August 7, 1890. 1 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
123 
Trentham Gardens, was well first with a fine stand of Orchids. Of 
hand bouquets there was an extensive display, Messrs. Perkins & Son of 
Coventry being placed first, Mr. P. Blair second, and Messrs. A. W. 
Smith & Co., Hawksbury, near Coventry, third. For bridal bouquets 
Messrs. Perkins & Son were again first; Messrs. Hewitt & Co., Birming¬ 
ham, second; and Messrs. J. R. Pearson third. For a wreath of white 
flowers Messrs. Perkins & Son were first ; Messrs. Thomson & Co., 
Birmingham, second ; Messrs. Pearson & Sons highly commended. 
With twelve Zonal Pelargoniums, three trusses of each, Messrs. Pearson 
and Sons were well first with fine blooms shown in their usual style, 
excellent varieties being represented with several unnamed seedlings. 
Mr. Rogers, nurseryman, Belgrave, was second ; and Mr. Hassell, Bel- 
grave, third. A collection of Pansies, Penlstemons, Phlox, Pinks, &c., 
came from Mr. John Forbes, Hawick, N.B. 
Cut Roses were shown to great advantage. For thirty-six Roses, 
single blooms, Messrs. Harkness & Sons, Bedale, were first with large 
fresh blooms. AVell arranged and especially fine were Auguste Rigotard, 
May Quennell, Duke of Wellington, Horace Yernet, Madame Cusin, 
Marie Baumann, A. K. Williams, &c. The Rev. J. Pemberton, Havering, 
Essex, was second, and Messrs. Perkins & Son were third. For 
twenty-four Roses, Messrs. Harkness & Son were again first; Mr. H. 
Merryweather, nurseryman, Southwell, Notts, second ; and the Rev. 
J. Pemberton third. For twelve Teas or Noisettes, Messrs. Harkness and 
Son were first. Messrs. James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen, second, and Mr. 
H. Merryweather third. A stand of twelve very fine flowers of Her 
Majesty was shown by Messrs. James Cocker & Sons, also of Horace 
Yernet, by Messrs. Harkness ; Mrs. John Laing and Chas. Lefebvre, by 
Messrs. Perkins & Son ; and Earl of Dutferin, by Mr. H. Merryweather, 
who also staged twelve each of Mrs. J. Laing and Marie Baumann. The 
prizes offered in this c’ass were won, first, by Messrs. Harkness with 
Horace Yernet; second, Messrs. Cocker, with Her Majesty, and third, Mr. 
H. Merryweather, with Earl of Dutferin. For twelve Roses, single 
blooms, grown by amateurs, first, Mr. M. Whittle, Belgrave ; second, 
Rev. E. N. Pochin, Barkby Vicarage ; and third, Mr. Thos. Battersby, 
Blaydon-on-Tyne. With six Roses, Mr. M. Whittle was again first, Mr. 
Pochin second, and Mr. S. Green third. For six Teas or Noisettes 
Mr. Whittle was first, and Mr. T. Battersby second. 
Adjoining these was a large exhibit of cut flowers of Tuberous 
Begonias exhibited by Mr. Davis. For twelve Carnations Mr. W. Ward, 
Fuller Street. Leicester, was first ; Mr. B. Simonite, Sheffield, second ; 
and Messrs. Thomson & Co., Sparkhill Nurseries, Birmingham, third. 
With twelve Picotees.—First, Mr. W. Ward. Second, Messrs. Thomson. 
Third, Mr. B. Simonite. For Carnations, single bloom, Mr. W. Ward, 
was first with Robert Lord, the first exhibitor being also first for 
Picotee, single bloom, with Favourite, a very fine flower. 
A collection of Tomatoes shown by Messrs. Hewitt & Co. of Birming¬ 
ham, not for competition, was commended by the Judges. The prizes 
offered for twelve bunches of hardy herbaceous flowers brought a large 
competition, the first prize going to Messrs. Plarkness and Sons, the 
second to Mr. Thos. Battersby, the third, Messrs. Hickling, Lough¬ 
borough. For twelve bunches hardy annuals Messrs. Biddles & Co. 
were first, Messrs. Hickling second, and Mr. J. Cox third. A handsome 
collection shown by Messrs. Pearson, not for competition, was highly 
commended. 
