220 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 8, 1892. 
Son, Cheltenham, keeping to the front; other leading growers also 
■exhibiting. 
A very fine bank of hardy border flowers was staged for the prizes 
offered for them, and in the class for twenty-four distinct kinds, Mr. 
W. B. Child, Acocks Green, was first, and Messrs. Harkness & Sons 
■second, showing in their usual style. 
Fruit also was made a leading feature, and prizes of £5, £4, and £3 
were offered for a collection of eight varieties, and five exhibits were 
staged. First, Mr. James Dawes, gardener to H. M. Biddulph, Esq., M.P., 
Ledbury Park, with two grand bunches of Gros Maroc Grapes, two of 
Muscat of Alexandria, an excellent La Favorite Melon, very fine 
Barrington Peaches, and Humboldt Nectarines, Roman Apricots, and 
Figs. Second, Mr. T. Roberts, gardener to H. W. Foley, Esq., Prest- 
wood, Stourbridge, with excellent Alicantes, Muscats, splendid Bruns¬ 
wick Figs, fine Grosse Mignonne Peaches, Hemskerk Apricots, Pitmaston 
Orange Nectarines, and other fruits. Third, Mr. Gilman, Ingestrle, who 
had in his collection Hero of Lockinge Melon, Hamburgh and Muscat 
Grapes, Lord Napier Nectarines, Apricots, and Figs, all good. Fourth, Mr 
BannermaD, Blithfield. For three bunches of Black Hamburgh Grapes 
Mr. Bannerman was first with some fine examples; second, Mr. A. J. 
Pass, Birmingham ; third, A. Bird, Esq., Birmingham. For three bunches 
of Muscat of Alexandria, first, Mr. Bannerman ; second, Mr. ffm. Shaw, 
Kidderminster. For three bunches of any other black : first, Mr. Banner- 
man, with fine Alicantes ; second, Mr. W. Shaw, with Gros Maroc ; 
third, Mr. Gilman, with small bunches, but beautifully coloured, of Gros 
Maroc. Extra, Mr. Lister Lea. Mr. T. Pritchard, Umberslade Hall 
Gardens, staged eight fine Queen Pines, a fruit of Enville Queen being 
-especially good, and a first-class certificate was awarded to it. 
The local gardeners also had fruit classes which were well filled. Mr. 
Stainton, Stoneleigh, near Kenilworth, near to the celebrated Stone- 
leigh Abbey, Lord Leigh’s residence, sent two dozen very large fruits 
of 'williams’ Bon Chretien Pears from a wall, very fine examples such as 
one rarely sees; and Messrs. Bunyaid & Sons, Maidstone, contributed 
fifty-six dishes of Apples and Pears and eight baskets of Apples. It 
was a very fine display, and was greatly admired by those who braved 
the weather. The Apples had been selected more to show their character 
than extreme size, and were all round a fine lot, colour predominating. 
Of the dessert Apples, Okera, a Russian variety, is a coloured fruit of good 
flavour and a good keeper. Beauty of Bath is a handsome fiattish fruit, j 
very early and excellent. Cardinal (or Peter the Great) a handsome 
fruit, rich in colour, a wonderful cropper of fine quality. Duchess of 
Gloucester becomes a bright scarlet, a medium-sized Apple, keeping to 
Christmas. Amongst the kitchen varieties Washington, large and hand¬ 
some and nicely coloured, and Seaton House, with many old varieties, 
were all very fine. Bismarck, an Australian variety and an immense 
•cropper, is a large heavy solid fruit, a late keeper, and becomes rich in 
colour. Gold Medal is of the Ecklinville type, it becomes quite yellow, 
keeps longer, and is even a better cropper. 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, sent a grand lot of their choice 
Gloxinias, including Her Majesty, Cyclops, Admiration, and Duke of 
York, to all of which first-class certificates were awarded. A display of 
improved Phlox Drummondi and other annuals was also made. Mr. 
