaller specimen of the same variety. It is highly probable if some 
of the Chrysanthemum Societies were to offer prizes for specimens of 
Japanese varieties that something striking would be produced in a 
year or two, and the experiment might well be tried. It is worthy of 
note that the best plant in the Show at Kingston was the Japanese 
variety La Nymphe, and the remarkable standards exhibited at the 
Aquarium in 1879 proved that some of the Japanese forms are well 
adapted for specimens. 
Cut Blooms. —This, the strong feature at some shows, was the weak 
one at Birmingham. The local growers do not appear to devote their 
energies to the production of superior flowers for cutting, and it must 
be added they have little inducement to do so, the prizes being small. 
In the class for eighteen blooms Mr. Shineler, gardener to T. Tonks, 
Esq., Harborne, was placed first; Mr. Palmer, gardener to It. C. 
Bradley, Esq.. Handsworlh, second ; and Mr. Comfort, gardener to 
G-. A. Everitt, Esq., Ivnowle Hall, third. Mr. Palmer’s blooms were 
the best in form, but the stand was deficient in highly coloured 
flowers. Mr. Shingler’s flowers were flatter, but fresher and brighter, 
and hence, we presume, the verdict of the Judges. Messrs. Comfort, 
Shingler, and Palmer were the respective winners with stands of 
twelve blooms, and for the same number grown within three miles of 
the Exhibition the prizes went to the two last-named exhibitors, and 
Mr. Yallier, gardener to J. Marigold, Esq. Most of the stands were 
irregular, the best blooms being Mr. Palmer’s Golden Empress of 
India, and Mr. Comfort’s Hereward, which were splendid. Small 
special prizes were offered for Japanese blooms, but we only saw one 
inferior stand. Superior stands of these varieties should be seen at 
all shows, as they always attract the attention of visitors. 
Primulas. —Cultivators who have not seen Primulas as they were 
exhibited at this Show have no idea of the excellence to which the 
plants can be grown. Nine classes were devoted to them, and the 
display -was magnificent. For Mr. Thomson’s special prizes for 
twelve plants Mr. Ashman, gardener to Mrs. W. G. Madeley, Yardley, 
was first with wonderful examples, the foliage having a spread of 
2 feet, the plants having from five to seven vigorous trusses, each about 
15 inches high from the surface of the pots ; the varieties, Thomson’s 
strain, being excellent. Mr. Caldicott, gardener to W. Matthews, 
Esq., Edgbaston, v r as a very close second with dwarf, sturdy, and 
splendidly flowered examples ; and Mr. Denning third with fresh and 
fine plants of great excellence. This exhibitor secured Mr. Tomkins’ 
prize, followed by Mr. Jinks, both exhibiting well. The Society’s prizes 
for twelve and six plants (nurserymen) were won by Mr. Tomkins, 
a celebrated grower, who was first in both classes, and Messrs. Pope 
and Sons. Mr. Tomkins’ plants combined freshness with vigour, and 
large flowers, the darks rich and the whites pure. In all good qua¬ 
lities this collection was remarkable ; it has probably never been 
surpassed and seldom equalled. Messrs. Pope’s were also good. The 
prizes offered for gardeners in the classes devoted to them were won 
by Messrs. Jones, gardener to S. Eaton, Esq., Harborne, Ashman and 
Jinks, firsts, followed by Messrs. Caldicott, Jinks, Leested, and 
Chadwick, all of whom staged collections in which superior culture 
was unmistakeably apparent, and all who contributed to these classes 
deserve high commendation. 
