December 15, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
523 
Even such liberal prizes did not induce exhibitors to enter the com- 
J’, 1 ', h y wa ® tlns ■ In my opinion the reason is perhaps, because, 
1S *b D0 ^ < ? at tW0 or three of the leadin ? growers are, or have 
others that are rather doubtful of their success against these 
growers are certainly detemd from doing so. Secondly, because the 
fr, i ^, U - P ° n *i he exhlbl tor is intensified tenfold, especially if he succeeds 
Z^l ag * CU P’, Tbls ,s even mo re marked when the cup is given to 
ih„ f^ r ° pe 7 ° f e em ployer and not the gardener. This touches 
r"^ reaSOn ’ ^ nd gardeners will not enter freely when they know 
ioM I the y Wln the cup it is not for them. The money prizes when 
large enough may draw them, but they do not willingly toil early and 
a V n order to oompete for prizes that they know at the outset will not 
l r ^ ard th J em f( ? r 80 (loin "- u must not be overlooked that extra 
K tX)U i r ’i a ! ld anxle .ty are imposed upon gardeners and their assist- 
wlii ex molting, and they are worthy of all they can win. Although, 
tWv? d oubt, whatever they win is the property of the employers, 
j 9 Palm ’t or expect it, but willingly allow their gardeners to 
exhib’t and have what they can win. The employers are amply rewarded, 
c^L5^ gard J ener WOrks Wlth greater willingness and determination to 
succeed, and consequently the produce generally in the garden is better 
;? an , would ^ m the majority of cases if they were not stimulated by 
° f - W “ ni 5 a few Prizes. I wonder how many they would 
attempt to win if they were to reap no advantage by so doing 1 This 
may. certainly seem like selfishness on the part of gardeners, but it is 
Lu.v the case< Tbe y look wi th suspicion on “ challenge vases ” given 
to be the property of the employer, for such action may foster a desire 
t v clai m for all cups, medals, Ac., that are won by the gardener, 
l nave known ill-feeling created by this cause, and the gardener gave up 
is place in consequence, as also did his successor. Whether they were 
wise m such a course is no part of my business to discuss. But if 
societies are to fulfil the object for which they exist it is the duty of 
those who manage them not to offer prizes that probably will lead to 
mischievous results. 
I may be referred to the competition at Sheffield, and told that it was 
no better than at Hull, although the cup th*-y gave w'as without the 
slightest restrictions and became the property of those who won it the 
rs year. Nine competitors entered, and it was certainly unfortunate 
that only three of that number turned up. No doubt Birmingham, 
-Hull, and other Shows being held so close together may have had much 
oi a? ?[, ■ , 8 > and it must be remembered that there was a show in 
Sheffield only the week before. 
I know that it is contended that these challenge vases are given as 
an inducement to employers to allow their gardeners to compete. I do 
not see that this has had the slightest effect whatever, for those who 
ave competed for them in every case were allowed to exhibit before 
they were offered. There may be a solitary exception, but it is not 
nown to ®e. I think if cups were offered the same as the money prizes, 
to be competed for and won in one year, the number of exhibitors would 
be increased considerably. This would be more likely to render shows 
popular in the main with the public as well as the exhibitors.” The 
object should be to gain as many exhibits as possible for the prizes 
offered. The more that take part in the show the more popular it is 
likely to become, and it will insure the shows being good and improve 
annually Valuable prizes given on the principle of those at Kingston 
and Hull bring at the most probably not more than two competitors, and 
maintain that this is not as it should be. Liverpool has never offered 
more than a ten-guinea cup and £3 for the first prize, but the classes in 
many cases are protected so as to give small as well as large growers a 
chance, and the result has been one of the best autumn Shows in the 
country.—W m. Bardney. 
ECCLES, PATRICROFT, AND PENDLETON CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SHOW. 
The first annual Exhibition was held under the auspices of the 
Patricroft Linnean Botanical Society at the Eccles Town Hall on 
F nday and Saturday, the 25th and 26th November. The Hall was well 
filled and presented an attractive appearance, and the Committee are to 
be congratulated upon the excellent exhibits of both plants and cut 
blooms. F° r Chrysanthemums in pots the principal first honours were 
■won by G. N. Leigh, Esq, Swinton (Mr. T. Balshaw, gardener), whose 
plants would have been hard to surpass at any show; J. Stock, Esq., 
Eccles (Mr. G. Barlow, gardener) ; Mr. W. Russell, nurseryman, Swin¬ 
ton ; Mr. James Smethurst, Winton ; and Mr. R. Johnson, Barton. For 
t U ^ Trr°v? S ’ ’I a P anese i the following are the first-prizewinners :—Mr. 
John vvalker, Stockport, and T. Dickens, Esq., Higher Broughton (Mr. 
H. Bennell, gardener) : Mr. Peter Eckerley, Middle Hutton ; Mr. J. 
Hoyle, Swinton ; and R. Johnson, Barton. For incurved cut blooms the 
first prizes were won by T. Dickens, Esq. (Mr. H. Bennell, gardener) ; 
Messrs. P. Eckersley, Middle Hutton ; W. Eckersley, Middle Hutton ; and 
R. Johnson, Barton. For six table decorative plants the first prize was 
awarded to J. Stocks, Esq., Eccles ; for six pots Roman Hyacinths to 
H. Dickens, Esq., Higher Broughton ; and for six pots Poinsettias to 
\\. Agnew, Esq., Pendleton (Mr. J. Bradley, gardener). 
A splendid collection of Palms and other decorative plants was lent 
by Mrs. T. Agnew, Eccles ; W. Agnew, Esq., Pendleton ; and Stuart 
Garnett, Esq., Pendleton. Messrs. W. Clibran & Son, Altrincham, ex¬ 
hibited, not for competition, a stand of nine dozen of each of Japanese 
and incurved blooms, which were much admired. They had also a 
separate staging for decorative plants, bouquets, wreatts, and sprays. 
