[ August 19,1886. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
were first and Mr. Muir second. In Plums Mr. Muir first and Mr. Hawkins 
second. Apples and Pears were well shown by Colonel Page, Mr. Hawkins, 
and Mr. Pettigrew; pot Vines by Mr. T. Gibson ; and orchard house trees 
by Mr. T. W. Jones and Col. Page. 
Vegetables.— These were extremely good and numerous, bor tne 
collection of nine dishes there were thirteen competitors. Mr. J. Aluir 
secured the first prize with a finely grown, clean, uniformly good collection, 
well staged. They comprised Cauliflower, Celery, Onions, Tomatoes, 
Kidney Beans, Potatoes, Cucumbers, and Pen-y-Byd Vegetable Marrow. 
Mr. Silk was second with a good collection, and Mr. Pettigrew was third 
with very meritorious produce. The majority of the small cla ® 8 ® 9 
were well filled, the principal prizetakers being Mr. J. Muir, Mr. Suk, Mr. 
Moor, Mr. D. T. Alexander, Mr. Scott, and Mr. L. Carr. 
The cottagers had a tent to themselves, and made a most interesting 
display of well-grown vegetables, the greatest prizewinners being Mr. 
Edward Ealey, Mr. J. Gibbons, Mr. D. Adams, Mr. D. Jones,Mr. T. Hopkins 
and Mr. T. Nilson. Mr. William Treseder of Canton Road, Cardiff, exhibited 
a splendid box of Pompon Dahlias ; Mr. Crossling showed some^ chaste 
wreaths; “Loadstone” of Llanelly had a large stand of charming cut 
annuals and herbaceous flowers; and Messrs. Webb & Sons, Stourbridge, 
were conspicuous with many of their specialities. 
TAUNTON.— August, 12th. 
There are many circumstances which combine to make this one of the 
most successful, if not the most important, of the autumn provincial ex¬ 
hibitions. In the first place it is most liberally supported by the town ana 
neighbourhood of this charming county town : and their support is not or 
that nonchalant style which one sometimes meets with in other places. 
“ Were you at the flower show yesterday ?” is a question put perhaps to a 
gentleman who has subscribed his guinea to the annual flower show at 
Dundrearyville. “Upon my word,” is the careless reply, “ I didn’t know there 
was a flower show ;” or like what we are told of the late Liverpool Show of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, that many of the local people who were 
supplied with tickets never went near it. Not so at Taunton ; the county 
gentry make a point of being there, and they either manage to get home, if 
away, for it, or else return in time for it and evince a lively interest in its 
welfare. This interest is shared in by all classes of the community ; it is the 
fete day of the year. The numerous entries in the cottagers’ classes, attract 
a large number of that class, who of course want to see what neighbour 
Smith has done, and whether Brown’s ’taters were better than his’n. And 
then there are other attractions. A first-rate bandis always secured ; this year 
it was that of the Grenadier Guards under the leadership of Mr. Dan Godfrey 
—a most attractive feature for all, especially the more cultured classes, while 
the grand display of fireworks in the evening affords a means of enjoyment 
which never seems to pall in the taste of the multitude in all countries, for 
they are as attractive to the Indian, or Italian, or German, as they are to us. 
All these things combined tend to make the chancellor of exchequer of the 
Taunton Show a happy man, and to enable the Committee to draw up a 
most liberal schedule, the first prize for twelve stove and greenhouse plants 
amounting to £20 ; and let people dream as they will about honour, glory, 
love of horticulture, &c., these things are all very well, but they don’t pay 
expenses ; and if you want to have a good exhibition you must have liberal 
prizes. Hence there is never any lack of exhibitors, for there are great in¬ 
ducements for them to come. Then, the Society has always been enabled 
to have an active Committee whose heart is in their work, and who have 
always managed to secure the services of excellent secretaries. I have seen 
many changes in the secretarial duty the many years I have “ assisted ” 
at this Show, but they have always been thoroughly good working ones. 
Their late Secretary, Mr. Samson, did much for the efficiency of the Show, 
and his successors, young men, are entering thoroughly into their work ; and 
although this was the first year of their office the ease and smoothness with 
which everything went says a great deal for the amount of labour they have 
bestowed upon it, and it will be well for the Society if the services of 
Messrs. Maynard and Hammond are given to it for many years to come. 
The exhibition this year was fully up to the average. I have seen, 
perhaps, in some points, better exhibits, but, on the other hand, things came 
out exceedingly well. I was partly disappointed at the exhibits of Gladioli 
(not, of course, including the magnificent stand set up by Mr. Kelway) ; 
but Mr. Dobree, who has always exhibited so well, was not present. On the 
other hand, Pelargoniums, always well shown here, were this year super- 
excellent, while too much praise cannot be given to the cottagers’ pro¬ 
ductions of fruit and vegetables, the bee exhibition adding another feature 
of interest to the Show. 
