226 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September if, 1891. 
the opening of the flowers, as many who do not exhibit have found to 
their sorrow, and it was therefore to be expected that the Dahlia 
Society’s Show would suffer in some measure from the same cause. 
Such anticipations of this nature as were formed were fully realised. 
The supply of tabling proved to be far more than adequate for the 
exhibits, and the ominous gaps between the stands told their own story. 
The amateurs’ section was very weak in point of quantity, but the 
nurserymen’s classes were better filled. Naturally the southern and 
western exhibitors had matters nearly all their own way ; doubtless the 
flowers of northern growers are still far from ready. 
The quality of the flowers was, on the whole, admirable, and probably 
turned out to be much better than many had expected. Taken 
altogether, the Show and Fancy varieties seemed to be somewhat 
lacking in weight, but in other respects they were excellent, and as 
breadth and substance of petal, form, and correctness of colour are more 
important than mere size, there was very little cause for complaint. 
A point worth noting is the unmistakeable manner in which the Pompons 
and singles were eclipsed by the Cactus and Decorative varieties. The 
latter have now developed into a most important and beautiful group, 
and they are of such value for garden decoration and cutting that their 
growth in numbers and diversity is cause for satisfaction. They have 
■sprung up since the late Mr. Shirley Hibberd prophesied that the Pom¬ 
pons would in course of time acquire the leading position, and have 
already far outstripped the latter. The following are particulars of the 
Show. 
Nurserymen. 
The principal class for Show and Fancy varieties intermixed was 
for sixty blooms. There were five stands in competition, and that of 
Mr. C. Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, was ultimately selected as the 
best. Perhaps in point of size his flowers, like those of the other 
exhibitors, were a shade below the average, but in form, substance, 
freshness, and colour they were unexceptionable. The varieties were as 
follows :—Back row : Wm. Rawlings, Earl of Ravensworth, Comedian, 
Prince Bismarck, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, Geo. Rawlings, Mrs. Langtry, 
Colonist, Rev. J. B. M. Camm (self), Harry Keith, Henry Walton, 
Rebecca, John Bennett, Maud Fellowes, T. W. Girdlestone, John 
Standish, Clara, Statesman, Miss Cannell, and Old Tom. Middle row : 
Matthew Campbell, Mr. Harris, Alice Emily, a seedling of the same 
shade as Mr. Harris ; Mrs. Slack, Glow-worm, Zorina, Jas. Cocker, 
Ethel Britton, J. Hickling, a dark crimson seedling; Mrs. Saunders, 
Miss Fox, Crimson King, J. T. West, Mrs. Gladstone, Goldfinder, Excel¬ 
lent, R. T. Rawlings, and Bendigo. Front row : Emily Edwards, Mrs. 
Foster, John Henshaw, Robert Turner, Sunbeam, Agnes, Mrs. Harris, 
Jas. Green, Florence, J. Ashby, Seraph, Burgundy, Nellie Tranter, 
Flag of Truce, Mr3. Hodson, Willie Garrett, Chas. Wyatt (mauve self), 
Georgina, Lustrous, and Primrose Dame. Messrs. Keynes, Williams, and 
Co. were second with flowers in admirable condition, but hardly so 
heavy as the first prize lot. John Hickling, Nellie Cramond, T. W. 
Girdlestone, Mrs. JefEord, Clara, Jas. O’Brien, and Ethel Britton were 
■extremely good. The third prize went to Mr. A. Rawlings, Romford, 
for somewhat small but well-coloured flowers; and the fourth to Mr. 
M. V. Seale, Vine Nurseries, Sevenoaks. There was one other stand. 
Class 2 called for forty-eight blooms, Show and Fancy intermixed, and 
brought several very good stands. Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. were 
placed first, flowers somewhat undersized, but broad in petal, and good 
in form and colour. They had the following varieties. Back row : 
Thos. Hobbs, Royal Queen, a scarlet sport from Duchess of Albany ; 
Rev. J. B. M, Camm (very good), Wm. Rawlings, Jas. O’Brien, Mr. 
Glasscock, Agnes, Edmund Boston, Henry Walton, Colonist, Mrs. 
McKenzie, Nellie Cramond, Coronet, Miss Cannell, and Harry Keith. 
Middle row : R. T. Rawlings, King of Crimsons, Shirley Hibberd, Mrs. 
'Saunders, Frank Pearce, Nero, Joseph Ashby, Duchess of Albany, 
Gaiety, R. Dean, Queen of the Belgians, Goldfinder, Mrs. J. Downie, 
Mrs. G. Herbert, Jas. Cocker, and John Hickling. Front row : Mr. 