FRUIT. 
In division C, fruit, open to all, the first prize for a collection of 
fruit, nine distinct, was awarded to Mr. J. If. Goodacre, gardener to 
the Earl of Harrington, Elvaston, Derby, for excellent produce, com¬ 
prising Black Hamburgh, Muscat of Alexandria, and Foster’s Seedling 
Grapes, a Queen Pine, a fine Countess Melon, Bellegarde Peaches, Lord 
Napier Nectarines, Apricots, and Circassian Cherries. The Black Ham¬ 
burgh Grapes were well coloured, moderate sized bunches, but small in 
berry. The Muscats were very fine bunches ; the Peaches, Nectarines, 
and Melon especially fine. Mr. J. Edmonds, gardener to the Duke of 
St. Albans, was second, and Mr. P. Blair, Trentham Gardens, third. For 
a collection of six dishes of fruit Mr. Goodacre was again first, showing 
Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, a Queen Pine, 
Countess Melon, Dymond Peach, and Lord Napier Nectarine, the three 
latter being of very high quality. Mr. P. Blair was here placed second, 
and Mr. J. Edmonds third. In the class for four dishes of fruit Mr. 
P. Blair was first, Mr. J. Edmonds second, Mr. Robert Shaw, Garendon 
Park, third, and Mr. C. Stacey, Manor House Cottage, Oadby, fourth. 
The best Pine Apple came from Mr. Goodacre, Mr. J. Edmonds being 
second, and Mr. P. Blair third. 
For two bunches of black Grapes Mr. A. McVinish, Lockington Hall, 
Derby, was first with grand examples of Black Hamburghs, the best in 
the Show. Mr. G. Lofley, Knighton Church Road, Leicester, second, 
with only slightly inferior samples ; Messrs. Hickling, Loughborough, 
third. For two bunches Muscat of Alexandria Mr. McVinish was again 
first with the best Muscats shown, Mr. P. Blairsecond, and Mr. Goodacre 
third. A class was provided for two bunches of any other variety of 
white Grapes, and Mr. P. Blair was first with grand bunches of Duke of 
Buccleuch ; Mr. Goodacre second with Foster’s Seedling, very fine; Mr. 
R. Shaw, Garendon Park, third. 
For six Peaches, Mr. W. H. Divers, Ketton Hall Gardens, Stamford, 
was first with superb fruit of Crimson Galande ; second, Mr. Goodacre ; 
third, Mr. George Barry, gardener to PI. Snow, Esq., Stoneygate, Lei¬ 
cester. For six Nectarines Mr. Divers was again first with Lord 
Napier, Mr. Goodacre second, and Mr. McVinish third. Melons were 
numerously shown, Mr. R. Shaw being first for a green-fleshed variety, 
and Mr. A, \V. Ilainsworth first for a scarlet-fleshed variety. Mr. 
McVinish was first for a dish of Cherries, and Mrs. Perry Herrick, Beau 
Manor, Loughborough (gardener, Mr. A. Hamsher), first for a dish of 
Figs. 
VEGETABLES. 
3 Vegetables were exceedingly well shown, Mr. Robert Shaw, Garendon 
Park, being first with a fine collection. For three Cauliflowers Mr. 
John Lambert, Onslow Hall Gardens, Shrewsbury, was well first with 
good samples. Turnips, Carrots, Onions, and Potatoes were all shown 
in fine condition, and the entries were very numerous. The same 
remarks also equally apply to the exhibits of Peas and Beans. Cucum¬ 
bers were fine, especially the first prize brace shown by Mr. J. Goadby, 
31, Watling Street, Leicester. The finest display of vegetables in the 
Show, however, was undoubtedly a collection of twelve varieties shown 
by Mr. John Lambert, Onslow Hall, Shrewsbury, all fine examples, and 
superbly staged. Tomatoes were numerous and good, the first prize for 
twelve fruits going to Mr. P. Blair for grand specimens of Hackwood 
Park Prolific. Currants and Gooseberries were also good. Several 
dishes of Waterloo Strawberry attracted much notice from their large 
size and fine dark colour. 