In the open classes there was a grand display of plants, both flowering 
and foliaged. The first prize for twelve stove and greenhouse plants was 
awarded to Mr. James Cypher for plants which bore out his well-established 
reputation as the first plantsman in England. His plants were Dipladenia 
amabilis, Dipladenia hybrids, Allamanda Hendersoni, Allamanda nobilis, 
Ixora Fraseri, Ixora Duffi, the finest plant of it perhaps ever exhibited ; 
Ixora Pilgrimi, Erica Marnockiana, Erica Irbyana, Erica ampullacea 
Barnesi, Phcenocoma prolifera, and Statice profusa. Mr. B. W. Cleave of 
Chard was second with excellent plants, and Mrs. Pearce of Southampton 
third. In class 2, for six stove and greenhouse plants, Mr. Cypher was again 
first with Ixora coccinea, Erica ampullacea Barnesi, Rhododendron Duchess 
of Connaught, very fine; Hsemanthus magnifies with fine heads of grand 
orange scarlet inflorescence; Statice profusa, and Clerodendron Balfourianum 
In class 3, for eight fine foliaged and variegated plants,the places of the two 
champions were reversed, Mr. B. W. Cleave being first with fine plants of 
Gleichenia spelunc®, Croton Warreni, Croton Williamsi, Latania borbonica, 
Cycas revoluta, Kentia Belmoreana, Encephalartos ampullacea villosa. Mr. 
Cypher was second, his best plants being a grandplantof Cordylineindivisa, 
Croton Prince of Wales, and Croton Johannis. In class 4, for eight exotic 
Ferns, Mr. B. W. Cleave was again first with Gleichenia rupestris glaucescens, 
Gleichenia Mendeli, Davallia polyantha, Davallia Mooreana, Davallia 
fijiensis, Marattia Cooperi, very fine, and a Fern not often seen, and 
Cyathea dealbata. In class 5, for twelve Zonal Geraniums, for six blooms 
Mr. H. Godding was first with very finely bloomed plantB of White 
Vesuvius, Lord Gifford, Henri Jacoby, Pioneer, Mrs. Headley, De Less:ps, 
»nd Mr. H. Pollard; these were most profusely bloomed, and were far 
superior to anything we ever are in the habit of seeing at our metropolitan 
shows. In class 6, for eight, the same exhibitor was first the best were 
Ti iomphe, fine ; Mrs. Blissard, and Earl Wellington. In class 7, for variegated 
leaved Pelargouiums, Mr. Ledbury was first with Italia Umta, Lady Cullen, 
Silver Cloud,'Victoria, Louisa Smith, Lass o’ Gowrie, Queen of Queens, and 
Mrs. Benyon. This is about the only place where one sees these once so 
highly prized and highly priced plants, and one marvels at the fr enz y 
once possessed people on the subject. In class 8, for four double e g - 
niums, Mr. Woodland was first with Wonderful, J. V. Raspail, Rambler, and 
Mrs. Steil. Fuchsias were not remarkable, being too stiffly grown; nor 
were Cockscombs (hateful things !) very good. . 
At the end of the tent Mr. Kelway exhibited a large stand of his very 
beautifully grown Gladioli. They comprised a few of the French varieties, 
but by far the greater number were his own seedlings, and ol tne-e 
there were selected for first-class certificates Dr. Farrant, a fine flower, 
somewhat in the style of Murillo; Lady Salisbury, white, witn cerise 
markings ; and Gabinius, cream, with carmine spots and markings, w y is 
it that in the neighbourhood of such a grower as Mr. Kelway, and wnere 
flowers are cultivated with such zeal, this grand unsurpassable autumn 
flower is so little grown ? Coming to Roses, which were well shown or 
the time of year, Mr. Mattock, of Headington, near Oxford, was Urst in 
forty-eights with Belle Lyonnaise, Ulrich Brunner, Baroness Rothschild, 
M. Jean Pernet, Innocente Pirola, John Hopper, Charles Lefebvre, Paul 
Neyron, Dr. Hogg, Madame Hippolyte Jarnain, Alfred Colomb, 1 rmcess ot 
Wales, Richard Laxton, Madame Boll, Madame Victor Verdier, Dupuy 
Jarnain, Comtesse de Serenye, Black Prince, Rubens^ Devienne Larny, 
Catherine Mermet, Seedling, Catherine Soupert, Maurice Bernardin, Da 
France, Marechal Niel, A. K. Williams, Madame Eughme Verdier, Charles 
Darwin in excellent form, Annie Wood very fine, Mons. Verdier, Marie 
Van Houtte, Duchess of Bedford, Niphetos, Mane Baumann, Perle des 
Jardins, Marie Rady, Elie Morel, Pierre Notting, Countess de Nadaillac, 
Dr. Andry, Jean Ducher, Alfred Dumesnil, Lady M. Keith, and Louis Van 
Houtte. Dr. Budd of Bath was second. In the class for twenty-tour 
trebles Dr. Budd was first with Dupuy Jarnain, Baroness Rothschild, Cnarle3 
Darwin, Duke of Wellington, Mrs. Laxton, Francois Michelon, Hemnch 
Schultheis, Charles Lefebvre, La France, Souvenir d’Elise Vardon, Louis 
Van Houtte, Princess Vera, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Francisca Kruger, Emily 
Hausberg, M. Benoit Comte, Star of Waltham, Rubens, Madame Margottm, 
Ulrich Brunner, Marie Verdier, Egeria, Caroline , Kuster, and Mane 
Baumann. Mr. Cooling was second, and Mr. Mattock, with an excellent 
stand, third ; indeed it had been placed first, but unfortunately, owing to 
the fact of two trebles of the same Rose being staged by mistake, it was 
prevented from taking first. It included Catherine Mermet, -Alfred Colomb, 
Louis Van Houtte, Innocente Pirola, Marie Verdier, Madame de Watteville, 
Dupuy Jarnain, Perle des Jardins, Souvenir de Mons. Pernet, Niphetos, 
A. K. Williams, Cornelia Koch, Maurice Bernardm, Duke of Connaught, 
Queen of Queens, Pierre Notting, Marie Van Houtte, Charles Darwin, and 
Souvenir d’un Ami. __ 
Dahlias were not extensively but well exhibited, Messrs. Keynes, 
Williams, & Co., of Salisbury, taking first in the three classes. In the 
class for twenty-four the named flowers were Miss Cannell, James Vick, 
Crimson King, Mr. Gladstone, Illuminator, Victor, Defiance, Henry Walton, 
Mr. W. Stark, Constancy, Henry Bond, Royal Gem, Thomas Hobbs, J. 1. 
