Angust 27,1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
189 
J ?™ 8bad tbe Peache3, showing even well-coloured fruit of Princess 
of Wales ; second Mr. Mairs, gardener to Sir John Shelley, with Crawford’s 
Jtariy. fen dishes were shown, and for nine Nectarines there were a like 
number of entries, the first prize going to Mr. W. Seward, gardener to Sir H. 
Dane, for a nice dish of the Pine Apple; second Mr. J. Drew. For one 
green or white-fleshed Melon, first Mr. W. Seward ; second Mrs. Hart. 
S^ C w le ’ fir 4* Ma . ir , e3 ; second Mr. Geeson, gardener to LordHaldon, 
firot H M lSe p Exe u e u ^ ltb R ad ’ s Scarlet - For nine Apricots, Mr. Mairs 
was first, Mr. Powell being second. There were thirteen dishes of excellent 
r ,“SS m tb,s cla f s - There was only one dish of Figs—excellent fruits 
* l • for which Mr. Geeson deservedly secured 
M , r ' G ® eso “ w , as , also first for nine Pears, showing good fruits of 
a Gl ®, ard > and oat m F e lots of dessert Apples, Mr. Mairs was first 
with a good even fruit of Red Joaneting. Second Mrs. Ensor. Mr. Under- 
4 °^?’ gard ?“ r t ° Slr dobn Kennaway, Bart., had the best dish of kitchen 
Apples, and Mr. Powell the second best. The last named exhibitor had the 
best dish of yellow or green Plums, showing good fruits of Coe’s Golden 
Wr * d / r ' Seward. And for a like number of red or purple fruit, 
P n w^h g o , 8 g tn de n er r t ° 1 - L ? rd r P , O r ltim0re ' was first with g°° d Kirke’s. Mr. 
^ es |. e es ^ of Morello Cherries, and Mr. Mairs the second 
aa regards the collections and single dishes, ■were 
j- L- ln quantity rather than in quality, and without any attempt 
5;,??.“ a - 6 oolle otum covering as much spice as a like number of 
" -p P iflsd quantities in two collections as staged in London would 
Mr WaivlL h+K C t L 0n *°i- l we K e kinds - firat Mr. Sparks, second Mr. Leach. 
Mr" W Pi wl-> tbebestdl3b °f twelve Tomatoes, showing Stamfordian, and 
at fnBw «TwK-p the Se A°u nd bes f We ma y be excused for suggesting that 
as wen th b tl0nS ° f e hl9 r 1 al y g00d 80uth of England Show the address 
individual exhibS S o rrds ga 6rS and ^ em P loyers be givea 011 the 
Me«rJ P la ? ts > &0 ’> Messrs. Lucombe, Pince & Co., and 
«1hH no- nf .i,!! ^ ^ Bon ’ b ? tb Exeter, showed a grand lot of plants, con- 
MeRsrs VeUevf’ 6 st , ove , and greenhouse, fine-foliage, and flowering plants, 
remarkable if V single and double-flowering Begonias being 
defined , lb ?> floors large, well-formed, and the colours well 
Benfnrd t p finui s Pelargoniums were also very good. Messrs. Curtis, 
Lvou MeTeeb i a w°-, COnt J rlb i U 1 ted some good stands of Roses of Merveille de 
Dyon, Marechal Neil, and other varieties 
GRAPE-GROWING AT BATH. 
' J ba PPy to be able to somewhat alleviate the fears of “ J. S. W.” 
that the extension system of Vine-growing is in danger at my hands. 
4 u a y roc ? being the case I have as yet seen nothing to induce me to 
alter the views expressed in the sentences he quotes from my book. I 
Wli <iw e T^° Ur t0 ex P lain wbat “ay appear an inconsistency. 
... ' L rem arks, “ The position chosen is on a rather sharp declivity 
7* 1 . a south-west aspect, a great amount of excavation being necessary 
before the vinery con'd be built.” Thus one side of the house faces the 
« oa ! b -T at - and s i, ands weR out of tbe ground, and this is planted entirely 
wi Muscats. The north-east side, in addition to its less favourable 
aspect, is also below the ground level, and although everything is done 
la can be done for it I never expect the Vines to flourish there as they 
wi on the more favourable side, and probably they will only remain 
t ere temporarily till those on the south-west side grow quite across. 