A large tent was devoted to amateurs’ and cottagers’ productions, and 
the classes throughout were well filled. The quality of the exhibits, 
both cut flowers, fruits, and vegetables, was all that could be wished, 
but in the arrangement of bouquets, baskets of flowers, buttonholes, 
sprays, &c., there was too much formality. 
THE CONFERENCE. 
The Conference of the British Fruit Growers’ Association was held in 
the afternoon, James Ellis, Esq., M.P., in the chair. There was a very 
large attendance of ladies, gentlemen, and horticulturists interested in 
the subjects dealt with. The meeting was most successful, the pro¬ 
gramme including admirable papers on “ Cherries and Plums,” by Mr. T. 
Francis Rivers ; “ Fruits for Leicestershire,” by Mr. W. Ingram, Belvoir 
Castle Gardens; “Apples for the Midlands,” by Mr. A. H. Pearson; 
and “ Pruning,” by Mr. G. Bunyard. A discussion followed to which 
the Chairman contributed some important observations, and the business 
of an exceedingly successful meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to 
the readers of the papers and the Chairman, which was carried by 
acclamation. 
The members of the Association were entertained at luncheon by the 
Mayor and Corporation, and in being called upon to respond for the 
visitors, Mr. Lewis Castle, the Secretary, referred briefly to the objects 
in view, and the Chairman made interesting and suggestive remarks 
appropriate to the occasion. 
OXFORD CARNATION AND PICOTEE UNION. 
August 5th. 
To most florists the circumstances attending the formation of the 
Oxford Carnation and Picotee Union will be so familiar that their 
recapitulation is not necessary. Up to a few years ago Mr. E. S. 
Dodwell, its Secretary and Treasurer, had been one of the most pro¬ 
minent members of the National Carnation and Picotee Society, but 
subsequently resigned his connection with it for reasons that need not 
be gone into on the present occasion, having been fully treated in 
the past. That one so long and closely associated with the Carnation 
should lose his interest in the flower after severing his connection 
with the Society devoted to its interests was not to be expected for a 
moment, but some may have thought that after years of active work 
in promoting the interests of Carnations the veteran florist would leave 
the work in other hands and devote his attention to the Carnation as a 
home flower. Not so Mr. Dodwell. He was not tired of work, though 
advancing in years, and so he determined to have a society of his own. 
The Oxford Union has now been established five years, and according to 
Mr. S. Barlow, who responded to the toast of the Union at the luncheon 
on the afternoon of this year’s exhibition, it has increased yearly in 
numbers. Certainly its show is a unique one. Mr. Dodwell devotes 
the grounds of his pleasant suburban residence at Oxford to it, and in 
a garden of Carnations, for such it is, the surroundings are at once 
beautiful and appropriate. The±e are Carnations and Picotees on every 
hand, the choicest products of every celebrated raiser, and in themselves 
a source of interest largely supplementing that of the show. 
To turn to the latter, any consideration of it must be tempered by 
recollections of the season. When experienced florists cannot remem¬ 
ber such a one, and northern growers have had scarcely a glimpse of 
sunshine since May, there was cause for astonishment at the excellence 
of the exhibition. Northern and Midland growers mustered strongly, 
but the honours of the day iu the two largest classes fell to a London 
grower, Mr. M. Rowan, whose successes at Chiswick may be remem¬ 
bered. A strong contingent came from Birmingham, and their exhibits 
included at least one remarkable feature in a magnificent new scarlet 
bizarre Carnation, named C. II. Herbert, which is referred to further on, 
and which may eclipse Robert Houlgrave, just as Mr. Barlow’s master¬ 
piece has eclipsed Admiral Curzon and other famous bizarres. Mr. Dodwell 
also had a splendid new heavy rose-edged Picotee, which was honoured 
by the Judges, and named Little Phil, a distinct and lovely variety. A 
striking feature of the Show was the prominent manner in which yellow 
grounds were shown. Formerly the attention of florists was largely 
devoted to the white grounds, and they are not likely to lose their posi¬ 
tion as the more important section, still the yellows have gained ground 
rapidly, and the number of good varieties is being rapidly augmented. 
Most of the classes were for a small number of blooms, but nearly all 
were well filled. For instance, the largest class for Carnations was for 
