Ootober 15, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
843 
The clashing of early and summer season sorts with late or winter season 
varieties at September shows will always be unsatisfactory with both 
judges and exhibitors till some alteration is made in the arrangement of 
prize lists. Those who would limit the prizes to those in season I think 
make a great mistake, as it of necessity restricts the exhibitor to two or 
three of the leading sorts, and thereby limits the usefulness and interest 
of the show. It is disappointing for visitors, especially gardeners, when 
they seek in vain, amongst scores of bunches, for any other than white 
Muscat and Black Hamburgh. The general public may be pleased to look 
at and admire such a display, as they would with longing eyes gaze 
through the window of a first-class fruiterer’s shop ; but to the fruit¬ 
grower it has but a passing interest compared with that evinced at the 
late show at South Kensington. It was a very interesting show of Grapes, 
and I should say was satisfactory to judges, exhibitors, and visitors. Now 
would it not be possible for those engaged in promoting shows to try some 
means of having as many sorts represented as possible ? Why must we 
always go on in the same old groove, “ Two bunches so-and-so,” or 
Three bunches,” as the case may be ? Why have two or three bunches 
of one sort any more than having the same number of Dahlia blooms, 
one variety, in a stand of twelve (an idea that would be laughed at by our 
friends the florists) ? 
I see no reason why prizes should not be offered for eight, six, four, or 
two bunches, distinct. This, I feel sure, would, without any additional 
classes or larger prizes, bring to the local exhibition tables many excellent 
sorts of Grapes seldom or ever seen there, and by their presence lend a 
fresh interest to the show. “ And what about the judging ? ” some will be 
ready to ask. I think their task would not be more difficult than it is 
at present, and I think their awards would, on the whole, be more satis¬ 
factory than they seem to be under the present system. As “ Thinker ” 
says, Give us good men who know what they are doing, and let them 
exercise their own discretion.—A Working Gardener. 
AUTUMN SHOWS. 
Exhibitors of Chrysanthemums will soon be actively engaged in 
preparing for the numerous shows announced for the present season, and 
the following list of fixtures may be useful as a reminder. Secretaries of 
Societies not mentioned will oblige by forwarding their schedules. 
October 2lst to November 4th.—Chiswick (Pear Congress). 
October 27th and 28th.—South Kensington (Chrysanthemums and Vegetables). 
November 3rd and 4th.—Haling, Southampton, and Lambeth. 
„ 4th and 5th.—Brixton. 
„ sth and 6th.—Richmond. 
„ lflth.—Southend and Putney. 
,. 10th and 11th.—Brighton and Kingston. 
,. 11th.—Basingstoke. 
* 11th and 12th.—National Chrysanthemum Society (Westminster Aquarium) 
and Croydon. 
„ 12th and 13th.—Lindfleld and Portsmouth. 
„ 13th and 14th.—Sheffield and Huddersfield. 
„ 14th.—Ramsbnttom. 
,, 17th.—East Grinstead and Devizes. 
17th and 18th.—Lincoln and Winchester. 
„ 18th and 19th.—Northampton, Bristol, and Birmingham. 
„ 19th.—Taunton, Hammersmith, and Aylesbury. 
19th and 20th.—Hull. 
GARDEN NOTES. 
WORKSOP MANOR. 
The garden at Worksop Manor, Notts, is at all times of the year 
well worth a visit by members of the craft ; but perhaps at no time will 
they be better repaid for the time so spent than during the months of 
August and September, the weather being propitious, for then the fine 
terrace is ablaze with colour. There is abundance in the kitchen garden 
both of fruit and vegetables, and the numerous glass structures contain 
fine crops of Grapes, Melons, Pine3, late Peaches, Nectarines, and Figs, as 
well as choice collections of decorative flowering and foliage plants. 
A by no means uncommon failing amongst gardeners is that of think¬ 
ing we possess something better or larger than other people have, and 
such thoughts are apt to give rise to conceit. Now, there is nothing 
takes the conceit out of a man (if he is conceited) so much as that of com¬ 
paring th9 best of his products with that of his neighbours’, when he often 
find that his Grapes, his Pines, his flower garden, his horses, or his 
pictures are not so uncommonly good a3 he thought. In the case of 
gardens, of course, we cannot convey them from place to place, nor is it 
desirable, but most gardeners can spare an occasional day or half day to 
visit some garden of repute in his vicinity, and if he is a man with his 
wits about him he will not fail to learn something, either what to do or 
what not to do, for the latter is not less important than the former. 
Worksop Manor Gardens have this year well sustained their reputa¬ 
tion for beauty and productiveness. Fruit has been plentiful on the wall 
trees; Peas, Potatoes, Beet, Onions, and Cauliflowers could scarcely be 
surpassed in quantity and quality. In the Melon house was a fine crop of 
beautiful Melons, a seedling of Mr. Sutton’s, and in the next division was 
a fine batch of Calanthes. The Grapes in the second vinery were very 
fine in berry, well coloured, and useful bunches. The early vinery was 
cleared of fruit. The late vinery and Muscat house contained good crops 
of Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh, Gros Colman, White Tokay, 
Lady Downe’s, Alicante, &c. Peaches and Nectarines were plentiful in 
the orchard house, and in the Fig house a heavy second crop of Figs 
(Brown Turkey) was ripening. All fruit was cleared out of the early 
Peach house, and the wood gave evidence of being well ripened. In an 
adjoining division was a splendid crop of Tomatoes, the plants being on a 
shelf and trained close to the glass. At the back of this range of houses 
is a house devoted to plants, and on the roof are trained three Lapagerias, 
which are limited to a space of about 36 feet by 6, and in this space the 
flowers are produced by thousands, the very smallest shoots such as some 
growers have advocated being cut out, having developed three, four, and 
five flowers at a joint. One of these plants is growing in a stone 
trough which holds about 2 cubic feet of soil. These Lapagerias are 
worth travelling fifty miles to see. 