Spofforth, Mrs. Langtry, J. T. Vaughan, John Henshaw, Hercules, Mrs. 
Gladstone, Prince of Denmark, Comedian, a very dark crimson sport 
from Rebecca ; R. T. Rawlings, Mrs. Foreman, Prince Bismarck, Eclipse, 
T. S. Ware, Miss Barber and Dorothy. A fine stand from Mr. A. Raw¬ 
lings, in which George Gordon (splendid), Maud Fellowes, Geo. Raw¬ 
lings, R. T. Rawlings and Mr. Glasscock were conspicuously good, 
secured him the second prize, the third going to Mr. Turner, and the 
fourth to Mr. Seale, both having good stands. 
There were five stands of thirty-six blooms, and Mr. G. Humphries, 
Kington Langley, Chippenham, was placed first for Duchess of Albany, 
F. Pearce, Agnes, W. Rawlings, all fine blooms; Ethel Britton, 
Harry Turner, J. W. Lord, Salamander, Hope, Hercules, Mrs. Kendal, 
G. Barnes (self), Mrs. Saunders, Jas. Stephens, Mrs. Langtry, Jas. Cocker 
<very good), Colonist, Maud Fellowes (beautiful), Nellie Cramond, 
Goldfinder, Sunset, Shirley Hibberd, Jos. Ashby, Mrs. D. Saunders, 
Mrs. Gladstone, Lustrous, Royal Queen, Crimson King, Rebecca, Mr. J. 
Downie, Rosetta, R. T. Rawlings, Major Clarke, Mrs. Harris, Matthew 
Gampbell, and Willie Garrett; these were an even, fresh lot of flowers. 
Messrs. Saltmarsh & Son, Chelmsford, were second, and they had Frank 
Pearce, R. T. Rawlings, Mr. Glasscock, Jas. Cocker, Goldfinder, Willie 
Garrett, Mrs. Foreman, and Miss Cannell in capital condition. The third 
prize went to Mr. J. Walker, Thame, for a heavy lot of flowers slightly 
lacking finish, and the fourth to Mr. S. Mortimer, Rowledge, Farnham, one 
other competing. There were five stands of twenty-four, the best being 
a beautiful collection from Mr. Humphries, which, though not large, 
were in splendid condition ; they were so even that it was difficult to 
pick out any that were exceptionally good. The varieties were Duchess 
of Albany, Mrs. J. Downie (scarlet self), R. T. Rawlings, Wm. Rawlings, 
Mrs. Saunders, Harry Turner, Maud Fellowes, Frank Pearce, Prince of 
Denmark, Mrs. Humphries, Jas. Stephen, Mrs. Gladstone, Nellie 
Cramond, Agnes, Colonist, Mr. John Downie, Hope, Lustrous, J. T. 
West, G. Barnes (self), Ethel Britton, Wm. Keith, Edmund Boston, 
and Rosetta. Mr. J. Walker secured the second award with an excellent 
stand. Mr. Mortimer was third and Messrs. Saltmarsh & Sons were 
fourth. The best of the six stands of twelve came from Mr. J. R. 
Tranter, Henley-on-Thames, consisting of neat fresh examples of Henry 
Keith, Mrs. Gladstone, Willie Garrett, J. T. West (two seedlings), Jos. 
Ashby, Geo. Rawlings, Harrison Weir, John Standish, Chorister, and a 
crimson variety marked “ Unknown.” Mr. H. Harris, Writtle Road, 
Chelmsford, was second, his best blooms being Mrs. Gladstone, Frank 
Pearce, and Mr. Glasscock. Messrs. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, were third, 
and Mr. George Gilbert, Ipswich, fourth. 
Cactus and Decorative varieties in bunches of six blooms formed 
some extremely beautiful stands, the rich and distinct colours of the 
flowers giving a most pleasing effect. Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. 
had the best twelve, the varieties being St. Catherine, a new and good 
yellow; Juarezi, Mrs. Hawkins, the richly tinted seedling Baron 
Schroder, which received an award of merit from the R.H.S. recently ; 
Duke of Clarence, Countess of Pembroke, a beautiful seedling, with pale 
mauve flowers ; Mrs. Arthur Newall, deep brownish red, new ; a yellow 
seedling, unnamed; Kynerith, the new scarlet, a splendid variety ; 
Viscountess Folkestone, pale yellow seedling ; Lancelot, and Dr. Masters, 
a seedling, with pale mauve tinted flowers, hardly of the correct Cactus 
type. Messrs. Cheal & Sons also had a fine stand, in which the new 
Beauty of Arundel, crimson, shaded carmine; Black Prince, Mrs. 