Messrs. Dickson & Robinson of Manchester displayed a first-class 
selection of Cy clamens, Celosias, and other plants in pots ; and Messrs. 
Dickson, Brown, & Tait of Manchester showed a splendid collection of 
Cyclamens, Ferns, and Ericas. Messrs. W. Lovell & Sons of Winton 
sent a good selection of table decorative plants and Chrysanthemums in 
pots ; and Mr. W. Russell of Swinton was well represented by a. 
good display of Pompon Chrysanthemums in pots, and bouquets, 
wreaths, Ac. A splendid collection of Apples, grown by the exhibitor, 
Mr. James Derbyshire, Liverpool Road, Patricroft, was also staged in 
the Hall, and was much admired. The Judges were—Messrs. T. Cash, 
Prestwick ; J. Kertin, Altrincham ; J. J. Lowry, The Garden, Trafford 
Hail, Barton. The attendance was much above expectation, and the 
Committee feel encouraged by the generous support accorded to them. 
JUDGING BY BALLOT. 
A similar record of judging by ballot to the one submitted to you 
was also forwarded to me, and after studying and perplexing myself 
over it for a considerable time I threw it away disappointed, though 
afterward^ I thought the reason of my not understanding it might be 
attribute!l£to my obtuseness. Your observations on the subject have, 
however, satisfied me that such was not so. 
The way “how not to do it” was never better exemplified than by 
this example at the N.C.S. Show. When the method was first men¬ 
tioned to me, I inquired why three men were not sufficient to adjudicate, 
because if three were not enough thirty would not be too many, and if 
eighteen were necessary, why stop at eighteen J and why not have 
eighty ? But no ; it was to be eighteeen experts. Experts indeed ! It 
w as amusing to watch at least one of these experts, who displayed a 
decided flush of enthusiasm on receiving his ballot ticket. He was loud 
on the intrinsic qualities of the most overblown flower in the competi¬ 
tion, thereby displaying a perspicuity of intelligence that none but “ an 
expert could command. Add to this the suspense and desire of the 
public to know the awards, which were delayed from 11 a.m. till 6 P.M., 
and I think most exhibitors will exclaim, “ Save us from the ballot.” It 
may answer the purpose of the promoter to keep up the sensational ex¬ 
citement brought by such a means, but I trust never to see our worthy 
President mixed up with such a farce, or the N.C.S. ever again be the 
medium of its being enacted.— Bronze Peter. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM AMY FURZE. 
On page 499 “A J udge ” considers this variety should only be shown 
as a reflexed flower when in a young state. This seems to me a most 
unsatisfactory arrangement, and likely to lead to much misunderstand- 
ing, and not a little heartburning among exhibitors, unless, indeed, it 
were possible to instil into all judges and exhibitors alike the principle 
here laid down. 
The case seems to require one of two radical measures—either confirm 
Amy Furze as a reflexed, in which case each flower exhibited should be 
judged on its own merits and not subjected to “ be either passed or lose 
points ” when perfectly developed ; or it should be relegated to the 
Japanese class. Seeing that good reflexed flowers are comparatively 
scarce, would it not be advisable for the National Chrysanthemum 
Society to consider the advisability of a reclassification, when possibly 
such varieties as Elaine and Dr. Macary may be transferred from the 
Japanese class to the reflexed. I quite agree with “ A Judge” as to the 
excelence of Amy Furze as a decorative variety ; it comes good on any 
bud, and if not disbudded has the commendable habit of throwing anr 
abundance of small perfectly formed side flowers.—T. \V. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT ASHTON HALL, LANCASTER. 
IN Lancashire, where this popular flower is so well cultivated, there 
are very few plants which have been grown to greater perfection this 
year than the collection displayed in the gardens of the fine old resi¬ 
dence of J. P. C. Starkie, Esq., J.P. Although it is only recently that 
Chrysanthemum growing received much attention here, unless for 
ordinary use, yet at the time of my visit last month the collection was the 
centre of attraction to many who received a hearty welcome from the 
owner. The blooms were far beyond anything I expected to see in this- 
far northern division of Lancashire, and, judging from the position they 
held on the exhibition tables at Huddersfield and Sheffield Shows, where 
they were in competition with some of the Liverpool champion growers,, 
they are likely to be heard of again. The plants, which were most effec¬ 
tively grouped, occupied a large house, ranged in height from 5 to 10 
feet, and the blooms, many of them measuring from 8 to 10 inches in 
diameter, reflected great credit on Mr. Hargreaves, the head gardener* 
whose perseverance is recognised by his worthy employer.— Visitor. 
ALNWICK SHOW. 
The Alnwick Horticultural Society held a Chrysanthemum Show on 
Thursday, December 8th, in the Corn Exchange. The variety and 
excellence of the display gratified a numerous company, who failed not 
to avail themselves of the novel and interesting sight, while the pro¬ 
moters of this new venture have cause for satisfaction at the success of 
the project. It was at the last annual December meeting the proposi¬ 
tion to hold a Chrysanthemum Show was brought before the members- 
by Mr. D. P. Bell, an energetic local horticulturist and florist, and by 
them cordially agreed to. The fact of no similar show being held in the 
county evidences a spirit of enterprise on the part of the Committee* 
and has had the effect of awakening a healthy rivalry quite beyond the 
limits of the locality. 
The spacious hall ol the Corn Exchange on Thursday presented an 
exceeding pretty aspect, every possible variety of the popular Chrysan¬ 
themum being shown. Near the centre of the room stood a handsome 
pyramid consisting principally of Azaleas, Bouvardias, and foliage plants* 
