130 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 11, 1892. 
presuming they are grown under glass ; though, of course, as in the 
case of the older kinds, they make a fine effect planted outside in 
fairly sheltered situations. While thus easily grown, the propagation 
by division is not so rapid as to cause any risk of the best varieties 
becoming “ common ” for many years to come, which has been the 
bane of such things as Coleus. 
I might go on singing the praises of the Crozy Cannas for a 
column or so, but must stop for fear of the pruning scissors, and 
conclude by giving the names of a few excellent varieties. Madame 
Crozy, as yet the gem of the collection, rich scarlet edged with gold ; 
Star of ’91, closely resembling Madame Crozy, but even dwarfer in 
habit; Kaiser Wilhelm, rich glowing crimson scarlet, a grand colour, 
should be included in the most limited selection ; Alphonse Bouvier. 
rich crimson scarlet, and a massive spike of bloom, extra ; Comte 
H. de Choiseul, rosy purple, fine bold flower with well rounded segments ; 
and Ulrich Brunner, dark red shaded orange.— Chas. E. Pearson, 
Chilwell Nurseries, Nutts. 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
WESTWELL GARDENERS’ SOCIETY.— August 1st. 
The question as to the value or otherwise of cottage gardeners’ 
societies has been often discussed, and there is certainly much to be said, 
as Sir Roger says, on both sides. It has been urged that they encourage 
a great deal of jealousy and ill-will, that dishonesty is, if not openly, at 
any rate secretly, practised, that borrowing from neighbours and 
exhibiting the borrowed articles as the product of the exhibitor’s own 
garden is not an unusual thing, and that the rest of the cottager’s garden 
is sacrificed to growing a few special things for exhibition, and so it is 
said better not have them. I have known societies where these things 
have been done, and certainly there no good was effected ; indeed I have 
kuown one society where an exhibitor the night before the Show visited 
his neighbour’s garden, and had the impudence to display the pro¬ 
ductions thus obtained as the produce of his own garden. 
On the other hand exaggerated notions of their neighbours are some¬ 
times entertained. It is not to be supposed that a man who is interested 
in his garden will of necessity be a sober man. I have known many 
sad instances to the contrary ; but it does him good in many ways. It 
quickens his thoughts, leads him perhaps to read, occupies his evening 
hours during the summer months, and increases his supply of home 
productions. It is a home occupation, and whether in allotments or 
cottage gardens ought, I think, to be encouraged, provided certain lines 
be followed. 
This Society of which I now write is entirely managed by them¬ 
selves, and as I have nothing to do with it in that way I can more 
readily advocate its mode of working. The members are all working 
men, and all their officers are chosen from among themselves ; they 
keep their own accounts, arrange their own meetings, and, in fact, do all 
the business. To transact this they meet monthly, and show such things 
as may be in season, receiving points, which are counted up at the end of 
the year. The meetings are held (be not shocked, my blue ribbon friends) 
at the public-house in the village. I had some questionings with myself 
on this point, but I quickly decided that they ought not to be an obstacle 
to my supporting it. The house is an exceedingly well conducted one ; 
and I could not see why, if our National Rose, Dahlia, and other 
societies hold their meetings at a London hotel, country societies of a 
like nature should not hold theirs at the country inn. The meetings 
are invariably well conducted,no excess in drinking or other bad practices 
takes place; and, in fact, the Society rather helps the cause of 
temperance than hinders it. Were the house in any way disorderly I 
should at once say no, but so long as it continues to be well conducted 
so long, I think, may the Society hold its meetings there without 
offence. 
Another cause of their success I believe to be that they have 
confined the membership to the one parish. They have flourished so 
well that some of the neighbouring parishes have been anxious to join 
them. This they have, and as I think wisely, refused. As the case is now 
they all know one another’s gardens, and if there were any attempt to 
act unfairly by exhibiting things not grown by themselves it would be 
at once detected. This may seem a very low reason, but we must 
consider what a poor thing human nature is. Besides, there would be 
sure to be jealousies and heartburnings. There can be no doubt that 
our people here enjoy exceptional advantages. The village is sheltered 
from the north and east, and the soil is a good alluvial deposit, so that 
not only can our people compete successfully, as they have sometimes 
done with neighbouring ones, but even those who live in the 
other parts of it could have no chance of competing with them 
successfully. 
v Another cause of success is that they are very wide awake to the 
necessity of having good seeds. They procure these from one of our 
most eminent seedsmen (Sutton & Sons of Reading), and they are 
distributed amongst all the members alike. They are very keen as to 
novelties, and one or other of their number often goes in for these, 
hoping thereby to score a point or two. 
Another point is that they do not allow themselves to get into debt. 
They secure a certain number of subscriptions from those resident in 
the parish and their friends. They do not look for much gate money, 
but they have hitherto contrived to keep that a3 a reserve fund. The 
prizes are small, and so it is not so much the hope of getting money as 
the honour of winning a prize that gives zest to their competition. 
The schedule of prizes is carefully arranged into two classes, one for 
gardeners, the other for cottagers; and that the value of the prizes is 
not altogether the object of the exhibitors may be gathered from the 
fact that the whole amount is under £10, and the number of prizes 
upwards of a hundred, not including special prizes offered by friends, 
which are open to all members. Amongst these are prizes for butter and 
bread. 