Stove and Greenhouse Plants. —Mr. Dyer won the chief prize 
for nine specimen plants, all of which were good, the most noteworthy 
being Eucharis amazonica with thirty spikes, each averaging five 
flowers. Mr. Herne, gardener to T. Hall, Esq., Warley Hall, was 
second, his collection including telling specimens of Plumbago coc- 
cinea, not often seen so good, and Eupatorium odoratum. Mr. Crisp, 
gardener to B. Scarf, Esq., secured third honours. For six plants 
Messrs. Jinks and McGregor were awarded the prizes for excellent 
exhibits. Poinset.tias were highly meritorious. For three pots, not 
less than five heads to each, Mr. Herne was first, each pot (a 12-inch) 
containing twelve plants a foot to 18 inches in height with good 
foliage and heads. These pots, as may be imagined, produced a 
brilliant effect. Messrs. Crook and Dyer followed with excellent 
exhibits. Mr. B. S. Williams’ prizes for table plants in pots not ex¬ 
ceeding G inches in diameter brought out some excellent collections, 
and the prizes were awarded to Messrs. Herne, Jinks, and Palmer in 
the order named. The first-prize plants were perhaps the best in 
quality, but too large, except for a Guildhall banquet, and as gentle¬ 
men’s gardeners are not often expected to furnish tables of that 
character the chief prize, we think, ought to have gone to Mr. Jinks, 
whose plants were of the right size for a gentleman’s table and were 
of good quality. Broad-leaved Dracaenas in G-inch pots are too ob¬ 
structive for this purpose, and the first-prize collection contained four 
of them. We direct attention to this class, not as questioning the 
ability of the Judges, who were competent men and discharged their 
duties carefully and well, but to point out the desirability of limiting 
table plants to 5-inch pots, as if plants cannot be grown in them suit¬ 
able for the purpose indicated they are not worthy of a prize ; while if 
really well grown in 6-inch pots they must inevitably be too large, as 
in this instance, except for public banquets. We have seen so much 
divergence of opinion amongst judges in adjudicating on table plants, 
so much perplexity and hesitation, so many awards made with reluc¬ 
tance to plants of good quality but too large, that we consider the 
suggestion we have made of practical importance, and it is commended 
to the attention of the committees of horticultural shows generally. 
Prizes were offered for various other plants, but the exhibits were 
not generally noteworthy. 
Fruit. —Although the display was not quite equal to that of last 
year some very good collections were staged. Mr. Crawford, gardener 
to J. Cartland, Esq., King’s Heath, secured the premier award for six 
dishes with Grapes, a Pine Apple, Pears, and Plums, all of good table 
quality. Mr. Willis, gardener to W. Foster, Esq., Tenbury, was 
second, and Mr. Jinks third. For four dishes Mr. Stacey was the chief 
winner. He staged good Grapes and splendid Pitmaston Duchess 
Pears. Messrs. Jinks and Denning followed in the order named. 
Mr. Comfort secured the first prize for three dishes of black Grapes 
with fine and well-coloured examples of Alicante ; Mr. Dyer being 
second with larger bunches and smaller berries, and Mr. Rawbone a 
good third. An extra prize was deservedly awarded to Mr. Crawford. 
White Grapes were less meritorious, except the first-prize Alicantes 
of Mr. Stacey, which were in excellent condition ; and good examples 
of Trebbiano from Mr. Crawford. Mr. Comfort easily secured first 
honours for a single bunch of black Grapes with a large, handsome, 
and well-formed bunch of Gros Guillaume—quite the premier bunch 
of the Show. Mr. Stacey had the corresponding prize for white 
Grapes with small but good Muscats. Mr. Griffiths, gardener to 
E. Tonks, Esq., staged a large and superior Queen Pine and secured 
the chief prize, followed by Mr. Freeman, gardener to Z. Walker, 
Esq., Hall Green, with Black Jamaica. For twelve dishes of Apples 
Messrs. Jinks and Willis secured the prizes ; they were also second 
and third for six dishes, Mr. Griffiths being first. The specimens 
were not large, but many of them were richly coloured. Mr. Willis 
secured the first prizes for twelve and six dishes of Pears with very 
good fruit. Prizes were offered for single dishes of fruit, but only 
the very fine Duchesse d’Angouleme Pears from Mr. Comfort were of 
special excellence, and these had probably been grown under glass. 
Bouquets. —The majority of these were too crowded. In the 
nurserymen’s class Mr. Hans Niemand (Mr. Spinks, manager), was 
worthily placed first with a tasteful arrangement of Eucharises, red 
Bouvardias, Camellias, and Gauze Fern, Messrs. Pope & Sons follow¬ 
ing rather closely. In the gentlemen’s gardeners’ class Messrs. Jinks, 
Jones, and Crisp were the prizewinners, Mr. Merriman, gardener to 
H. A. Hayman, Esq., receiving an extra prize. Although some ex¬ 
ception was taken by a few critical onlookers to the awards, they 
were undoubtedly correct. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits. —Mr. Vertegans of the Chad Yale 
Nurseries exhibited some splendid large flat baskets of flowers; 
one filled with semi-double blush Primulas, raised from seed, was 
very beautiful, as also was another furnished with Poinsettias 
and Tuberoses ; he had also fine baskets of Roman Hyacinths, 
Bouvardias, Zonal Pelargoniums, Azaleas, and mixed Primulas. 
Mr. Hans Niemand exhibited some rustic vases, durable and artistic, 
made and tastefully furnished by Mr. Spinks ; one of them, containing 
a Dracaena, with Cyclamens, fine trusses of Luculia gratissima, and 
