446 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 1, 1893. 
standard varieties than stockholders are willing to part with. In no 
part of the United Kingdom has the fancy held on so tenaciously to the 
old love for this flower than has been the case in and around the city of 
Wakefield. Some of the growers pride themselves on the fact that as 
descendants of families which for three and four successive generations 
have grown and regularly exhibited their flowers. 
It is without doubt a rare treat to be in at the judging of the flowers. 
The system of judging adopted gives the exhibitors a chance of thoroughly 
discussing and criticising the awards. As each class is adjudicated upon 
the winning flowers are taken into another room, and in their order of 
merit with their names are entered into the Secretary’s book, and thus 
valuable and interesting record of the winners has been kept during the 
fifty odd years the Society has been in existence. The exhibitors sitting 
around the table, every interesting point and detail in connection with 
the flowers are freely discussed, and a novice would be amazed to find so 
much friendly rivalry and enjoyment derived by those who are placed 
low down on the list of winners, in the fact that the beauty and good 
points of a flower are more to them than the actual money value of the 
prizes. 
Some of the exhibitors grow large b eds containing thousands of plants, 
and the displays of bloom attract many visitors to view a short-lived 
but wonderfully gorgeous sight. The merits of the flowers can be dis¬ 
cussed with the cultivator. It may be that he is a Knight of St. Crispin, 
or has for his coat of arms a “ Goose and Shears and few of them but 
are able between whiles to hold a discussion on politics or give a lesson 
in political economy. One knight of the lapstone maketh to himself 
a very wilderness of Tulips, wherein during the blooming period he may 
at all times be found, including worktime, bedtime, and Sundays, 
mostly on his knees, searching for the budding charms of his Queen of 
the May, or lamenting the faded beauty of his Heroine. It may be that 
Mary Jackson’s and Annie McGregor’s toilet in matters of feathers and 
paint have not shown their usual good taste ; yet so confident is he that 
on points of form and clearness of complexion he is ready to stake his 
throne (cobbler’s stool) and sceptre (hammer and lapstone) for the 
remainder of the year (they are no use to him during the blooming 
period). 
Of course, when the exhibition day comes round and the Judges’ 
fiat has gone forth, everyone takes both their victories and defeats in the 
best possible spirit, yet vow vengeance on each other in the year to come. 
This year the awards are as below. 
Eectipied Tulips, pan of six. — First, Mr. William Mellor, with 
Sir J. Paxton, Lord F. Cavendish, George Hardwick, Mary Jackson, 
Industry, and Dauntless. Second, Mr. Edward Lister, with Sir J. Paxton, 
George Hardwick, Queen of the May, Parker’s King, Annie McGregor, 
Mrs. Lee. Third, Mr. George Gill, with Sir J. Paxton, Garibaldi, Queen 
of the May, Sylvester, Mabel, Heroine. Fourth, Mr. A. Moorhouse. 
Fifth, Mr. W. Calvert. Sixth, Mr. H. Brown. Seventh, Mr. J. Hardwick. 
Eighth, Mr. Thomas Mad Jock. 
Six Breeder Tulips.— First, Mr. A. Moorhouse, with Sir J. Paxton, 
Dr. Hardy, Talisman, Bridesmaid, Mabel, Miss Burdett Coutts. Second, 
Mr. W. Calvert, with Sir J. Paxton, Miss Collins, Kichard Yates, Duchess 
of Sutherland, Industry, Sylvester. Third, Mr. W. Mellor, with Sir J. 
Paxton, Bridesmaid, Hardwick, Talisman, Rose Hill, Annie McGregor. 
Fourth, Mr. George Gill. Fifth, Mr. George Hardwick. Sixth, Mr. 
Edward Lister. 
Three Breeder Tulips —First, Mr. W. Mellor, with Sir J. Paxton, 
Miss B. Coutts, Hardwick. Second, Mr. A. Moorhouse, with Dr. Hardy, 
Bridesmaid, Miss B. Coutts. Third, Mr. W. Calvert, with Sir J. Paxton, 
Hepworth, Agnes Strickland. Fourth, Mr. Geo. Gill. Fifth, Mr. 
Ed. Lister, Sixth, Mr. T. Maddock. Seventh, Mr. J. Lister. Eighth. 
Mr. H. Brown. 
Flamed Bizarre Tulip.— First and second, Mr. W. Mellor, Dr. 
Hardy, and Sir J. Paxton. Third, Mr. E. Lister, with Sir J. Paxton. 
Feather Bizarres. —First, Mr. A. Moorhouse, with Masterpiece. 
Second, Mr. W. Mellor, Sir J. Paxton. Third, Mr. Geo. Gill, unknown. 
Flamed Byblcemens. — First and second, Mr. W. Mellor, with 
Talisman and Lord Denman. Third, Mr. A. Moorhouse, Queen of May. 
Feathered Byblcemens.— First, Mr. A. Moorhouse, with Bessie. 
Second and third, Mr. W. Mellor, Queen of May and Geo. Hardwick. 
Feathered Roses.— First, Mr. W. Mellor, with Mrs. Lee. Second, 
Mr. T. Maddock, Aglaia, Third, Mr. W. Mellor, Mrs. Lee. 
Bizarre Breeders. —First, Mr. A. Moorhouse, with Dr. Hardy. 
Seeond and third, Mr. W. Mellor, Sir J. Paxton, 
Byblcemen Breeders. — First, Mr. Geo. Gill, with Geo. Hardwick. 
Second, Mr. A. Moorhouse, Bridesmaid. Third, Mr, J. Hardwick, 
Sylvester. 
