212 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I September 4, 1890,, 
as the conditions stipulate for not le3s than twenty-four distinct 
varieties, the class constituted an effective test of the best autumnal 
Bloomers, and it was noticeable that Mrs. J. Laing was the most 
repeated, some five or six beautiful and varied blooms being put up in 
Messrs. Burch’s stand, Ulrich Brunner, Marie Baumann, Alfred 
Colomb, and Star of YValtham amongst H.P. being also frequently 
repeated in the stands, and amongst Teas The Bride was most apparent, 
and in fine condition. Messrs. Burch were well first, Messrs. Paul and 
Son, Cheshunt, second, and Mr. F. Cant, Colchester, third. Roses from 
amateurs were sparsely and poorly represented, Mr. G. Moules of 
Hitchin, however, having a good stand of six. Gladiolus from Messrs. 
Burrell & Co. of Cambridge were very good, the spikes of enormous 
size, and the varieties, which included some remarkable seedlings of 
their own as yet unnamed, were striking and distinct, and the collec¬ 
tion was altogether attractive and creditable to Messrs. Burrell, who 
were awarded first prize for twenty-four spikes. For twenty-four 
show Dahlias in the open class the competition was strong, Messrs. 
Heath & Son of Cheltenham leading with fine blooms all well 
up and well matched, of W. Rawlings, T. J. West, Thos. Hobbs, 
Mrs. Gladstone, John ( W. Lord, Henry Bond, Burgundy, and 
Vice-President, top row'; Hon. Mrs. Wyndham, Jos. Ashby, Miss 
Cannell, Geo. Dickson, Constancy, J. Henshaw, Flora Wyatt, 
R. Dean, middle row ; and Clara, H. Weir, Prince of Denmark, 
J. Keynes, W. Garratt, Lady G. Herbert, Mr. J. C. Reade, and 
Mrs. Harris in the front row. Mr. A. Rawlings, Romford, was third with 
almost equally fine blooms, and Mr. J. Myers, Huntingdon, third, six fine 
collections being staged. For twelve show blooms in the amateurs’ 
class Mr. G. Arnold, Leighton Buzzard, was to the fore, and for six 
fancies Mr. H. Glasscock, Bishop’s Stortford, led. 
The open class for twenty-four bunches of cut hardy herbaceous or 
bulbous flowers formed a great attraction, Messrs. Paul & Son, Ches¬ 
hunt, taking first with large masses of the most showy species, 
Gladiolus purpureo-auratus, Rudbeckia purpurea, Senecio pulcher, Aco- 
nitum autumnale, Delphinium conspicuum being very striking. Messrs. 
Burrell & Co., Howe House Nurseries, Cambridge, were a very close 
second, including splendid masses of varieties of hybrid Gladiolus, 
Montbretia crocosmiflora, Eucomis punctata, Chrysanthemum leucan- 
themum semi-plenum, Phygelius capensis ; Messrs. Laxton Bros., coming 
third with a choice and showy lot, including Scabiosa caucasica, Chry- 
somela stylosa, Helianthus multiflorus Soleil d’Or, Lobelia cardinalis 
Queen Victoria. Echinops ruthenicus, and Eryngium amethystinum. 
Several good forms of Helianthus multiflorus were shown, but Soleil 
d’Or appeared to best advantage. 
African Marigolds were, as usual, very good here, Mr. R. Burgin, 
Eynesbury, winning with perfect flowers. He also took first for twelve 
in the class for French. Asters were pcor and unsatisfactory. Double 
Zinnias from Mr. R. M. Jones, Cambridge, who was placed first with 
perfect flowers. 
n - The prizes for table decorations fell—the first to Miss Mould, Ick* 
well House ; the second to Miss Richardson of Sandy Rectory ; and the 
third to Miss Orlebar and Miss Barratt of Wellington, for pretty, 
simple, and effective displays. 
FRUIT. 
