July 28, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
75 
Nurserymen were invited to compste, and the inv’tation brought Me=srs. 
Harknefs ifc Son fiom Bedale, and the two firms of Dicksons from Cbesttr, 
the former firm, as has been usual with them this season, taking the first 
prize. They had a very excellent stand, consisting of the following 
flow( rs Auguste Rigotard, Marie Rady (a grand bloom), Marie Yerdier, 
A. K. Williams, Lady Mary Fitzwilliam, Star of Waltham, Louis Van 
Houtte, Ulrich Brunner, Alfred Colomb, Marquise de Castellane, Duke of 
Edinburgh, Etienne Levet, Baroness Rothschild, Madame Hauemaim, 
Magna Charta, Charles Lefebvre, Lord Macaulay, Merveille de Lyon, Duke 
of Connaught (a large and grand bloom), Jean Ducher, Horace Yernet, 
Madame H. Jamain, Dr. Andry, Princess Beatrice, Marie Baumann (very 
fine bloom). Prince Arthur, Madame Gabriel Luizet, General Jacqueminot, 
Sultan of Zanzibar, Alfred Dumesnil, Madame Victor Verdier, Duch .• se de 
Morny, Duke of Teck, Beauty of Waltham, Captain ChiDty, Avocat 
Duvivier, Souvenir d’un Ami, D - . Sewell, Innocente Pirola, Dr. Hooker, 
Charles Darwin (a grand bloom), Hiopolyte Jamain, Fisher Holmes 
Comtesse de Serenye (clean and go-nil, Madame Willermoz, Penelope Mayo’ 
Queen of Queers, and Duchess of Bedford. ’ 
The amateurs’ claB-es con'ained some excellent blooms, the stand of 
de Lyon, Marie Baumann, Alfred Colomb, Captain Christy and Charles 
Darwin.—D., Deal. 
GROUPS OF PLANTS AT SHOWS. 
In recent years a most important feature has been developed ini the 
leading provincial and many local show's—namely, the groups of plants 
arranged for effect. They constitute classes of much interest both to 
horticultural visitors and the general public, besides giving many gar¬ 
deners an opportunity of exhibiting who could not enter the classes 
devoted to specimen plants. It is not an unusual circumstance to find 
at provincial shows that a large tent is required to contain the com¬ 
peting groups, and where there is much local interest in this portion of 
the show it is found convenient to have two or more classes, so as_ to 
include as many would-be exhibitors as possible. 
Remarkable as the progress has been in the past ten years, there is 
still room to encourage the group department of exhibitions to a greater 
Pig. 8.—THE CHALLENGE CUP GROUP AT CHISWICK. 
twenty-four exhibited by T. B. Hall, Esq., of Larkwood, Rockfirry, having 
some of the freshest and best blooms I have seen this year, reminding me of 
those exhibited by E. B. Lindsell, Esq., at Hitcbiu ; for this the gold medal 
was awarded. Tbe flowtrs were Dupuy Jamain, Madame Hippolyte Jamain, 
Ulrich Brunner, Prince Arthur, Baron»ss Rothschild, Marie Rady, Alfred 
Colomb, Fisher Holmes, Cjmtesse de Camando, a grand b'oom of a Rose 
that deserves to be more grown ; A. K. Williams, Captain Chricty, Fransois 
Michelon, Charles Lefebvre, Marie Finger, Countess of Rosebery, Mrs. 
Laxton, Merveille de Lyon, Due de Rohan, Marie Baumann, Duchesse de 
Vallombrosa. Emilie Hausburg, Camille de Rohan, Queen and Star of 
Waltham. The Rev. Lionel Garnett was second. In the class for eighteen 
Mr. Hall was again first with Captain Christy, Hippolyte Jamain, Dupuy 
Jamain, Duchesse de Caylus, Francis Michelon, Merveille de Lyon, 
Comtesse de Camando, very fine ; Baroness Rothschild, Marie Baumann, 
Innocente Pirola, John Stuart Mill, Star of Waltham, Marie Rady, E. Y. 
Teas, Emilie Hausburg, Fisher Holmes, Comtesse de Serenye, and Duke of 
Connaught. 
Mr. Hall was also first for twelve Teas, Souvenir d’E ise, Etoile de Lyon, 
Innocente Pirola, Marie Van Houtte, President, Jean Ducher, Perle des 
Jardins, Edith Giffard, Comtesse de Nadaiilac, Madame de Watteville, 
Anna Ollivier, and Franci-ca Kruger. 
In the claEs for twelve, Mr. W. C. Hall was first with Marie Finger 
Alfred Colomb, Captain Christy, Rosieriste Jacobs, Prince Arthur, Madame 
Hippolyte Jamain, Camille B rnardin, Franfjis Michelon, Louis Van Houtte, 
Jules Finger, and Dr. Andry; in the class for six with Marie Baumann, 
Annie Wood, Dr. Andrv, Alfred Co’omb, Mirie Finger, and La France. In 
the open class for Bix Mr. C. E. Hall was first with E.ienne Levet, Merveille 
development, and recognising this the Chiswick Horticultural Society, 
with the assistance of an earnest supporter, were enabled this year to 
offer a prize of exceptional value. Mrs. S. A. Lee, with most com¬ 
mendable generosity, offered a Jubilee challenge cup of handsome 
design, value twenty-six guineas, for the best group of plants arranged 
for effect in a space of 100 square feet, the winner to retain the cup 
for the year, but before it becomes the property of any exhibitor it 
must be won three times, not necessarily consecutively. In addition 
sums of £4, £3, £2, and £1 were contributed by the Society as first, 
second, third and fourth prizes. It might have been expected that 
such a class as this would have brought a large number of competitors, 
but whether it was not sufficiently known, or exhibitors suddenly became 
troubled with an unusual timidity, we cannot say, but only three groups 
were staged, a number that we hope to see doubled or trebled next 
year. 
The first honours, the challenge cup and £4 prize, were, after a 
careful consideration of the respective merits of the groups entered, 
awarded to Mr. W. Brown, St. Mary’s Grove Nursery, Richmond, who is 
w T ell known in the district, and has repeatedly shown his skill in 
arrangements at the Richmond Exhibition. An illustration of this 
group (fig. 8), prepared from a photograph, gives some idea of the 
general style, but it is impossible in black and white to do full justice 
to such a bright and effective production. Mr. Brown owed his success 
mainly to the even balance of foliage and flowers in his collection, the 
