28 
■JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July II, 1889: 
a rather dull tint, especially under artificial light, and the odour is 
too powerful for some even in a conservatory, while in a warm 
room it would be more noticeable. The base of the stands com¬ 
prised AVater Lilies, Pelargoniums, Gloxinias, Gladiolus Colvilli, 
with Caladium3, Pauicums, and Fern fronds. The two side stands 
were rather smaller, but similar, a number of small glasses filled 
chief! y with Grasses and wild flowers being placed about the table. 
The second award was made to Miss M. AVeedon, Notting Hill, 
which must be reluctantly characterised as a most inelegant ex¬ 
hibit. It consisted of a huge pile of wild flowers and Grasses 
arranged in elliptical form 3 feet high, and as much in length. 
Various umbelliferous plants were liberally employed with faded 
Poppies and small Campanulas. Four corner glasses and a few 
small dishes were similarly filled. AVe failed to detect a single 
merit in this arrangement; certainly it would have been impossible 
for persons sitting opposite to see or hold converse with each other 
at the table. The third prize table from Messrs. E. AV. Handley, 
Stoke Newington, was scarcely less objectionable, but for another 
reason. A heavy central trumpet-shaped glass vase was employed, 
4 or 5 feet high, loaded with Marguerites, Stephanotis, Grasses, 
and Coreopsis, with drooping sprays of Asparagus plumosus round 
the tube, and a base of Gladiolus Colvilli, Francoas, Lilies, and 
Ferns. To see the top of the stand when sitting at the table 
would have necessitated considerable neck-straining of a disagree¬ 
able kind. 
It might be thought that a difficulty in finding anything of a 
more elegant character compelled the adjudicators to award the 
prizes as they did, but in the opinion of many visitors by far the 
best in the competition was that from Mrs. Chard, Stoke 
Newington, for which no prize was adjudged. Unquestionably 
for lightness and gracefulness it was much superior to the others, 
and because the style is one that has been frequently seen before 
in decorations from the same exhibitor should not be allowed to 
tell against it. Three light glass epergnes, with three small 
branches each, were employed, the tops being filled with w T hite 
Clarkias, Rhodanthes, Aquilegia chrysantha, Gloriosas, a few 
Dendrobium flowers, and Marguerites. At the base were white 
Lilies, Asparagus plumosus, a few Cattleyas and Irises, long narrow 
single leaves of Croton3 and Ferns. Sufficient colour was em¬ 
ployed to render the stands effective without being too bright, 
and the arrangement was very skilfully managed. Several other 
designs were notable, one consisting of large dishes of Roses, 
another of Moss Roses only, a third of white Lilies and Roses in 
the centre, with six smaller stands of La France Roses and 
Gladiolus Colvilli ; still another comprised flat stands of Coreopsis, 
Gladiolus Colvilli alba, and Grasses, while one exhibitor relied 
upon Bougainvilleas and dark Roses in low stands. 
The tables of similar size, but dressed for dessert, were not so 
numerous or so varied, the premier exhibit being from Messrs. 
F. & C. Osier, Oxford Street. In this large low lamps were em¬ 
ployed, with pale cream-coloured shades, a large centre bowl being 
filled with yellow Sweet Sultans and yellow Dahlias, Lilium 
auratum, Crotons, and Ferns—altogether a very heavy production. 
Messrs. Graham & Biddle, of Oxford Street, were placed second 
for a peculiar but very original arrangement. In the centre of the 
table was a broad oblong strip of gold satin, upon which was 
formed a low mound of AVhite Gladiolus Colvilli, yellow Calceo¬ 
larias, Eryngium flower heads with white and yellow Mar¬ 
guerites and Adiantum fronds. Amongst these were several small 
plain glass electric lamps, the bright gleams from which would be 
rather objectionable so near the diners’ eyes. The third honour 
was taken by Mr. J. Chard for a tasteful example in his well 
known style. Three stands were filled with Rhodanthes, Gloriosas, 
Pancratiums, Aquilegias, Oncidiums, a few Cattleyas and Gladioli, 
Peaches, Nectarines, Strawberries, and Grapes being the fruit 
employed. This was preferred by many of those present to both 
the preceding tables. 
In the bouquet classes exhibits of an unusual character were 
favoured, though frequently presenting defects of a serious character. 
Messrs. Edwards of Balham were the most successful with bridal 
and ballroom bouquets, the first being a heavy mass of white Roses 
and Stephanotis, the other a huge loose bunch of pink and yellow 
Roses, with Honeysuckle and dark foliage. Mrs. H. M. Ballingall 
of Camden Road was second with a tasteful bridal bouquet, com¬ 
posed of Stephanotis, Roses, Gladiolus, Pancratiums, and Adian- 
tums ; Mr. G. Gordon following with white Roses and Carnations. 
The second ball bouquets were from Mr. Youens of Leigham 
Court, Streatham, who has repeatedly given good examples of his 
taste and skill, though his bouquet of yellow Centaureas and white 
Gladiolus was not the best we have seen from his hands ; but the 
charming dress sprav, shoulder knot, and fan adorned with white 
Roses and AVoodruff was an admirable exhibit, and well merited 
something more than the bronze medal awarded. 