For the collection of eight varieties, Mr. G. Allis, gardener to Major 
Shuttleworth, Old Warden, had well-finished samples of Hamburgh and 
Buckland Sweetwater Grapes, Melons, Figs, Peaches, Nectarines, Pears 
and Cherries, all in prime condition, and was deservedly awarded the 
premier position, Mr. C. Forbes, Cambridge, obtaining second place, and 
Mr. J. Myers, Huntingdon, third. For the collection of six varieties, 
Mr. R. Carter, gardener to Col. Duncombe, Waverley Park, was first 
with Black Hamburgh Grapes, Melons, Peaches, Apricots, and Morello 
Cherries, all very creditable samples, and Mr. J. Cook, gardener to 
Col. Stuart, Tempsford Hall, second. For two bunches of black Grapes 
(Hamburghs excluded), Mr. Forbes was first, and Mr. Allis second, with 
Alicantes. For two bunches of Black Hamburghs, Mr. C. Moore, 
St. Neot’s, came to the front, and Mr. F. Fanit, Hertford, second. For 
white Grapes, G. E. Foster, Esq., Cambridge, was first, and Mr. Allis 
second, with very fine Buckland Sweetwater. For two bunches of 
Muscat of Alexandria Mr. C. Forbes had first place and Mr. Foster 
second. Mr. Allis took first also for cooking Apples and for six pretty 
and tastefully mounted pots of table plants, the outsides of the pots being 
neatly dressed with green Box. For scarlet-fleshed Melons Mr. R. 
Carter was first, and for green-fleshed Mr. Foster. Mr. E. T. Leeds 
Smith, Sandy, was first for well-ripened dessert Pears. For dessert 
Apples Mr. R. M. Jones, Cambridge, led, Mr. Foster for Figs, and Mr. J. 
Laxton, Bourn, Cambs, for a splendid dish of Morello Cherries, Mr. 
Foster coming first for dessert Plums with Green Gage, and Mr. G. E. 
Foster second with a striking dish of Golden Esperen, a good sized deep 
golden yellow Plum of great merit as shown. 
VEGETABLES. 
There was a remarkably fine display in all departments. Potatoes 
especially were almost unequalled. For the collection of twelve 
varieties of vegetables in the amateurs’ class Mr. F. Fanit, Hertford, 
was first, closely followed by Mr. H. Ridgewell, Cambridge ; Mr. W. 
Pepper, Welwyn, coming third, and Mr. J. Myers fourth. For the 
collection of Potatoes, three sorts round and three sorts kidney, Mr. J. 
Himkins, Shillington, Beds, was first with remarkably large v and perfect 
specimens of Sutton’s Satisfaction and Sutton’s Seedling, Abundance, 
Best of All, Windsor Castle, and Matchless. Mr. P. Meyer, Orwell, was 
second. For twelve white kidneys Mr. Simkins was again first with 
wonderful examples of Satisfaction, and also for white and coloured 
rounds; and for coloured kidneys Mr. J. Bradford, Thorney, Cambs, came 
first with Mr. Bresee. In the market gardeners’ class Mr. H. Ridgewell 
led with a grand lot of, in which Laxton’s Beds Hero, large Myatt- 
shaped kidney ; Ridgewell’s General Stuart, pure white round ; Per¬ 
fect Peachblow, and Snowdrop were especially striking. For twelve 
kidneys in this class Mr. Ridgewell was first with fine examples of 
Laxton’s Beds Hero, as also for twelve coloured kidneys with Beauty 
of Hebron, and twelve white round General Stuart; and for coloured 
round Mr. G. Single, Beeston, was first with Adirondack. For twelve 
Globe Onions Mr. J. Simkins showed very large and clean examples of 
Brown Globe ; Mr. Dale, gardener to J. N. Foster, Esq., Sandy Place, 
coming first for White Spanish with Laxton’s Sandy Prize, some grand 
specimens, which variety was also shown by Messrs. Laxton Bros, of 
Bedford, several of these girthing over 16 inches. 
Tomatoes were largely and well shown, the first prize for Reds going 
to Mr. J. Myers, Huntingdon, for large samples of Trophy ; Mr. 
