218 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I September J2, 1889. 
competed in the various classes. Collectively considered the Show was 
an excellent one, and particulars of it will be found appended. 
The Centenary Class. —This was open to all, as such a class should 
be, and prizes to the value of £15 were offered. It may be well to 
quote the schedule in order to give a clear idea of what v* as expected :— 
“ Collection of Dahlia blooms to occupy a length of staging not ex¬ 
ceeding 24 feet ; no restriction as to varieties or types, nor as to the 
method of staging or grouping, quality and general effect to be the lead¬ 
ing features. Moss may be employed, and Dahlia buds and foliage 
may be introduced, but no other kind of foliage may be made use of.” 
It may be said at once that this class unquestionably added a feature 
of interest to the Exhibition. Moreover, large collections of blooms, 
composed of all the known forms of these brilliant flowers, must be of 
greater interest to the general public than ordinary classes of any one 
section. The Centenary class was looked forward to from its novelty, 
but a similar one would perhaps not be unwelcome as an annual fixture. 
On the occasion under notice six beautiful collections were staged. 
The imposing display of large double forms, the free light masses of 
single varieties, so valuable in large groups of flowers, and the distinct 
forms of the Cactus or garden kinds produced a delightful effect. A 
large and extremely beautiful collection from Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, 
Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, was awarded the first prize. Along the 
front were stands of Decorative and double blooms. At the back was a 
bank of singles, comprising many well-known varieties, flanked on each 
side by groups of Pompon and Decorative blooms. The singles gave 
lightness and grace to the whole group, the Cactus varieties also con¬ 
tributing good support, and the blending of groups and colours through¬ 
out was admirable. A totally different arrangement from Mr. T. S. 
Ware, Tottenham, was placed second. This was arranged in a series of 
banks, the central group being composed of Decorative varieties, with 
groups of singles on each side of it, and pyramidal masses of doubles at 
each end, the spaces between being occupied by several single varieties, 
and such species as Zimapani, velvety purple ; Mercki floribunda, white ; 
and Glabrata, blush. Messrs. Paul & Son, the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, 
were placed third, a position that hardly did justice to their beautiful 
group. In front were boxes of double and Decorative varieties ; at the 
back bunches of single Pompon and Decorative forms were intermingled. 
There was quality and beauty of arrangement in this fine group. 
Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. were fourth. Mr. Turner and Mr. Such 
of Maidenhead were the other exhibitors. 
Nurserymen's Classes. —The first, of the five classes devoted to nur¬ 
serymen was for seventy-two blooms, Show and Fancy, not fewer than 
thirty-six varieties, and not more than two blooms of any one variety. 
This is not an easy task to fill, and four exhibitors were as many as 
might be expected. Mr. C. Turner, the Royal Nurseries, Slough, 
achieved a creditable victory. The Slough blooms were not con¬ 
spicuously large, but in fresh, bright condition, and well finished. 
The following varieties composed the stand :—Back row : Clara (very 
beautiful), Rev. J. Goodday, Sailor Prince, Grand Sultan (2, the 
first a noble flower), Mrs. Gladstone (2, not auite so good as usual 
perhaps, but clear and fresh), Harry Keith (2), Seraph, Mrs. J. 
Downie, Robina (2), Mrs. Langtry, Prince Bismarck, a seedling, 
Crimson King, Ethel Britton, Colonist, Prince Bismarck, Maud Fel- 
lowes, Diadem, Chas. Wyatt, and Eclipse. Middle row : Sunrise, 
Florence, Burgundy, Miss Cannell, Jas. Cocker, Chas. Wyatt, Nellie 
Cramond, Mrs. Jeffard, Mrs. Foster, Jas. Stephen (2), Purple Prince, 
John Bennett, Clara, Richard Dean, R. T. Rawlings (2), Diadem, Geo. 
Rawlings, J. N. Keynes, Eclipse, Nelly Cramond, Imperial, and Hy. 
Eckford. Front row : Mrs. Henshaw, Geo. Dickson, Sunbeam, Ruby 
Gem, Herbert Turner, Glowworm (2. very fine), John Bennett, Rev. 
J. B. M. Camm (2), Imperial, Hope (2), Henry Turner, Joseph Green, 
Hy. Eckford, Mrs. S. Hibberd, Bendigo, Geo. Rawlings, Mrs. Jeffard, 
Prince of Denmark, Matthew Campbell, Ruby Gem, and Sunbeam. 
Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., Salisbury, were second. Their flowers 
were on the whole somewhat small, but they comprised several note¬ 
worthy examples ; for instance, Mrs. E. Mawley, Jas. Cocker, Thos. 
