May M, 1888 J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
4S1 
groups 150 square feet each was allotted, four competitors entering the 
class. Mr. S. Baerlein led with a light and tasteful composition of 
Adiantums, Rhodanthes, Crotons, Pelargoniums, &c. Mr. S. Lord 
followed with a varied group not quite so light as the preceding; Mr. 
G-. B. Blair, Whalley Range, and Mrs. Hodgkinson taking third and 
fourth place. With hardy herbaceous plants Messrs. J. Dickson & Son, 
Chester, were the principal exhibitors in the nurserymen’s class. In the 
class for forty alpines Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, were first, and 
amongst amateurs Mr. J. Dickens gained a similar position. For thirty 
hardy herbaceous and bulbous plants R. P. Gill. Esq., Woodhayes Hall, 
Ashton-on-Mersey (gardener, Mr. Plant), was first with a capital collec¬ 
tion of showy plants, a large pan of the blue Ajuga genevensis being 
conspicuous. Roses from Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Pelargoniums and hardy Ferns from Messrs. C. 
Ryland <fc Co., Ormskirk, were all good, as also 
were the amateura’ hardy Ferns from Arthur 
Bitley, Esq., Pendleton, and Mrs. Hodgkinson, 
who were first and second respectively. 
Cut flowers were principally Pansies and Roses ; 
the former were chiefly from local growers or 
fanciers ; Mrs. Mellor, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Mr. 
G. Robinson, Sale, and Mr. J. Dickens, Higher 
Broughton, winning the leading prizes. Ex¬ 
ceptionally beautiful blooms of Tea Roses shown 
by J. Marshall Buckley, Esq., gained the exhibitor 
the first prize, and it is seldom that such sub¬ 
stantial Rose blooms are seen at this time of year. 
The varieties were Princess of Wales, Alba rosea, 
Madame de Watteville, Grace Darling, Anna 
Ollivier, Comtesse de Nadaillac, Hon. E. Gifford, 
Niphetos, Souvenir d’un Ami, Marie Van Houtte, 
Madame Welche, and Catherine Mermet. Colonel 
Wingfield, Onslow, Shrewsbury (gardener, Mr. 
Lambert), sent a box of thirty-six grand flowers 
of Mar^chal Niel Rose, of great size and sub¬ 
stance and rich colour. 
Fruit was not very abundant, but it was better 
than might have been expected at such an early 
date in a late season like the present. Sir W. 
Pease, Bart., M.P., Hutton Hall, Guisboro’ 
(gardener, Mr. J. Mclndoe), was the principal 
exhibitor, taking first with eight dishes, third 
with black Grapes, second with two Pine Apples, 
first with one Pine Apple, with Peaches and 
green-flesh Melons, all the samples staged with 
creditable productions. P. J. Thellusson, Esq., 
Doncaster (gardener, Mr. Chuck), was first with 
white and Black Grapes, the former even bunches 
of Duke of Buccleuch, the berries large and very 
clean; the black Grapes were Black Hamburgh, 
well finished for early Grapes. W. Bretherton, 
Esq., Chorley (gardener, Mr. FAnson), followed 
in the white Grape class with Foster’s Seedling, 
small. 
The miscellaneous exhibits were as follows:— 
An extensive and beautiful group of greenhouse 
plants from Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & Son, High- 
gate, Azaleas, and the graceful Saxifraga pyra- 
midalis freely employed being striking. Messrs. 
F. & H. Dickson, Chester, had a pretty group 
of Maples and Carnations ; the white Madlle. 
Carle, the yellow Mrs. Reynolds Hole and Lilac 
Charles X. were employed with capital effect. 
Mr. J. Hayward, Cheadle, showed a group of 
Rhododendrons and other plants. Messrs. W. & J. 
Birkenhead, Sale, had a group of Tree Ferns and 
dwarf Ferns of various kinds, arranged to form 
a central group. Messrs. J. Waterer & Co., Bag- 
shot, had large banks of Rhododendrons. Messrs. 
Ryder & Son, Sale, had a group of Primula 
Sieboldi varieties, and outside Messrs. C. H. Frettingham & Son, 
Beeston, had a fine exhibit of Conifers. 
TUBULAR FLOWER HOLDERS. 
Messes. Geoege Smith & Co., Commercial Road, Pimlico, 
exhibited their new receptacles for displaying cut flowers at the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Show last week. The flower holders 
are solid disks in the shape of a dome, either round or oval, with 
flat base, in which are sunk forty to fifty tubular orifices gradually 
inclining outwards from the centre. When flowers are to be arranged, 
the tubes are filled with water, and the disk is placed on an ornamental 
plate of wide diameter (preferably of glass or terra eotta), which retains 
any overflow of w.ater, and supports the outer leaves. The sprays of 
flowers and foMage are inserted in the tubes one by one, according to 
the taste of the arranger—the highest in the eentre, others inclining 
outwards, and the lowest resting on the margin of the plate. As will 
be perceived even a few flowers may be arranged to the best ad¬ 
vantage, while, if numerous, their effect need not be spoiled by over¬ 
crowding. The engraving on fig. 58 represents the disk arranged with 
floweis ; fig. 59, showing the disk singly, and the same placed on the 
plate ready for arrangement. We are informed there was a great 
demand for these articles at the Show in question. 
GARAWAY’S CLIFTON NURSERIES. 
Theee are no better known nurserymen in the west of England than 
the Messrs. Garaway, When I first knew them they were inclined to 
continue on the old lines, keeping hundreds of old-fashioned hard- 
wooded plants in pots. These are nearly all disposed of, only enough 
being kept to meet chance orders. Neither fine-foliaged plants, if we 
except such useful Palms as Arecas Baueri, rubra sapida and lutescens, 
Chamjerops excelsa, Cocos Weddelliana, Cycas revoluta, Euterpe 
edulis. Geonomas gracilis and intermedia, Kentias Belmoreana, 
Canterburyana, and Fosteriana, Latania borbonica, and Seaforthia 
elegans, nor hardwooded plants, are in great demand in this part of the 
country. What are principally wanted are flowering plants, and more 
especially those producing choice white flowers. These are now being 
largely grown by Messrs. Garaway, nearly every house being crowded 
with serviceable young plants, all clean, healthy, and saleable. A 
double advantage attends the growth of these plants. Quite recently a 
show house fronting an important street has been built, and with thfs 
has followed an enlargement in the cut flower trade, wreaths, crosses, 
and bouquets being daily in demand. This enables the proprietors to 
profitably utilise ail their surplus flowers, and at Easter time, when my 
visit was paid, many more flowers could have been sold than were avail¬ 
able. Gardenias are always useful, these highly fragrant beautifully 
white flowers being good alike for bouquets, wreaths, and crosses. Of 
these there is a good bank of plants, the favourite varieties being 
G. llorida and intermedia. Another useful companion for Gardenias ia 
