184 
JOURNAL OF H0RTICUL1URE AND COTTAGE GARDEEER. 
[ August 27, 1885. 
and must be much appreciated by the exhibitors. The first class in the 
fruit section was six bunches of black Grapes, two bunches of three varieties, 
and there were fourteen lots staged. A capital class. Viewed superficially 
the best six appeared to be on the stand of the Earl of Harrington,Elvaston 
Castle, Derby (gardener, Mr. Goodacre), who had two very fine bunches of 
Muscat Hamburgh and also good Black Hamburghs ; but Madresfield Court, 
his other variety, was quite green near the footstalks, and no doubt this 
led the Judges to award the first prize to Joseph Evans, Esq., Hurst House, 
Prescot, Lancashire (gardener, Mr. A. Young), who had six large finely 
ripened bunches of Black Hamburgh, Madresfield Court, and Alicante in 
wonderful condition for the season. These were perfect and even, and had 
been grown with great care. The Earl of Harrington followed with those 
just spoken of, and the Rev. Walter Sneyd, Keele Hall, Stafford (gardener, 
Mr. J. Wallis) came third with good Madresfield Court, Muscat Hamburgh, 
and Black Hamburgh. Three prizes only were offered, but the exhibits 
being so meritorious the Judges awarded a fourth prize to Major J. S. 
Thursby, Llandudno (gardener, Mr. C. Joseph), whose bunches were 
certainly not large, but the berries were uncommonly fine. Colonel Wing¬ 
field was first for three bunches of black Grapes with Black Hamburgh, 
finely coloured, good in size of bunch and berry, and well finished. The 
Hon. C. H. Wynn, Rug Corwea (gardener, Mr. J. Bennett), was second with 
three beautiful clusters of Alnwick Seedling. They were perfectly coloured, 
carried a deep bloom, and were very attractive. H. Baxter, Esq., J.P., The 
Tower, Rainhill (gardener, Mr J. Brotherton), waB third with Madresfield 
Court, very fine in berry, and well finished. A fourth prize was added for 
the Alicante from Viscount Combermere, Combermere Abbey (gardener 
Mr N. E. Owen), and a fifth prize to Mr. I. Roberts, Stourbridge. The 
finest Hamburghs in this class came from H. W. Foley, Esq., Prestwood 
Hall, but they were weak in colour and bloom. The Misses Bannerman 
also showed well in this class. 
In the white Grape class four bunches of two varieties, Joseph Evans, 
Esq., was again first with Muscat of Alexandria, very good in bunch and 
ripe; and Foster’s Seedling, very fine in bunch and finish. J. Corbett, 
Esq., M.P., Droitwich (gardener, Mr. R. Parker), was second with Golden 
Champion, rather loose in the bunch, but large in berry and spotless ; and 
Muscat of Alexandria, small in berry, but good in quality. S. Meakin, Esq., 
The Hazes, Stone (gardener, Mr. Wilkes), was third with Muscat of Alex¬ 
andria and Foster’s Seedling : and the Rev. W. Sneyd was fourth with 
moderate Duke of Buccleuch and good Muscat of Alexandria. The Rev. 
J. D. Corbet exhibited strongly here, his Buckland Sweetwater bunches 
being very good. In the three bunches of white Grapes class James 
Watson, Esq., Berwick House, Shrewsbury (gardener, Mr. J. Purser), was 
an e asy first with the finest coloured Muscat of Alexandria in the Show. 
The berries were large, bunches if anything too thin, but the colour was 
superb. The Misses Bannerman followed with bunches of the same style. 
H. Baxter, Esq., was third with Muscat of Alexandria, very fine in the bunch, 
as were the fourth-prize Grapes from the same gentleman. The highly 
respected President of the year, Sir V. R. Corbet, Acton Reynold (gardener, 
Mr. J. Hawkesford), was fifth with Muscat of Alexandria, very large in 
bunch, but rather uneven in berry, and not quite ripe. E. C. Glover, Esq., 
staged some good examples of Duke of Buccleuch ; and Sir C. R. Boughton, 
Downton Hall (gardener, Mr. H. E. Kennedy), a good specimen of Buck- 
land Sweetwater. The Grapes from the amateurs, especially those from Mr. 
Blakeway Phillips, Hanwood, and Mr. George Burr, were very good. 
For the collection of twelve dishes of fruit there were five competitors. 