Hobbs, Wm. Rawlings, and Mr. Glasscock. Mr. Boston, Carthorpe, 
Bedale, Yorks, came third with a fresh, bright, well-coloured but 
uneven lot of blooms. The fourth prize went to Messrs. Rawlings 
Bros., Romford. There was one other lot. 
Forty-eight blooms, distinct, were required in the next class, in which 
four collections were discoverable. Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. im¬ 
proved on their previous position by taking first place with a very pood 
and even stand, the flowers faultless in point of finish and condition 
though not large. Harry Keith, James O’Brien, Crimson King, Maud 
1 ellowes, Buttercup, Mrs. E. Mawley, and Clara were remarkably hand¬ 
some examples. Mr. Turner was placed second, his flowers beino- small • 
Messrs. Rawlings Bros, third ; and Mr. M. Y. Seale, Sevenoaks,° fourth! 
Mr. J. Walker, Thame, Oxon, won with thirtv-six, not less than eiohteen 
varieties, and amongst a grand lot of flowers James Cocker, Harrison 
M eir, Harry Keith, Mrs. F. Foreman, and Purple Prince were remark¬ 
ably fine. This was one of the most meritorious stands in the Show. 
The second prize fell to Mr. Geo. Humphries, Kington Langley, Chippen- 
ham, who also staged well, but there was a slight roughness observable 
in some of his flowers. The third prize went to Messrs. Saltmarsh and 
Son, Chelmsford, and the fourth to Mr. C. Hockney, Stokesby, Yorkshire. 
There were two other stands, the whole forming a really excellent class. 
There were four stands of twenty-four, distinct, Mr. Humphries win! 
ning. His blooms were not perfect in point of finish, but good in size 
and colour, the best being William Rawlings, Crimson King. Mrs. 
Sanders, and Ethel Britton. Messrs. Saltmarsh followed with Frank 
Pearce, James Cocker, and Shirley Hibberd amongst their best flowers. 
Mr. Walker was third, and Mr. S. Mortimer, Farnham, fourth. Messrs. 
Cheal & Sons, Crawley, had the best stand of twelve. Mr. J. R- 
Tranter, Henley-on-Thames, was second with a neat lot ; Messrs. J. 
Gilbert & Son, ipswich, third ; and Mr. Salmon, West Norwood fourth. 
Amateurs' Classes. —Five well filled classes represented the amateurs' 
contribution, commencing with one for twenty-four blooms, Shows and 
Fancies intermixed. It was a good beginning, as eight stands were in> 
competition, the Judges’ inspection resulting in a well-earned victory 
for that excellent grower Mr. J. T. West, Cornwalls, Brentwood, who- 
staged in his weU-known form. The following represented his skill 
Back row : Rev. J. Goodday, Mrs. Gladstone, Harry Keith (a splendid.! 
flower of great size and perfect finish), R. T. Rawlings, Wm. Rawlings,. 
Miss Cannell, Prince Bismarck (very fine) and J. T. West. Middle row n: 
Ethel Britton, Jas. Cocker, Rev. J. B. M. Camm (good), Shirley 
Hibberd, Dorothy, Jas. Stephen, Mrs. David Saunders, and John- 
Henshaw. Front row : J. W. Lord, Mrs. Langtry, Prince of Denmark,, 
Mrs. Shirley Hibberd, King of the Purples, Mrs. George Rawlings,. 
Willie Garrett, and Frank Pearce. These were a smooth, clean, well 
finished collection. The second prize blooms came from Mr. Thos.. 
Hobbs, St. Mark Road, Lower Easton, Bristol, the best being Harry 
Keith, Wm. Rawlings, Mr. Glasscock, and Hugh Austin. A veterans 
grower, Mr. Hy. Glasscock, Rye Street, Bishops Stortford, came next,, 
his flowers being very fresh but a little uneven, and Mr. W. Mist,. 
Ightham, Sevenoaks, was fourth. 