The decorations for racemes, hanging baskets, windo w boxes,, 
and other exhibits added to the interest of the display, but do not 
call for special notice, except that the bright yellow Coreopsis was 
liberally employed in a number of cases. 
At the Twickenham Show, held last week, a pretty feature was 
introduced in the floral department by instituting a class for “ six 
small table decorations in glass or china vases, not exceeding G inches 
in height and 4 inches in width.” All those shown were tasteful and 
pleasing, the first, from Miss Griffiths of Yelveiton Lodge, being 
single glasses of Gladiolus Colvilli and alba, yellow Marguerites,. 
Brizas, light Grasses, and Adiantums. Mrs. Keston's second prize 
contribution were neat little glass tripods lightly filled with Ice¬ 
land Poppies (white, yellow, and orange), yellow Sultans, Margue¬ 
rites, and a few dark Tropreolums and Grasses. These were grace¬ 
ful and pretty, but wanted a few Fern fronds to complete them. 
Scarcely less tasteful were the tripods from. Miss G. Gardiner ; 
three filled with yellow and red Aquilegias, the other with wdiite 
Clarkias and blue Cornflowers, the former having much the better 
effect. 
The Iceland Poppies are charming flowers for vases, but as a 
rule they are shown only with a few Grasses, and have a rather 
bare appearauce. An instance of this occurred at the Richmond 
Show, where floral exhibits were extremely well represented, a 
handsome stand insufficiently furnished with foliage losing many 
points on that account. Blue Cornflowers are seldom seen to 
advantage in stands cf mixed flowers, and under artificial light 
they are very unsatisfactory, yet many continue employing them 
at shows. Few blue flowers can be used with good effect, and 
the tint must be very pure and bright to fit them for such 
purposes.—L. Castle. 
ABOUT HARDY FRUITS. 
Since 1875, when I took up the occupation of my father, who for 
forty years had followed the calling of market gardener, I have been a 
close observer of the surroundings of fruit-growing. Being very desirous 1 
to secure some improved varieties I determined on first growing a collec¬ 
tion, and then reducing the varieties as I found desirable. The result is,. 
I am now reducing my stock to Lord Suffield and Ecklinville Seedling 
of kitchen Apples ; Cox’s Orange Pippin and a variety I got for Lady 
Derby of dessert, Marie Louise d’Uccle of Pears, and the Victoria Plum. 
All Apples of the Keswick tribe I find are desirab'e for the north, and 
with these I include Potts’ Seedling, which, however, this year is a. 
failure, the wood being of too gross a nature for last year’s miserable 
summer to mature. This also may be said of all the dessert varieties,, 
there being little more than a sprinkling of fruit on any of them, 
Fortunately with us Lord Suffield has not cankered, and this year, as is 1 
usual, it has decidedly the best crop. As I expected, many I see will 
fall, but I am already convinced the Lord Suffield will mature its fruit 
buds for the following season with less sun than any other variety that 
I ha\ e, and as to the fruit it is quite safe to say it will ripen with less, 
sun than with the fruit buds. The Marie Louise d’Uccle Pear is, 
undoubtedly, a long way down the scale if we consider only quality, but 
it is possible even as to quality. For a wall in the north of England it 
is a certain crop, for the open ground quite as good a cropper as the 
Ilessle ; the bloom is certainly more hardy, and it has the very desirable, 
characteristic of having the foliage well developed before the bloom 
opens. 
As to the causes of this year’s partial failure I find, as is generally the 
case, there is again a difference of opinion. That there should be such a 
diversity of thought when the cause of failure is so palpable I consider 
most regretable ; in fact, more so than in the loss of the crop. Ex¬ 
perience undoubtedly makes us wiser—not wise I am afraid ; but with 
the ablest how much easier is it found to pick up than to lay down ; or,, 
in other words, to iearn than to unlearn. During the winter months, 
when we had the first of these hard winters, 39° of frost here, I 
examined to find how the fruit trees were affected, when to my dismay 
I discovered that the heart of the short stem that connects the bud to- 
the branch was black and as dead as a stone. I at once sent a few to 
our Editors for their opinion, when, as I expected, and as will stid be 
found recorded, the opinion was given that the Apple and Pear crop of 
that season would be a failure. But as usual when failure occurs after 
Lthe blooming there came a discussion, when to my surprise the 39° of 
frost was exonerated from blame. So it has been again with many. 
They saw the blossom and looked no further, as though the life so 
snugly enfolded was of no import. It would be quite as consistent were 
we to decide that the top coat was the portion of importance and the- 
man within its folds of no consideration. The blossom never fails in its; 
duties, neither does the pent up sap ever fail in expanding to give the 
first start; so it is the inexperienced, or, too frequently the unthinking,, 
rush into print on the great promise of abundance. My decided opinion, 
is that had the present season been the least ungenial, such was the 
condition of the vital parts of the embryo fruit here in the north, that, 
we should have had complete barrenness, and 1 quite as decidedly hold 
that had we had a week’s more sun last season, to have coupled with: 
the present season, this would have been the greatest fruit year that 
the oldest would have remembered. 
I was going to give a few of the more conspicuous peculiarities of 