Last year there was not one. The Earl of Harrington was first here, the 
weightiest dishes being two beautiful bunches of Muscat Hamburgh and 
good Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, and a Charlotte Rothschild Pine Apple 
of fine shape weighing 7J lbs. Other good dishes were Hero of Lockinge 
Melon, Goshawk Peaches, Pine Apple Nectarines, Moor Park Apricot, De 
Montfort Plum, Morello Cherry, Garibaldi Strawberry, Doyenne d’Ete Pear, 
and White Dutch Currants, by no means a strong dish in a collection of twelve 
sorts, but the first named brought up the points. J. Corbett, Esq., M.P., 
was a very close and good second with Black Hamburgh rather small, clean 
Muscat of Alexandria, a good Queen Pine Apple, Best of All Melon, Royal 
George Peach, andElruge Nectarine of fine quality. The Hon. C. H. Wynn 
was third with clean samples, amongst which there was a Pine Apple named 
“ New Black Jamaica,” which we recognised as our old friend Prince Albert. 
The Rev. J. D. Corbet was fourth with a very good Queen Pine, fine large 
Figs, and fair Muscat of Alexandria, but the Melon was past its best. The 
Misses Bannerman were placed first with nine dishes. The Muscat of 
Alexandria and Madresfield Court Grapes being very good, as were also the 
Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries, Plums, Gooseberries, and Melon, 
which formed the other dishes. Colonel Wingfield was second and J. 
Watson, Esq., third, both being very close up to the first, the Muscat with 
the latter being very fine, but the Peaches and Nectarines were deficient. 
The Peach class was well filled, the prizes going to Mr. W. Shaw, G. 
Meakin, Esq., and E. Wright, Esq. The Hon. C. H. Wynn was first for 
Nectarines, Sir C. R. Boughton second, F. H. B. Sladen, Esq., Leighton 
Hall (gardener, Mr. C. Davies), third, and General Jenkins, Cruckton Hall 
(gardener, Mr. J. Withers), fourth. Apricots were very good, Plums inferior 
and few, Melons plentiful, but not of general high quality, Sir V. R. Corbet 
taking first in the green-flesh variety class and G. Meakin, Esq., first in the 
scarlet-flesh variety clas3. Cherries were remarkably fine, the first prize 
being easily won by the Rev. R. E. Warren, The Mount, Shrewsbury, with a 
first-rate dish, as were also the second and third prize fruits from Sir P. 
Smythe, Acton Burnell (gardener,Mr. J. Edwards), and the Earl of Harrington. 
With six dishes of hardy fruit the Earl of Harrington was first, Mr. W. Shaw 
second, and J. Watson, Esq., third, the latter spoiling his chance for first 
place through introducing two dishes of Currants, the White inferior. 
VEGETABLES. 
The prizes for collections of twelve varieties produced keen competition, 
and although Colonel Wingfield’s gardener, Mr. Lambert, was placed first 
there would have been no mistake made if Mr. Milner from Sundorne Castle 
had been placed equal, both showing uncommonly well. The former having 
Canadian Dwarf Beans, Major Clarke’s red Celery, The Lyon Leek, very fine; 
Giant Cauliflower, too old; Tripoli Onion, Hathaway’s Tomato, John Bull 
Pea, Brussels Sprouts, Telegraph Cucumber, Nutting’s Beet, Covent Garden 
Perfection Potato, and James’s Carrot. Mr. Milner’s Perfection Tomato was 
grand, as were also his Giant Cauliflower and Williams’ red Celery, and, 
indeed, so were his other dishes, including Favourite Potato, Canadian Bean, 
Intermediate Carrot, Carter’s Six Weeks’ Turnip, Pragnell’s Beet, Giaut 
Rocca Onion, and Telegraph Cucumber. J. Watson, Esq , came third with 
well-grown produce, and this gentleman was first with six dishes of Potatoes, 
showing fine samples of Pride of the Yalley, Woodstock Kidney, Blanchard, 
Vicar of Laleham, Webb’s Surprise (one of the b st), and Schoolmaster. 
General Jenkins came second, and these two exhibitors changed places in 
the three-dish competition. General Jenkins was first in the single-dish 
class with International. Tomatoes were numerous and fine; Peas were not 
in good form ; Onions, spring and autumn sown, were abundant and good ; 
Cucumbers, especially the first-prize brace from J. Watson, Esq., were 
capital; Cauliflowers were mostly too large and a little past their prime; 
Celery, French Beans, Parsnips, Carrots, and Turnips were extensively shown 
and good as a rule. Altogether local competitors in all departments are to 
be congratulated on being able to hold tneir own so well, as, although the 
handsome prizes offered bring many weighty opponents from a distance, the 
local growers certainly secure the lion’s share of the prizes, and if th-y 
continue to improve as they have done in recent years it will soon be a hard 
matter to match them in any of the classes. 
The cottagers had a tent 150 feet in length and 50 feet in width all to 
themselves. Someone suggested that the Potatoes exhibited in Borne 
instances had been dressed with furniture polish, but perhaps they had only 
accidentally come in contact with the beeswax in tne honey tent close by. 
The vegetables in this section were cerlainly highly creditable to the growers, 
and so were the cut flowers and plants. Th; chief prizetakers were Messrs. 