G. Reid, Harry Freeman, and Empress of India were very noteworthy. 
They were placed second. The third prize went to Mr. M. V. Seale for 
a very bright and fresh stand, and Mr. C. Turner was fourth. Messrs. 
Cheal & Sons turned the tables on the winners in the above class with 
nine Cactus varieties only, winning with a very beautiful stand in which 
Beauty of Brentwood, rich purplish magenta ; Juarezi, Mrs. Hawkins, 
Panthea, and Amphion were exceptionally good. Mr. Seale was second 
with Honoria, Juarezi, Panthea, and Henry Cannell as his best; and 
Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. third with a somewhat crowded stand 
of smaller flowers. For a similar number, in which Decorative varieties 
were admitted, Messrs. Burrell & Co. won with a very good stand, 
Robert Maher, Juarezi, Mrs. Hawkins, Mrs. G. Reid, Mrs. Douglas, 
Black Prince, H. Freeman, Amphion, and Professor Baldwin being all 
admirably shown. Messrs. Paul & Son, the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
were second with a very fresh, well-coloured collection, and Mr. G. 
Humphries third. 
Pompons were extensively shown, and on the whole were very bright 
in colour. The principal class was for twenty-four varieties in bunches 
of teD, and Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. were placed first for a 
delightful stand. The flowers were under rather than over - sized, 
which is a fault in the right direction, and in very fine condition. The 
varieties were Darkness, Phcebe, Rosalie, Lady Blanche, White Aster, 
Grace, Hector, Little Darkie, Dora, Golden Gem, Isabel, Airy Fairy 
Lilian, a charming seedling with medium-sized flowers of a soft rosy 
mauve ; Crimson Beauty, Whisper, Eurydice, E. F. Jungker, Red 
Indian, Leila, Favourite, Karl Goldenburg, Mdlle. Faconet, Janet, 
Achilles, and Admiration. Messrs. Cheal & Son followed very closely— 
so closely that there could have been very few points between the two 
stands. Their flowers were very fresh and good in colour. Achilles, 
Othello, Admiration, Little Bobby, Isabel, and Favourite were charmingly 
represented. Mr. C. Turner was third with another capital box ; and 
Mr. Such, Maidenhead, fourth. With twelve varieties Messrs. Paul and 
Son were first, having an exceptionally good box, the varieties being 
E. F. Jungker, Grace, Iolanthe, Darkness, Rosalie, Mignon, Kammer- 
herr Van Hinkeldry, Red Indian, Admiration, Eurydice, Nymph, and 
H. Milesky. Mr. Humphries was second with a very neat stand, and 
Messrs. Burrell & Co. third. 
Single varieties exhibited a great falling off in numbers, and the 
quality was not up to the average. Messrs. Cheal & Son won from three 
competitors with twenty-four bunches of ten, and if not up to their 
highest standard it was, considering the season, of great excellence, the 
flowers being in good condition—clear, bright, and fresh. The varieties 
were Duchess of Fife, Victoria, Mrs. Coninck, Duchess of Westminster, 
Mrs. Bowman, T. W. Girdlestone, Jas. Scobie (orange sport), Miss 
Henshaw, Amos Perry, Hugo, Beauty of Uplands, Miss Jefferies, 
Gulielma, Northern Star, Marie Linden, Cleopatra (new dark maroon), 
Alba Perfecta, W. C. Harvey, Miss Glasscock (a new variety, honoured 
by the R.H.S.), Cetewayo, Eclipse, Miss Roberts, and Formosa. Mr. 
M. V. Seale also had a very rich and diversified stand, which included a 
new white variety named Mrs. W. Seale, growing only 2\ feet high, and 
was placed second, Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, being third, and 
Mr. Such fourth. There was no entry with twelve varieties. 
Amateurs. 
The amateurs’ classes were somewhat thin, but they comprised some 
very good stands. Mr. J. T. West, gardener to W. Keith, Esq., Corn- 
walls, Brentwood, had the best stand of twenty-four Shows and Fancies 
intermixed, and they were unmistakeably a beautiful collection of 
flowers, being of large size and superbly coloured. The varieties were 
Arthur Rawlings, R. T. Rawlings, Harry Keith, Maud Fellowes, Mrs. 
Gladstone, John Henshaw, Matthew Campbell, Shirley Hibberd, Prince 
of Denmark, Mrs. Langtry, Glow-worm, Frank Pearce, Duke of Fife, 
Mrs. Saunders, Harry Turner, Clara, J. T. West, Wm. Rawlings, 
Henrietta, Lord Chelmsford, Willie Garrett, Henry Glasscock, Mrs, 