The amateurs again showed well in the class for twelve distinctr 
Show blooms, eight competing. Mr. A. Ocock, Havering Park, Romford,, 
showed G. Rawlings, Harry Keith, R. T. Rawlings, and Ethel Britton.- 
in capital condition with other neat blooms, and was placed first, but 
only after a close struggle with Mr. T. Anstiss, Brill. The latter’s- 
blooms were larger, but also somewhat rougher than those of his rival, 
the best being a fine bloom of Purple Prince and a very neat example off 
Jas. Cocker. Mr. Mist came third with a stand of fair average merit,, 
and Mr. S. Cooper, Chippenham, was fourth. There were five stands of 
six, Mr. H. Heeremans, jun., Chippenham, showing very neat examples- 
of Colonist, Rosetta, Hope, Mrs. Gladstone, Mrs. W. Slack, and Burgundy 
for first place. He was followed by Messrs. G. T. Cronk, Orpington p 
J. G. Fowler, Woodford, Essex ; and W. Seaman, gardener to J. Biggs, 
Esq., Brentwood, in the order of their names ; all good stands. Twelve 
Fancies were best shown by Mr. Glasscock—Viceroy, Mrs. J. Downie, and 1 
Henry Eckford being his best flowers. His only opponent was Mr- 
West, and the latter was placed second, although some distance in the- 
rear. The paucity of competition here was made amends for in the- 
class for six, in which eleven competed. Mr. Ocock was first with a 
sp'endid stand, comprising Rev. J. B. M. Camm (a grand flower),. 
Peacock, Frank Pearce, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. N. Halls, and Hy. Eckford. 
Mr. S. Cooper showed small, but very fresh, bright blooms for second’ 
place, and he was followed by Mr. H. II. Steer, New Eltham (third),, 
and Messrs. T. Hobbs and H. Heeremans, jun. (equal fourth). 
Open Classes. —As regards general effect these were the most note¬ 
worthy classes in the Show, as they embraced the single, Cactus, and 
Pompon forms. The first, however, were for Show and Fancy Dahlias- 
grouped by colour. For six blooms of any two dark varieties, Show 
type, three blooms of each, Mr. Walker was placed first with Jas. Cocker 
and Geo. Rawlings, both remarkably fine. Messrs. Keynes, Williams 
and Co. were second with Wm. Rawlings and Harry Keith ; Mr. Hobbs 
third with Willie Garrett and Prince of Denmark ; and Messrs. Raw¬ 
lings Bros., Romford, fourth with G. Rawlings and Rev. J. Goodday. 
There were seven other stands. Mr. West won with light blooms having 
grand examples of Mrs. Gladstone and Queen of the Belgians, but which 
afforded little contrast of colour ; Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. being 
second with Mrs. Gladstone and Georgina ; Mr. Glasscock third with. 
Maud Fellowes and Mrs. Gladstone ; and Messrs. Saltmarsh fourth with. 
Mrs. Gladstone and Mrs. Slack, the former thus being represented in 
every stand. There were six others. Tipped flowers were best staged by- 
Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., who won with capital examples of 
Peacock and Mrs. Saunders; Mr. Glasscock being second with Mrs.. 
Saunders and Miss Browning; Messrs. Saltmarsh third with the same 
varieties as in the first-prize stand ; and Mr. Walker fourth with Mrs. 
Saunders and Fanny Sturt. Ten competed altogether. Messrs. Keynes,. 
Williams & Co. won with striped flowers, staging Rebecca, and Mrs. J. 
Downie; Mr. West following with Frank Pearce and Hy. Glasscock p 
Mr. Humphries third with Dorothy and John Cooper; and Mr. Glass¬ 
cock fourth with Frank Pearce and Mrs. J. Downie. Ten competed. 
Decorative Dahlias were finely shown by Messrs. Keynes, Williams 
and Co., Juarezi, Mrs. Hawkins, Empress of India, Amphion, Honoria,. 
Professor Baldwin, Asia, Lady Marsham, Prince of Wales, Henry 
Patrick, Panthea, and Wm. Darvil, all good blooms admirably set up in 
bunches, won them the first prize in the class for twelve. Mr. Seale- 
followed, the beautiful variety Charming Bride being very noticeable in 
his stand. Messrs. Cheal & Sons took the third place, and Messrs. 
J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, the fourth. There was one other stand. 
There were eleven stands of six, forming a very beautiful display. Mr. 
Glasscock won with Panthea, Amphion, Lady Brassey, Empress of 
India, Mrs. Hawkins, and Beauty of Brentwood, in admirable condition. 
Mr. West was second with a scarcely less beautiful stand, Mr. T. W. 
Girdlestone, Sunningdale, third, and Mr. Ocock fourth. Pompons were 
also a very beautiful feature, arranged in bunches with their own 
leafage. Mr. Turner had a splendid stand of twenty-four varieties, 
comprising Fairy Tales (new, soft primrose), Admiration, Cleopatra,. 
Isabel, Hamlet, Lady Blanche, Ariel, and Lavin'a (back row) ; 0heron,. 