George Roberts, Sundorne Lodge; W. Maund, L idlow; Robert Gand, D. 
Hughes, Henry Jones, Market Drayton ; Thomas Downes, W. Haycock, H. 
Clarke, M. Williams, and Mary Douglas. 
MISCELLANEOUS EX SI BITS. 
Messrs. Webb <fe Sons, seedsmen, of Wordsley, Stourbridge, had a large 
stand of vegetables, upwards of 100 varieties. They consisted of all the leading 
kinds for which this firm has become noted, and they were displayed in large 
heaps in a very attractive manner. The quality throughout was exceedingly 
fine, better indeed than could be found in the majority of the competing 
dishes, and being near the entrance to one of the principal tents it com¬ 
manded much attention. Aspecial first-class certificate of merit was awarded 
for this excellent collection, and if a higher award had been at the command 
of the Judges it would no doubt have received it. Mr. T. Lanon, Bedford, 
exhibited a fine stand of summer-flowering Chrysanthemums, Potatoes, 
Onions, Peas, and Kidney Beans of good quality, the whole of which was 
very highly commended. Messrs. James Dickson & Sons, Chester, had a 
fine collection of Conifers in pots near to the main entrance, and with tnese 
were many fine Liliums. Some admirable specimen Vines in pots were also 
shown by this firm, and inside one of the tents they had some good stands 
of Rose blooms, single Dahlias, and hardy fl >wers. Messrs. Richard Smith 
and Co., Worcester, filled a large table with Ferns, Pa ms, Crotons Aradas, 
Heaths, and Caladiums ; the whole edged with Euonymus albo-margin it is. 
This was a most attractive table. The cut herbaceous flowers from this firm 
were exceedingly fine, as were also the Yuccas and Rose blooms. Messrs. 
F. & A. Dickson, Chester, filled a large stand with many excellent stove and 
greenhouse plants, as did also Messrs. Pritchard Sons, Messrs. J nes & Sons, 
and Mr. Myers of the Sutton Lane Nurseries, Shrewsbury. Mr. Vertegans, 
nurseryman, Birmingham, exhibited largely and attractively his cut hardy 
flowers, seedling Carnations, Hollyhocks, Tuberoses, and Gaillardias being 
excellent in quality and beautifully set up. Outside “The Simoless” pot 
washer from Mr. E. Bennett was on view, and Messrs. Balfour from Longton 
had a good display of fancy and useful pots. 
Messrs. Webb & Sons received a first-class certificate for a new unnamed 
seedling Potato. It has a rough brown coat, shallow eye, and appears both 
good and distinct. Mr. Laxton received the same compliment for his new 
White Beauty of Hebron Potato, which was shown cooked and uncooked, 
and a like distinction was bestowed on his Wuite Czar runner Bean, which 
is out of the common in size. 
SIDE-SADDLE FLOWERS. 
Under the general term of Pitcher Plants are included several very 
peculiar and interesting groups of plants, of which the Nepenthes form the 
largest and most important genus ; next to these com ;the S irracenia* aud 
the strangely beautiful Darlingtonia. These are all distinguished by the re¬ 
markably singular structure of the leaves, which have departed from tne 
ordinary form and apparently become more or less adapted fir carnivorous 
habits similar to the Venus’s Fly Trap Dionaea mu-cipula. In the Nepen¬ 
thes the alteration is most completely effected, for of these the excreta ties 
of leaves assume a distinct pitcher-like form, the lower p irtion of the leit- 
blade being of its normal character ; in the Sarracenias, however, this is 
reversed, for in them it seems as if the leafstalk had been hollowed to 
constitute “ the pitcher,” while the blade takes the form of “a lid ” at. the 
apex, and this character also prevails in the Darlingtonia. As to the origin 
of these peculiarities opinions differ, and the plants are strangely isolated 
from their nearest relatives in leaf-form. So many iiuks are wan ing in 
the chain of evidence that we cannot sat sfactortly (race the origin of the 
structure. That it has a use there can be little doubt, and, like the other 
“ carnivorous plants,” this seems to be mainly counected with the supply 
of nitrogenous nutriment to the plants through tbe medium of their 
leaves. Both Sarracenias and Nepenthes secrete a liquid which serves 
first to attract insects and then to kill them, and there are so many 
adaptations to this end that unquestionably the plants are intended to 
derive some advantage from it. The pitchers also serve another purpo-e. 
They in several cases act as reservoirs of moisture much in the same way 
as the closely imbricated leaves of the Bromeliads, or in a m >re remarkable 
degree in the “ Traveller’s Tree ” of Madagascar. In some of tbe Sarra¬ 
cenias, however, “the lid” is so closely pla:ed or curved over the en'rance 
to the leaf-tube that it is scarcely posub e for rain to find an entrance, and 
a few of the Nepenthes are almost as effectually protected in a similar 