Hy. Eckford, Wem, sent a collection of his lovely Sweet Peas, and 
first-class certificates were awarded to Venus, Lord Beaconsfield, Ovid, 
H. M. Stanley, Lady Penzance, and Royal Robe, all yet to be sent out. 
and beautiful acquisitions. A first-class certificate was awarded to 
Messrs. Perkins & Sons, Coventry, for a new Cactus Dahlia named 
Matchless, a rich deep crimson maroon, almost black, and of very fine 
quality ; and first-class certificates were awarded to Mr. Charles Turner, 
Slough, for four very fine seedling Cactus Dahlias—viz., H. E. Milner, a 
lovely buff tinted pink ; Sir Hugo, a grand scarlet; Blushing Bride, 
white ; and Joseph Chamberlain, orange tinted buff ; also to Pompon 
Little Lady, cream tinted with bright rosy carmine. Mr. Harry 
Whateley, Spring Gardens, Kenilworth, sent two dozen grand fruits of 
the American Tomato Ignotum, very fine indeed. Messrs. Pope and 
Sons contributed a wreath and a very lovely shower bouquet. Messrs. 
Hewitt & Co. had a bank of bloom 40 feet long, and nearly 4 feet wide. 
Messrs. Thomson & Co. also set up a fine display of herbaceous blooms, 
Violas in pots, a fine lot of Carnation and Picotee blooms, including 
some of Benary’s new ones, and three of their seedling fine rose flakes. 
Messrs. Harkness & Sons had an attractive exhibit. Messrs. Shaw, and 
Jones & Sons, had collections of Gladioli; Mr. Robert Sydenham a 
display of prize vegetables from his seed. 
A very fine lot of specimen Begonias were staged by F. Jenkins, 
Esq., Birmingham. A stage 30 feet long, by 7 feet wide, and 1 foot in 
height, covered with green baize, was erected especially for them, 
and thirty grand specimens in full bloom were somewhat crowded in 
the space ; a special first-class certificate for culture and excellence 
was awarded to them, 
READING.— August 31st. 
Whilst last year this excellent provincial Society had to suffer on 
the day preceding the Show from a terrific wind storm, which tore 
its fine tent into pieces ; this year there was a visitation of rain during 
the afternoon, which materially affected the attendance, as well as 
comfort, and drove visitors to the shelter of the small tents that had 
been erected, far too much for anyone’s enjoyment. Later the attend¬ 
ance, happily, was very large, when rain ceased. The site of the Sbow 
was the beautiful Forbury Gardens. There is in the gardens no ample 
grass area, hence the Show, as far as could be, was distributed in 
■several small tents, much to its demerit ; and all the vegetables had to 
be staged outdoors, much to their deterioration. It need hardly be said 
that if the Reading Horticultural Society is to occupy a position worthy 
of the prosperous and distinguished town which gives it a name a very big 
effort must be made another year to find, not only a fitting place for the 
Show, affording ample tent room, but also that much must be done to 
make the autumn Show what it ought to be—the finest, most attractive, 
and most popular of ail home counties exhibitions. 
If, for once departing from ordinary formula, we give the vegetables 
the pride of place in this report it is because these formed so striking a 
feature of the Show ; indeed, a better display of these useful products 
can hardly be seen anywhere. With such high-class and formidable com¬ 
petitors as Messrs. Lye of Sydmonton Court, Pope of Highclere Castle, 
Bowerman of Hackwood Park, Waite of Esher, Kneller of Malshanger, 
and Best of The Vine, and such donors of liberal prizes as Messrs. Jas. 
Carter & Co., High Holborn, Webb of Wordsley, Fidler of Reading, and 
last though very far from least, the famous firm of Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons, Reading, no wonder the exhibits were of the very best quality, and 
the competitions stoutly contested. 
First in the schedule came the prizes of Messrs. Carter & Co. for an 
unlimited class. There were three competitors, and a total of sixty-four 
dishes. Mr. Pope, gardener to the Earl of Carnarvon, Highclere Castle, 
was first, having very good Autumn Giant Cauliflowers, Giant White and 
Sulham Prize Celeries, Adirondack and The Canon Potatoes, Perfection 
Tomatoes, Canadian Wonder Dwarf and Jubilee Runner Bean, Rousham 
Park Hero Onions, &c. Mr. M. Lye, gardener to W. G. Kingsmill, Esq , 
Sydmonton Court, was second,having very handsome samples of Holborn 
Onions, Model Leeks, Perfection Beet, Giant Cauliflowers, Telephone 
Peas, Jubilee Runner Beans, Solid Ivory White and Standard Bearer 
Celeries, Scarlet Intermediate Carrots, Model Cucumbers, &c. Third 
Mr. Waite, gardener to the Hon. Colonel l'albot, Glenhurst, Esher, 
whose collection of twenty-four dishes lacked the best average quality, 
but included most of the above varieties. 