Saltmarsh, Colonel, W. P. Laird, Spitfire, Joseph Ashby, Cluster, Mrs. 
Amos, William Rawlings, and Mr. T. Foreman. The remainder were seed- 
lings. In the class for twelve Sho.w varieties several of the same flowers 
appeared. They were all well built and fresh. , 
In the class for twelve fancy Dahlias Messrs. Keynes, Williams and 
Co. were again first with Rev. J. B. M. Camm, John Forbes, Madame 
Soubeyre, Rebecca, Gaiety, James MTntosh, Prospero, Miss -L. ^aye, 
Chorister, James O’Brien, and Miss A. Melsom. The second prizes in these 
classes were taken by Mr. Joseph Nation, both good, but rather too advanced 
blooms. Near to these stands was an enormous bloom of the fancy variety 
Gaiety, exhibited by the Salisbury firm; I did not take its measurement, 
but it seemed to be fully 8 inches across, and at the same time good inform. 
There was a large display of cut Asters, Hollyhocks, and Verbenas, but there 
_ vnmoiVnWn xxrViilo a.q f.o fhp. Gladioli the less said the 
The tent No. 2, which is confined to amateurs, is in some respects a 
repetition of No. 1 ; we find there many of the same exhibitors, who have 
probably put forth their strength in the 41 open ” tent, while others appear 
who seem rather afraid to venture upon a trial of strength with the giants. 
Facing the visitor as he entered was a very pretty and excellent group of 
plants contributed by Mr.Robert Veitch, Exeter; in this were to be found 
many new productions of interest to all lovers of horticulture. 
In the class for twelve stove and greenhouse plants flowering or foliaged 
Mrs. Pearce was first with Eucharis amazonica, Stat'ce profusa, Brugmansia 
glabra, Cycas revoluta, Croton Williamsi, Phyllotsenium Lindeni, Areca 
Veitchi, and Cordyline indivisa. In the class for six stove and greenhouse 
plants Mr. Wilfred Marshall was first, his best plants being Rondeletia 
speciosa and Vinca rosea. In class 38, for stove or greenhouse plants m 
flower, Mr. Pearce was again first with good plants of Erica Aitoniana lurn- 
bulli, Phcenocoma prolifera,a Clerodendron, and Erica obbata purpurea. 
In the class for exotic Ferns Mr. Cleave had fine examples of Gleichenia 
rupestris glaucescens, Adiantum cardiochlacnum, Adianrum formosum, 
Adiantum trapeziforme. Mr. Wilfred G. Marshall exhibited five very 
grand plants of Coleus Harry Veitch, Mrs. George Simpson, Mr. Baxter, 
Constance, Pompadour, and Exquisite, exceedingly well grown and very 
ornamental. In the class for hardy Ferns Mr. Cleave was first with Scolo- 
pendrium vulgare crispum, Athyrium Felix-fcemina plumosum, Lastrea 
Filix-mas crispa, Polypodium cambricum, Polystichum angulare Wollastom, 
Polystichum angulare, Scolopendrium vulgare Kelwayi. Mr. Pearce was 
second. Selaginellas and Achimenes are always well shown at Taunton. 
In the former Mr. Cleave was first with fine pans; and in the latter Mr. 
Wilfred Marshall had good plants of Mauve Perfection, Dido, Magnifica, 
and others. . , ,, ... 
Cut flowers were quite equal to and in some cases superior to those in the 
open classes. In Roses Dr. Budd was first in twenty-fours and twelves, and 
Mr. Narroway first in twelve Teas. The principal flowers shown were Comte 
deRaimbaud, La France, Alfred Colomb, Egeria, Charles Lefebvre, Francois 