The terrace was never more beautiful than it has been this season, and 
great credit is due to Mr. Sutton for its artistic arrangement. Not the 
slightest incongruity was observable, and the whole presented a charming 
picture, masses of brilliant colour being balanced by judicious grouping of 
foliage plants and carpet beds of greens and greys. Amongst plants used 
for edging and carpet beds were Pyrethrum selaginelloides, Achillea 
umbellata, Antennaria tomentosa, Iresine brilliantissima, Alternanthera 
amabilis, Tradescantia zebrina, Centaurea ragusina, Herniaria glabra, 
and Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum. Toe brighter colours 
were given by Pelargoniums Vesuvius (scarlet), Corsair (scarlet), Bayard 
(crimson), Waltham Seedling (crimson), Christine (pink), Master Chris¬ 
tine (pink), Lady Middleton (rose), Emile Licau (salmon), and Lobelia 
Brighton. 
BLITHEFIELD. 
On the 22nd of September I had the pleasure of visiting the gardens 
of Lord Bagot, Blithefield Hall, Rugeley. These have been for many 
years under the superintendence of Mr. Bannerman, and a better gardener 
Lord Bagot need not wish to have. Mr. Bannerman has made himself a 
name as a first-class Grape grower during the past twenty years, and has 
proved himself a formidable opponent at most of the principal horticul¬ 
tural exhibitions in the United Kingdom, and he is likely to do so in the 
future, judging by what is to be seen at Blithefield. That he is an enthusiast 
in Vine culture is readily detected as soon as one enters the vineries, and a 
question asked or a remark made concerning their principal occupants, 
and the fine crops of superbly grown and “ finished ” fruit hanging 
overhead demonstrate that he is a master of the art. Like other compe¬ 
tent men, he can aSord to impart to others some of the valuable informa¬ 
tion he has acquired through close observation and long experience, and 
that he doe3 ungrudgingly, thus making an inspection of the vineries 
unusually instructive. One of the most striking features in this range 
was a Gros Guillaume carrying nearly 60 lbs. of well-finished Grapes. There 
were about twenty hunches in all, several weighing 5 to 6 lbs., and several 
others I to 5 lbs. So highly were they cultivated that only one berry in 
the total crop showed any appearance of not “ finishing.” Gros Colman 
was also worthy of special notice for their large and compact bunches, 
immense berries (above the average), and superb finish. A walk along 
the front of the vineries outside and an inspection of the borders gave 
evidence of the fact that Mr. Bannerman, like other first-class Grape- 
growers, believes in keeping the Vine roots as near to the surface as 
possible and consistent with safety. In several low houses Cucumbers 
and Tomatoes are grown in large quantities, whilst in others clean and 
healthy stock of Poinsettias, Calanthes, Gardenias, and Eucharises are 
being grown in quantity for decorative purposes. The Peach trees in 
the houses were in the best of health, foliage dark green and free from 
red spider, those in the early Peach house being so well ripened and 
clean that a shake of the trellis would cause the leaves to fall in showers, 
and as green as though the trees were in full growth. 
The kitchen garden, about four acres in extent, is well cultivated, 
there being vegetables in quantity of high quality, and fruit in great 
abundance. In a large conservatory near the mansion are some large 
Camellias in robust health and well set with buds. The pleasure grounds 
and flower gardens, extending over fourteen acres, are picturesque and 
kept in admirable order. In close proximity to, and, as it were, forming 
a portion of the pleasure grounds next the mansion, is a small orchard, 
the only dividing line between it and the “ dressed ” grounds being a 
broad gravel path flanked with pillars and festoons of Roses trained over 
iron framework. To me, this orchard in such close quarters with the 
mansion and the prim flower garden, was an agreeable surprise, for I 
have never yet been able to understand why the masses of delicate white 
and lovely pink of our humble orchard trees in spring, and their wreaths 
of gold, crimson, and russet in autumn, should be relegated to some 
obscure corner of the garden or farm. I am quite sure that by such 
arrangements our pleasure grounds are deprived of some most lovely 
pictures. 
INGESTRE HALL. 
Returning to Iugestre, the first object that attracts attention is a new 
block of light, well constructed, span-roofed houses standing north and 
south, erected by Messrs. Halliday of Manchester. These houses are in 
four divisions, two of which are parallel to the others, and along the sides 
of each range, and forming a part of the whole, are useful frames or pits 
heated by hot water, and in these Mr. Gilman was having planted some 
thousands of Violets, principally Marie Louise and The Czar, with strong 
and promising crowns. The first division of the houses was devoted to 
greenh use plants, of which there was a good collection ; but the plants 
that attract the most attention were two magnificent specimens of 
Dracaena latifolia, these were about 10 feet high, and were clothed with 
their rich green and graceful foliage fully two-thirds down the stem, and 
not a withered leaf to be seen. It would be difficult to find another pair 
to match them in every respect. The next division is used as a stove 
and contains a miscellaneous collection of Palms and other foliage plants 
for house decoration. The first division of the other range is planted 
with French Beans to come into use from the middle of November, and 
very promising they looked. In the summer time this house can be used 
advantageously for the cultivation of either Melons, Cucumbers, or 
Tomatoes. The next division is filled with a fine healthy stock of 
