September 5, 188°. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
201 
being grown for seed purposes. Some of the variety Renown were, 
however, taken from the ground, as this is the favourite Potato of the 
senior partner of the firm. Evidently he is no bad judge. It is not 
possible to imagine tubers rounder, and they are also of large uniform 
size, with rough skins, and the eyes set in the faintest possible depres¬ 
sions, so that there can be scarcely any waste in paring. It is a second 
early, said to be ready for use as soon as the leaves wither, and to retain 
its excellent cooking quality throughout the winter. 
So far we are only on the fringe of the operations at Kinver. There 
is the great beyond devoted to trials of farm roots and grain crops, 
trials of manures on different crops, small plots on which cross-fertilisa¬ 
tion is conducted with cereals and various root-producing plants, and 
hundreds of broad acres in which stock seed is grown of special varieties 
for raising seed elsewhere to meet the yearly demand. The grain 
harvest was being gathered in under the most favourable circumstances, 
and was, in fact, nearly completed. In a new Dutch barn Webb’s 
Chevalier Barley was being rapidly stored with the aid of an elevator, 
the estimate of the yield in this one building being 4000 bushels. This 
is the variety which they point out with pardonable pride won the 
champion cup on two consecutive years at the Brewers’ Exhibition. 
That is sufficient evidence of quality. The special stocks of other kinds 
of grain were also being secured in the best and brightest of condition, 
and the crops were splendid. As to the varieties, any person desiring to 
do so can find all particulars about them, and everything else in the way 
of grain, cereal, and root crops in the different catalogues of the firm ; 
and a perusal of these works, one of which appears to be devoted to each 
section of the business, will show conclusively the utter impracticability, 
not to say impossibility, of doing more in an article than give a general 
idea of the operations at Kinver. 
The full crops may probably to a great extent be accounted for by the 
judicious use of chemical manures, of which Messrs. Webb are great 
manufacturers, and they are not the people to offer to others what they 
do not find good for themselves. There were Mangolds not far short of 
a yard round in August, and field Cabbages nearly a yard across. This 
is no exaggeration, and the specimens will no doubt be in evidence at 
their seed and root stands at forthcoming exhibitions. Kinver is an out- 
of-the-way place no doubt, but worth a long journey to see when the 
grain crops are. ready for reaping, root crops covering the ground with 
luxuriant growth, vegetables thriving in interesting variety, and flowers 
imparting beauty to the scene. 
Events of the Week. —The present will be a somewhat busy 
week for metropolitan horticulturists, and both fruit, Dahlia, and 
Chrysanthemum growers will have a chance of showing their skill. 
To-day (Thursday) the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society will meet at Chiswick at 2 p.m. On Friday the Fruit and 
Dahlia Shows at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, will be opened, and 
extensive displays are expected in both departments. These Shows also 
continue on the following day, Saturday. The National Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society’s early Show (noted on page 199) will be held at the 
Royal Aquarium, Westminster, on September 11th and 12th, the Floral 
Committee of that Society meeting on the first of the two days named 
at 12.30 p.m. The Brighton Show will be held on the same days. 
- Gold Medal Fruit Essay. —We are requested to announce 
that the prize of twenty-five guineas offered by the Fruiterers’ Com¬ 
pany for an essay on profitable fruit-growing for cottagers and others 
with small holdings, and the gold medal offered by Dr. Hogg to the 
winner in the competition, have been awarded to Mr. J. Wright of 30, 
Alma Road, Wandsworth. Advertisements of the competition appeared 
in the issues of this paper of April and May last. The following is 
the report of the adjudicators :— 
“ Having carefully examined the fourteen essays submitted, we 
have unanimously selected that signed 1 British Workman ’ for the 
award of the prize. This essay combines practical knowledge with 
literary ability, and complies with the conditions of the competition 
A considerable proportion of the fourteen essays deserve commendation, 
and it is a matter of regret to us that we have only one prize at our 
command, where perhaps three or four might be worthily awarded. 
We would mention those signed 1 Pomona,’ 1 Progression,’ ‘ Jabez 
Chawley,’ and ‘ Hope On ’ as particularly meritorious, although not 
meeting with our entire approval in connection with the present 
reference. 
“ T. Francis Rivebs, 
“ A. F. Barron, 
August 2Gth, 1SS0.” “ Shirley Hibberd. 
- Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—W e are pleased to learn, through 
Mr. Wildsmith, that on the occasion of the public opening of the famed 
gardens and grounds of Heckfield Place on August 24th and 26th, by 
the kindness of Lady Emma Shaw-Lefevre, the sum of £6 10s. was 
realised for this excellent charity. Greater numbers of visitors would 
doubtless have been present, but the weather was very unfavourable on 
the first day. 
- Shrewsbury Show. —In the report of this Show last week 
our representative inadvertently omitted to say that Messrs. Richard 
Smith & Co., nurserymen, Worcester, exhibited, not for competition, a 
miscellaneous group of stove and greenhouse plants, including choice 
Crotons, Dracaenas, Palms, Ericas, and other variegated plants, together 
with about three dozen Lilies in variety full of flower, the whole of 
which were a great attraction and much admired. The same firm also 
exhibited a good collection of variegated and ornamental foliaged trees, 
for giving effect in park planting, for which they were deservedly 
awarded a certificate of merit. 
- Mr. F. T. Smith, 19, Martell Road, West Dulwich, has submitted 
a collection of Hollyhock Blooms to our inspection, gathered from 
about 3000 plants of 100 varieties. The blooms were of medium size, 
but good in shape and varied in colour, some very soft and brilliant 
shades being represented. He states that his plants are quite free from 
disease, and have not during the past seven years been affected by it 
in the slightest degree. Seedlings are relied upon for increasing the- 
stock, the varieties being grown separately and the seed carefully 
collected, so that a large per-centage of the seedlings come true to their 
colours. It is quite refreshing to see Hollyhocks again in something- 
approaching to show condition, and there is no doubt that the system of 
continuous propagation by cuttings has had much to do with weakening 
the constitution of the named varieties. 
- Preserving Gourds. —Can any reader of the Journal inform 
me how Gourds are preserved without cutting them open? We want 
them preserved in the same way that the Japanese people treat them. 
—J. T., Walton. 
- Gladioli at Paris. —We are requested to state that Messrs. 
Kelway & Son, Langport, Somerset, have been awarded the premier 
prize at the last Flower Show (August 16th to 21st) of the Paris 
Exhibition, held in the Trocadero Palace Gardens, for a collection of 
about 150 spikes of Gladioli. 
- The same firm sends us a spike of Gladiolus Leonard- 
Kelway, said to be derived from a cross between G. purpureo-auratus 
and G. gandavensis. The flowers are of good size and shape, and 
remarkable for their extremely deep crimson colour, having quite a 
distinct tinge of purple. The spike is of moderate size, but the colour 
will please many who are not exhibitors. 
- Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society.— The 
twenty-third monthly reading (first of the present season) is connection 
with the above Society will be given in the large room of the Castle 
Hotel, Market Place, Preston, on Saturday evening, September 
7th, when Mr. W. P. Roberts of The Gardens, Cuerden Hall, will read 
his paper on “ The Mignonette and its Culture.” The chair will be 
taken by the President at 7.30 prompt. 
- Gardening Appointments. —Mr. Joseph Maddocks, late 
gardener to B. C. Roberts, Esq., J.P., Oakfield, Chester, has been 
appointed gardener to Lady Alice Ewing, Coed Derwen, Bettws-y-coed, 
North Wales. Mr. Thos. Dennes, for the last two and a half years 
foreman at Worksop Manor, Notts, has received the appointment as, 
head gardener to Mrs. Cookson, Binfield Park, Bracknell, Berks. 
-Cockscombs and Celosias at Abberley.—I n the above 
gardens is a splendid display of these plants. The Cockscombs are large 
and of a vivid crimson colour. The Celosias are also a fine strain, being 
of the true pyramidal form. The plants range about 4 feet in height 
and 3 feet in diameter at the base. These plants are excellent for 
conservatory decoration, and the wonder is that they are not more 
largely grown. 
_The Rainfall at Cuckfield, Sussex, for the past month 
was 3‘42 inches, being P24 inch above the average of nine years. The 
heaviest fall was 063 on the 11th, rain falling on fifteen days. The 
highest (not strictly shade temperature) was 87° on the 30th and 
31st, and the lowest 41° on the 25th. Mean day temperature, 74'3° ; 
mean night temperature, 49 2° ; mean temperature, 6L7°, being 2° below 
the average of seven years.—R. Inglis. 