Nine lots of six varieties competed for Messrs. Webb & Sons’ prizes- 
Here Mr. Kneller, gardener to W. Portal, Esq., Malshanger, who was 
not very strong at Basingstoke, surprised his friends with the high 
excellence of his exhibits, and was placed first. He had gigantic 
Rousham Park Hero Onions, good Perfection Tomatoes, fine Satisfac¬ 
tion Potatoes, handsome Ne Plus Ultra Runner Beans, excellent Autumn 
Giant Cauliflowers, and fine New Intermediate Carrots. Mr. Bowerman, 
gardener to C. Hoare, Esq., Hackwood Park, who al3o had superb 
exhibits, was second with good Cauliflowers, though perhaps his weakest 
dish ; very fine Ailsa Craig Onions, handsome Defiance Carrots, goo i 
Duke of Albany Peas, Sensation Tomato, and Satisfaction Potato. Mr. 
Waite came third, having rather too large Satisfaction Potato, similar 
Carrots, Peas, and Cauliflowers to the preceding ; Onions and Tomatoes. 
Mr. W. Pope was fourth. Six collections competed for the prizes 
offered by Mr. C. Fidler of Reading, the first of which was a much 
coveted gold medal and two guineas. Here Mr. Lye used all his 
strength, his six kinds being practically unbeatable anywhere. He had 
Autumn Giant Cauliflowers, Giant Zittau Onions, Perfection Tomatoes, 
Ne Plu 3 Ultra Runner Beans, a perfect sample ; Wright’s Grove White 
Celery, beautifully blanched ; and very handsome Satisfaction Potatoes. 
Mr. Kneller was second with immense Anglo-Spanish Onions, Perfection 
Tomatoes, good Cauliflowers, too large, but very handsome ; Intermediate 
Carrots, Satisfaction Potatoes, and Claywortli Prize Celery. Mr. Best, 
gardener t,o Mrs. Chute, The Vine, was third ; and Mr. Bowerman, 
generally having the same varieties, was fourth. 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons of Reading did not offer prizes for collec¬ 
tions, but gave thirty-six prizes for twelve kinds of vegetables in 
separate classes—a liberal total, including a class for Melons, of £11 14s. 
In most of these single dish classes there was good competition and 
high quality. It is worthy of mention that varieties were left absolutely 
open. Beet came first with sixteen lots, Mr. Bowerman being first 
with rather too large and a little coarse samples of Sutton’s Blood Red. 
Mr. Waite was second with smaller but very handsome samples of the 
same varieties. Mr. Best was third. With Carrots, of which twelve 
lots were staged, Mr. Bowerman was again first with very fine and 
even shaped, but hardly sufficiently smooth sorts of New Intermediate ; 
Mr. Kneller coming second with rather smaller, but singularly hand¬ 
some examples ; Mr. Lye was third, both having the Intermediate. Of 
Celery only six lots were staged, Mr. Waite coming first with Sutton’s 
Solid White, very good ; Mr. Pope being second with Sutton’s A1 
Pink variety, and Mr. Best third with Sulham Prize. Cauliflowers 
were few also, five lots of three heads being staged. Mr. Best was first; 
Mr. Frost, gardener to W. A. Palmer, Esq., Reading, second ; and Mr. Pope 
third, all with Autumn Mammoth. Leeks were very good, and here, 
oddly enough, the Judges, who in another single dish class had placed 
the Long Prizetaker Leeks before the dwarf thick Onion-rooted Lyon, 
reversed their decision, placing the thick Lyon shown by Mr. Pope, 
about 5 inches of the stems blanched, before the beautiful Long Prize- 
taker from Mr. Lye, which had 9 inches of blanched stems. Mr. 
Kneller was third. There were twelve bunches of six Turnips, Mr. Lye 
coming first with handsome Snowball ; Mr. Bowerman was second, and 
Mr. Booker, gardener to W. B. Mouch, Esq., third with the same 
variety. There were twelve lots of six Onions in competition, 
the prize lots standing out a long way before the others. Mr. 
Kneller was first with very fine but rather spotted samples of 
Sutton’s Exhibition, Mr. Lye being second with the same variely 
but brighter, Mr. Pope coming third with a capital sample of Improved 
Reading. Mr. Turton, gardener to J. Hargreaves, Esq.. Maiden Erleigb, 
had of ten lots the finest Cos Lettuces in Sutton’s Mammoth White, Mr. 