Rose Breeders. —First and second, Mr. Geo. Gill, withThos. Parker. 
Third, Mr. W. Mellor, Industry. 
Premier Flowers —Flamed. Mr. Wm. Mellor, with Mary Jackson. 
Feathered, Mr. W, Mellor, Lord F. Cavendish. Breeder, Mr. W. Calvert, 
Miss Collins. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
William Bull, King’s Road, Chelsea.— New and Bare Plants and 
Orchids. 
Eden, Fisher & Co., 50, Lombard Street, E.C. — The Country 
Gentleman's Catalogue. 
Friedrich Adolph Haage, jun., Erfurt, Germany.— Catalogue of Cacti. 
J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, S.E.— Tuierous Begonias. 
J. Peed & Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, Norwood Road.— Stove 
and Greenhouse Plants and Caladiums. 
TOKK.foii™eWEEK.. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
General Summer Treatment. —The process of disbudding will 
have ridded fruit trees of much useless, gross, and unnecessary wood. 
If not removed this would have crowded the legitimate growths wanted 
to furnish the trees with a sufficient quantity of wood both for future 
bearing and extension. Disbudding is now impracticable in cases 
where removal of wood is needed, except with gross soft growths that 
start away from old wood. This can easily be rubbed oS at any time if 
not wanted, but woody growths must be cut off with the knife. Gross, 
attenuated, or ill-placed shoots are not always apparent at the early 
examinations of the trees, and it is well throughout the season to keep 
watch on the advancing growths during the frequent visits and close 
scrutinies made. Removals of growth effected at intervals and in small 
quantities are better for the trees. Thinning wholesale at any time is 
opposed to their well being. 
Securing Growth. —The proper securing of reserved shoots on wall 
trees must be attended to, not only to preserve them from injury by 
breakage from wind or other causes, but to prevent them shading each 
other unduly, as well as to preserye an equal balance of neatly trained 
growths. Very close or tight tying or nailing-in near the extremities is 
not essential ; but it is well to incline the wood retained in the direction 
it will ultimately take. 
Thinning Fruit. —Remoye more fruit from crowded trusses and 
clusters of Strawberries, Plums, Apples, Pears, and Cherries, as soon as 
the majority reach the size of Hazel Nuts. Fruits not swelling on any 
treesowing to imperfect fertilisation clear away as soon as possible. 
Fine examples can only be obtained by judicious thinning. For general 
purposes more fruit may be left with advantage, but do not overburden 
the trees, the perfecting of a heavy crop being a great strain upon them, 
and likely, if overdone, to jeopardise the following year’s chances. 
Green Gooseberries may be freely thinned for culinary purposes, enough 
being retained if desired for swelling to a large size and ripening as 
dessert fruit. 
Netting Strawberries. —Strawberries have been much benefited 
by the recent rains, and with the aid of liquid manure or the nutriment 
from the mulching material the fruits are now swelling well, and will 
quickly change colour. Birds often then become troublesome, spoiling 
the best fruits. To preserve these from attack cover the beds with 
nets. Affix forked stakes at the ends of rows and at intervals along 
them to support strong laths, over which nets of sufficiently close mesh 
can be thrown clear of the plants. Make the ends and sides secure to 
prevent the entrance of birds underneath, and the fruit will be safe. 
Tarred string strained tightly to stakes fulfils the same purpose as laths 
laid across, and is neater in appearance. In some cases the nets laid over 
the plants are sufficient. 
Summer Pruning.— The breastwood or foreright shoots on wall 
trees, pyramids, espaliers, and other forms of restricted trees should 
during the following weeks be dealt with. It is best to commence 
pinching when four to six full sized lower leaves have been formed. 
These are then fully capable of elaborating the sap for feeding the basal 
buds, which then soon become converted into fruit buds. This early 
season the leaves referred to are, or fast becoming, full sized. Commence 
with reducing the shoots belonging to Apples and Pears, dealing first 
with the upper and strongest parts of trees. The opportunity is then 
given of weaker shoots extending and strengthening a short time longer. 
Summer pruning is always best done progressively, no check then being 
given to trees by the removal of large quantities of wood and foliage at 
one time. If the result of the summer pruning has such an effect that 
it pushes the lower buds of the shortened shoots into growth during the 
current season it fails of its object, which should be rather that of 
feeding the buds in question by concentrating the sap upon them, sa 
that they may form fruiting spurs. Take care when counting the proper 
number of leaves to retain, not to include the small basal leaves. In a 
short time fresh growths will push from the extremities, and when the- 
first formed leaf on each has developed to nearly its full size shorten the 
growth just above it, continuing to do this as often as fresh shoots- 
form. 
Plums and Cherries. —The shoots on wall trees which are not 
laid in as extensions or to fill up vacancies are shortened to the fourth 
or fifth leaves, which in these fruits include the small basal leaves. If 
space does not allow of reserved shoots being properly laid in without 
crowding, stop them a’so near the point where they intercross others. 
Many of them, however, could be trained full length over bare portions 
of main branches. Plum and Cherry shoots are often infested with 
aphides at the extremities. Summer pruning will rid the trees of much 
of this, but those shoots which are infested and there is no intention of 
shortening them should be dipped in some insecticide. 
Red and White Currants. — These often have the er'./eme 
points of new growth seriously infested with aphides. They are more- 
troublesome to trees where the growth is checked by dryness at the 
roots or the soil lacks nutriment. At the present time such infested, 
tips of shoots may be promptly removed and bu.mt, leaving three paira 