The outcome of all this was the Exhibition held on Bank Holiday, 
in a tent in the Recreation Ground in the village. Like a good many 
exhibitions it was held in unfavourable weather. The day was showery, 
not such an incessant downpour as we had at Chester, but still 
enough to keep visitors away in the afternoon ; but the evening dried 
up, and there was a good attendance of the villagers, who all took a 
great interest in it. It would be useless to give the names of the competitors 
or enumerate the prizes obtained, but, as an impartial witness, I may 
say that the vegetables were such as would do credit to any exhibition, 
and that the competition was very keen, especially in Potatoes. 
My object in giving this notice of the Show was the hope that it may 
be useful to those who wish to encourage cottage gardening, and to 
point out the lines on which I think such societies ought to be managed, 
and that when certain principles are kept in view success may be fairly 
looked for.—D., Deal. " 
NORTHAMPTON.— August 1st. 
The eleventh annual Show of the Northampton Horticultural 
Society was held on Bank Holiday, at Delapre Park, by kind per¬ 
mission of J. S. Bouverie, Esq., J.P. A better site for holding such 
an extensive horticultural exhibition could scarcely befound. The Society 
offers tempting prizes, consequently the competition in most classes 
was good. The principal class, for twelve stove or greenhouse plants, was 
won by Mr. J. Cypher, Cheltenham, with magnificent specimens of the 
following—Erica Thompsoni, Croton angustifolius, Croton Sunset, 
Latania borbonica, Ixora coccinea, Kentia australis, Erica tricolor 
vera, Phoenocoma prolifera, Stephanotis floribunda, Cycas revoluta, 
Kentia Forsteriana. Mr. Finch, gardener to J. Marriott, Esq., Coventry, 
closely followed for second honours. His best plants were Croton 
Johannis, Ixora Fraseri, Bougainvillea glabra, and Sobralia macrantha. 
The latter was an exceedingly fine plant, and was awarded the silver 
medal for high cultivation. 
For six stove or greenhouse plants the competition was also good. 
Mr. Lainchbury, gardener to C. Watkin, Esq., Wellingborough, was well 
first with creditable plants; second, Mr. J. Holland, gardener to 
W. Jeffery, Esq., Cliftonville. For a group of miscellaneous plants 
(open), first, Mr. J. Cypher with a light and very graceful arrangement. 
In the group confined to gardeners the competition was very spirited , 
first Mr. Jeffery, second Mr. H. Tressler, gardener to M. P. Manfield, 
Esq., M.P. Miscellaneous plants were also well shown, such as Ferns, 
Fuchsias, Begonias, and table plants. 
Cut flowers made a grand display. For twenty-four Roses the 
Rev. W. H. Jackson, Bedford, was first; Messrs. J. Perkins & Sons, 
Northampton, second ; Messrs. T. Perkins & Sons, Northampton, third. 
The Rev. W. H. Jackson was also first for twelve Tea Roses, splendid 
specimens. 
Collections of fruit were poorly shown. First, Mr. S. Cole, gardener 
to Earl Spencer, Althorpe. Vegetables were a striking feature. Mr. 
W. Fyfe, gardener to Lord Wantage, won first honours in the principal 
classes, his collection of twelve in the open class closely approaching 
perfection. They were staged in that excellent manner for which Mr. 
Fyfe has long been noted. The sorts were Pea Autocrat, Beet Pragnell’s, 
Tomato Champion, Turnip Snowball, Cauliflower Autumn Giant, 
Cucumber Perfection, Artichoke Green Globe, Onion Main Crop, Potato 
Snowdrop, Carrot Matchless, Celery Standard Bearer, and Dwarf Bean 
Canadian Wonder. Mr. J. Kightley, gardener to Sir Herewald Wake, 
Bart., was second, also showing well. 
The competition in the amateur and cottagers’ classes at this Show 
is always of a high character, and the exhibits continue to maintain 
their excellence. Honorary exhibits were largely and well shown, 
by Messrs. T. Perkins & Sons and Messrs. J. Terkins & Sons. 
KENLEY AND COULSDON.— August 3rd. 
The verdict of the Judges, Messrs. Whalley of Addington Park, 
Jeffries of Eltham, and A. Dean, Kingston-on-Thames, was that this was a 
remarkably neat Show. The arrangements were carried out with such 
good taste by Mr. W. Smith, the active Secretary, and Mr. Grant of 
Caine Hill Asylum, that when judging began everything was as clean as 
a new pin. 
The trade, as usual, sent out several good groups of plants, especially 
Messrs. J. Laing & Son, Forest Hill; Messrs. J. Peed & Sons, Norwood ; 
Mr. Box, Croydon ; Mr. Butcher, Norwood ; and the Westerham Nursery 
Company ; and there was a very fine group of handsome plants- 
from the Caine Hill Lunatic Asylum, which Mr. Grant, had arranged. 
Very good indeed were the large decorative groups in competition, the 
best a charming one set up by Mr. Carey, gardener to Cecil Price, Esq., 
Kenley. The best small group was set up by Mr. Evered, gardener to R. 
Blenkinsop, Esq. Plants svere numerous and fairly good, but cannot all 
be referred to. Mr. Carey had the best six Begonias, good plants, also 
the best Zonal Pelargoniums ; and Mr. Johnson, gardener to W. C„ 