R. Brown, Somersham, taking second ; and Mr. G. Banes, Stratford, 
Sandy, third for a very even dish of medium-sized rounds. For Yellow 
Tomatoes Mr. A. Barker, St. Ives, had the best exhibit. Peas were only 
mediocre ; some good examples of Evolution, Autocrat, Sir F. Millbank, 
and Duke of Albany were shown. Cauliflowers and Beans were perhaps 
not so good as usual, but other vegetables were shown in excellent form 
and great quantity. 
l y 
^ORKjwhe WEEK,. Q 
Iff 
si 
IMfls & 
FRUIT FORCING. 
PEACHES and Nectarines. — Earliest Forced Trees. —The leaves 
will soon be off, then loosen the trees from the trellis, clean the house, 
attending to the needful repairs, and paint the woodwork and trellis. 
The mulching and loose surface soil should be removed and fresh loam 
with a tenth part of bone dust and a twentieth of wood ashes added, 
affording a moderate watering if dry. Whatever pruning is required 
should be done as soon as the house is in order, but if the trees have 
been properly attended to little work need be performed with the knife. 
Dress the trees with an insecticide. It is well to wash the whole of the 
trees by means of a brush with a soapy solution, say 4 ozs. of softsoap 
to a gallon of water, adding a quart of strained tobacco juice, and if 
there be any scale add a wineglassful of spirits of turpentine, keeping it 
well mixed by frequent stirring. In applying insecticides take care to 
reach every part, and use the brush in such a manner as not to injure 
the buds. Trees cleansed and neatly secured to the trellis have a better 
appearance than those left untrimmed until the latest period before 
starting. 
Second Early Houses. —The roof lights have been removed from 
houses that were started at the new year and ripened fruit in late May 
or early June. Trees exposed to the weather after the wood becomes 
firm and the buds plumped are invigorated by the rains and the dews. 
The border is thoroughly moistened through, premature ripening of the 
foliage is prevented, and the trees have an early rest, which assists them 
in retaining the buds and making a good start. " Premature bud develop¬ 
ment is a chief cause of buds falling, aided by a deficiency of moisture 
at the roots. Trees under fixed roofs should have all the air possible 
and be duly attended to in watering. Liquid manure assists weakly 
trees to plump their buds and retain the foliage in hea’th. Moderately 
vigorous laterals help to keep the roots active, but those that are gross 
must be removed, and the unduly long pinched back. Laterals must 
never be allowed to interfere with the free access of light and air to the 
young wood and leaves, but be kept subordinate to the chief growths. 
Midseason Houses. —Trees from which the fruit has been gathered 
should have the bearing wood of the current year cut out, always 
excepting parts needful for extension. This will admit of the trees 
being thoroughly cleansed by syringing, and if necessary applying an 
insecticide, it being of the greatest importance that the foliage be kept 
clean and healthy until the buds and wood are thoroughly matured. 
This will be assisted by the increased light and air. If the growths are 
too crowded thin them, leaving sufficient young wood for next year’s 
bearing. It is better removed now than at the winter pruning. The 
remaining parts are benefited and there is less danger of inducing gum. 
Ventilate freely, and afford water as necessary to keep the soil duly 
moistened to the drainage. 
Late Houses. —The fruit is swelling well and liberal supplies of 
water are required until the ripening is well advanced, when moderate 
supplies will be sufficient; enough, however, should be given to main¬ 
tain the foliage in a healthy state. Trees that are making gross growths 
and have a tendency to late growth should be marked for lifting, 
an infallible remedy for indifferent setting and uncertainty of stoning, 
Any trees that do not ripen the wood well should be curtailed at the 
roots by taking out a trench so as to detach the roots at about one- 
third the distance from the stem the trees cover on the trellis, doing it 
about the end of September or as early in October as the fruit is 
gathered. 
Figs. — Planted-out Trees.— These not infrequently grow strongly, 
and consequently produce thin crops of fruit. In that case root pruning 