In addition to the disadvantages mentioned all the young Vines were 
propagated under unfavourable conditions. The workmen were not 
*b* u I i bonse till April (last year) was considerably advanced, and 
e best place 1 had to strike the eyes was in a frame across the hot- 
water pipes before the roof was on the house. Now, supposing « J. S. W.” 
° g J ead ® r ® n ^ bus i as * than myself about the extension system, be 
Tu? Ibell , eve - r . ecom tnend leaving growth where there could be the 
s lghtest doubt about its perfect maturity. Give me thoroughly ripened 
wo . od oa wblcb the growths have been kept pinched the same way as for 
pot Vines, and I would as soon leave 20 feet as I would I foot.—W m. 
Tayloe. 
HALLAMSHIRE FLORAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
• ui^'Shteeuth annual Show of this Society was held on the 17th inst., 
Sheffidd 6 m fc i f ° r th ® Purpose by C. H. Firth, Esq., the President, at Ranmoor, 
, - The weather was all that could be desired and the Show was 
undoubtedly a financial success, as it may also be considered a success as a 
Z^T, eX *t hltl0a - The exhibits well filled two large tents, one being 
o™,? led b F, tbe open and gentlemen’s gardeners’ classes, the other by 
™ a !^ UrS mt nd -D COt m^ gers ,’ . wbo at tb ‘ 8 ® bow a ra always very stronglv repre- 
e.. The President kindly threw open his beautiful grounds and' conser¬ 
vatories at Kiverdale to the people visiting the Show, which added much to 
me attractions, and caused the gate money to flow fast and freely into the 
society's coffers. 
In the gentlemen’s gardeners’ tent there was a very good display of well- 
wWk ^£.t C1 vr en m St Su e u rid greenhouse plants, the principal prizetakers for 
which were Mr T. Shelley, gardener to Mrs. Hobson, Burnt Stones, Sandy- 
Rw;’a I- Foggm, gardener to Mrs. Wilson, Lapton Hall; and Mr. 
gard ' n er to Mrs. Harmar, Ranfall, Ranmoor. The first prize for 
finlRhia * W - aS wel t taken h J Mr- T - Shelley with beautifully fresh and 
T specimens of Miltonia spectabilis, 4 feet across and full of bloom; 
StRnkR °r- Cln n ea -v 8Up f ba > , ve , ry fi ne > Crotons undulatns and variegatus, 
aiorffi. i 1 - S r fi°( lbund a, and AUamanda Hendersoni. The same exhibitor was 
tv,_ o1| . at slxexotlc Ferns, all splendidly grown specimens, one of which, 
roavauia Mooreana, was a magnificent example 6 feet across. Mr. T. Foggin 
finA econ d with very good examples of stove and greenhouse plants, having 
T P i l6 i! 0f i B “ ugainviI!ea gHbra, Stephanotis, and Dipladenia Brear- 
3 na A and °S also separed first prizes in the classes for Fuchsias, Coleus, 
specimens f elargomums, in each of which he showed finely finished 
In the amateurs’ tent the most noteworthy exhibits in the classes 
for plants in pots were the British Ferns. These plants are cultivated 
oi. in really first-class manner by numerous amateurs in and around 
bheffield, insomuch that I do not know of any other town or district 
in which they are equally so ; and much of this is, I think, due to the 
example set for many years past by an enthusiastic and skilful cultivator. 
Mr. John Badon, an occasional contributor to the Journal on the subject, 
and who was for many years a very active and useful member of the com¬ 
mittee and (arge exhibitor at the shows of the Hallamshire Society. The 
principal prizetakers on this occasion were Messrs. R. Middleton, T. Marples, 
T. Froggat, and W. Smith. 
V egetables were shown in large numbers, but were not considered to be 
quite equal in quality to the exhibits of last year, owing to the long-con¬ 
tinued dry weather. This was especially noticeab’e in the classes for 
Potatoes, which were generally inferior both in size and appearance to those 
shown last year. 
Fruit was very well represented, Grapes, Peaches, and Nectarines being 
shown by several exhibitors of excellent quality, and Melons especially 
being very fine and numerous. 
Cut Roses were shown in extra fine condition byR. Proctor, nurseryman, 
Chesterfield, and Duncan Gilmour, Esq., Sandygate. A bloom of A. K. 
Williams in the stand of the former was the finest which has been seen at 
any show in the district this season, and will scarcely have been surpassed 
at any of the National Rose Society’s shows. 
Capital groups of choice plants not for competition were exhibited by 
Messrs. Fisher, Son, & Sibray, Handsworth Nurseries, and by Mr. B. 
Crossland, Richmond Nurseries. 
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. 
Oxe of your readers writes, with reference to my remark that the 
temperature of the week ending August 15th was near the average, that 
“ It i-< cold comfort, when we are suffering from frigidity, to be told we 
are enjoying the average temperature,” and then he adds that he thinks 
that it will be of interest to give the difference between this August 
and last. 
With your permission I will give two little tables, which will show 
the exact state of the case. 
MAXIMUM IN SHADE. 
August. 
Average. 
1882. 
1883. 
1881. 
188 s . 
1st week. 
72'0 
74-5 
72-4 
79 7 
70-7 
2nd .. 
71-5 
73 9 
69-7 
81-2 
71-3 
Srd . 
70'6 
74-9 
79-3 
70 0 
4th „ . 
70 0 
67 7 
77 3 
68-6 
— 
MINIMUM 
IN 1 
SHADE. 
Augn t. 
Average. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1st week.. 
53-0 
532 
53 5 
52 5 
2nd „ . 
535 
53-1 
53-9 
58-5 
51-5 
3rd „ . 
52-8 
56-4 
54-3 
52 9 
50 8 
4th . 
52 2 
508 
53-1 
52-4 
— 
This shows that the weeks have been, as I said, near the average 
(1° or 2° below it), and it also shows that 1884 was as I described it in 
three successive weeks—Glorious summer weather,” “ Another week of 
glorious summer weather,” and “ The fine summer weather which hed 
prevailed since the beginning of the month lasted through this week, but 
it was not quite so hot, the temperature being about 3° below that of the 
preceding week, though still considerably above the average.” 
My correspondent seems to have forgotten that an average, to be good 
for anything, must include a long series, not merely a few.—G. J. S. 
CIRENCESTER. 
August 20th. 
The annual Exhibition of the Cirencester Horticultural Society was, by 
the kind permission of T. W. C. Master, Esq , held on the date named in the 
Abbey grounds, situated but a short distance from the centre of the town. 
The Abbey, dedicated to St. Mary, was founded by King Henry I., upon 
the abolition of the collegiate church that existed long before the Norman 
Conquest; but this, in its turn, suffered demolition. There is, however, 
almost overshadowing a portion of the grounds, the splendid edifice of the 
Church of St. John the Evangelist, with its handsomely proportioned, 
embattled, and pinnacled tower 134 feet high, from the top of which, on 
such a day as this, a view of the surrounding country excites a sense of 
admiration, the recollection of which cannot but be treasured, more espe¬ 
cially that of Oakley Park, the seat of the Right Hon. the Earl Bathurst. 
The poet Pope was among the celebrities who enjoyed the hospitalities of 
Allan Lord Bathurst, to whom he dedicated his third epistle of “ Moial 
Essays,” commencing ‘‘Who shall decide when doctors disagree?” and 
there is in one of the rides in the park a stone structure designated Pope’s 
Seat, besides many other objects of interest that may be s j en by visitors, 
the noble owner of this magnificent park allowing it to he open to the 
public. 
The schedule of the Society does not comprise a class open to all, con¬ 
sequently growers within an easy distance of Cicester (“ Our town of Cicester 
in Gloucestershire.”—King Richard II., act 5, scene vi.), who are famed for 
their stove and greenhouse plants, are not attracted to the capital of the 
Cotswolds as they might otherwise be. Nevertheless, the exhibits in many 
of the classes were of a high order of merit. The productions were exhi¬ 
bited in two large marquees, the largest measuring 130 feet by 60 feet, on 
the central stage of which were arranged some of the most noteworthy of 
the exhibits. 
In the amateurs’ class for a collection of plants grouped for effect, the 
first prize was awarded to the Misses Brown, Further Barton, the second 
position being gained by Mr. James Taylor, Rendcombe Park. For six 
distinct varieties of stove and greenhouse plants in bloom the same exhi¬ 
bitors succeeded in taking the prizes in the same order. In the premier 
