158 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 16,1894. 
THE WELSHPOOL HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITION. 
This young Society has just held its second yearly exhibition in 
Powis Castle Park, by permission of the Earl of Powis, and it was so 
successful a gathering as to bid fair to become a strong organisation 
and one of the great annual horticultural shows in Wales. Quite 
12,000 persons visited the exhibition notwithstanding the very unsettled 
weather, the principality sending a very large number of visitors. The 
Deer Park, as well as the whole of the immense park, is admirably 
suited to the purpose of a flower show, and a large open space near to 
the Castle was selected, the pleasure grounds, terraces and gardens 
being also thrown open to the public. A large tent with four divisions 
radiating from the centre was well filled, and many cottagers’ exhibits 
had to be crowded into a smaller tent. These were most numerous, 
about sixty classes being devoted to cottagers’ productions with three 
prizes in each class, and in that for the Earl of Powis’s special prizes 
for eight varieties of vegetables there were eleven exhibits. The 
vegetables in this department were in many cases of a high order of 
merit. 
The centre of the large tent was occupied by a very extensive group of 
plants in a novel form of grouping, four wings radiating from the centre, 
from point to point being fully 40 feet. The centre was made up of a 
tall Tree Fern with a ring of bright-coloured Humea elegans peeping 
through the drooping fronds, and Palms, Crotons and other plants 
forming the base. Two of the opposite points were formed with a row 
of Caladiums of one shade of colour on each side with a central line of 
Kentias. The two others were also brought out in lines of colour. 
Groups of Streptocarpus and other flowering and bright foliaged plants 
were artistically worked in, and a carpet of green moss used in front of 
the recesses. It was altogether a charming arrangement. The first 
three classes in the schedule were for nurserymen only, a group of 
plants, a collection of Dahlias effectively arranged in a space about 
10 fhet long on tabling ; and for a tastefully arranged display of Sweet 
Peas, Gladioli and other plants ; Messrs. Jones & Sons, nurserymen, 
Shrewsbury, being first in each class. 
In the gentlemen’s gardeners’ classes Mr. McFarlane, gardener to 
Mrs. Curley, Brooklyn, Welshpool, was first in each of the following 
classes. For a group of plants, chiefly large specimens of choice stove 
and greenhouse plants, including a fine example of Dipladenia Boliviana, 
and some well bloomed specimens of Madame Desgranges Chrysanthe¬ 
mum ; for a single specimen plant in flower, a fine Allamanda Hender- 
soni ; for six ornamental plants, six stove or greenhouse plants, for 
Peaches and Grapes in three classes, his Bowood Muscats, admirably 
coloured, and he was also second for a collection of fruit. Captain 
Hayhurst France was first for Roses with some good blooms, and Mr. 
Jones, gardener to the Misses Howell Berrier, was second for a group of 
plants, and first with a collection of eight varieties of fruit. 
Honorary exhibits nowadays materially help all flower shows, and 
did so here, for there was an extensive display of them. Mrs. Naylor, 
Leighton Hall, Welshpool (gardener, Mr. Rothwell), arranged a very 
large group of specimen plants, a monster Pancratium being conspicuous, 
as also were some well grown specimen double Petunias. Mrs. Lovell, 
Welshpool (gardener, Mr. Jones), had a group of Ferns, Coleuses, and 
other ornamental plants. Messrs. Cutbush & Sons, London, contributed 
a very large group of plants. Carnation and herbaceous and other 
blooms. Messrs. Clibran & Son, The Nurseries, Altrincham, had a good 
collection of Roses, hardy herbaceous, and other blooms. Messrs. 
Thomson & Co., Sparkhill Nurseries, Birmingham, had a beautiful 
display of Carnations and Picotees, quite fifty large bunches of border 
varieties, and about a hundred blooms of exhibition named varieties. 
Messrs. Pritchard & Son, nurserymen, Shrewsbury, a large group of 
herbaceous blooms. Carnations, Begonias, and plants. Mr. E. Murrell, 
nurseryman, Shrewsbury, a very fine collection of Roses of extra quality ; 
and Mr. Lloyd, nurseryman, Oswestry, had a display of plants and cut 
flowers. 
MIGNONETTE IN POTS. 
This sweet-scented plant is a great favourite, and consequently there 
is a demand for it at all times of the year. Well cultivated plants are 
certain to find admirers, and purchasers too if grown for sale; but how 
frequently we see miserable specimens. It seems diflBcult to assign a 
reason for this, seeing that it is a plant easily grown if timely attention 
to its cultivation be given. 
For ordinary purposes a cold frame is sufficient as a structure in 
which to grow the plants; but should a large supply be required the 
season round, a little artificial heat will be necessary, but that should 
not exceed 50° or 60°, with air. Too much heat is only too frequently 
the cause of long weak growths, for under such treatment this plant 
will never prosper. Only strong growths will produce satisfactory 
spikes of bloom. 
If plants are required for Christmas and early spring the present is a 
good time to sow the seeds. It is the practice of some persons to do this 
in pans or boxes, afterwards pricking off the plants into pots. I consider 
this a mistake, preferring to sow the seeds in the pots in which the 
plants are intended to bloom, except in the case of specimen plants, 
when a few seeds should be sown in a 3J-inch pot, subsequently thinning 
out to the strongest plant, stopping and potting from time to time as 
required. For general use 48-sized pots are very suitable to grow the 
plants in. Be sure that the pots are well drained, otherwise your plants 
will never succeed. The following will be found a good compost in 
which to grow them—three parts fibry loam, one part well decayed 
manure, a good sprinkling of coarse sand, and if possible a little lime 
rubble or smashed oyster shells. Mignonette apparently requiring a little 
lime in the soil to grow it to perfection. 
Fill the pots to within an inch or so of the rims. This will allow for 
a top-dressing later on, making the soil very firm, well water, and after 
draining sow about a dozen seeds in each pot, lightly covering with 
fine soil. Remove to a cold frame, shading from bright sun until the 
seedling! are fairly above the soil, when more light and plenty of air 
should be given. When large enough thin out to about three or four 
plants, allowing the strongest to remain. When the seedlings are about 
2 inches or so in height pinch out the point of each one, which will cause 
them to produce side growths. For the first plants one or two stoppings 
will be suflicient. As a rule a cold frame will suffice until October, when 
the plants should be removed to a light airy house, placing thena in a 
position near the glass. Never place them far away, or they will soon 
become drawn and consequently spoilt. 
If satisfactory growth has been made the pots will soon become 
filled with roots. A little weak liquid manure should then be occa¬ 
sionally given, and later on a top-dressing of rich soil, to which a small 
quantity of chemical manure has been added ; but care must be exer¬ 
cised in this matter or great harm might be done. Never allow the soil 
to become dry, or the plants will be permanently disfigured through loss 
of foliage ; and on the other hand never allow the soil to become too 
wet, especially during the winter. As the plants advance in growth 
some support will be needed, a few neat stakes generally sufficing to 
secure the strongest growths only. An occasional use of the syringe 
during bright weather will greatly assist in keeping the plants clean 
and healthy. For cultivation in pots Machet is a good variety to grow. 
—Hedley Waeeek. 
EXAMINATIONS IN HORTICULTURE. 
The Swanley College. 
The reference to the Royal Horticultural Society’s examinations 
made by your correspondent “ Kent ” in your issue of the 2nd inst. 
(page 103) seems to indicate that he may possibly not be aware of the 
standard set by the examiners. Questions apparently simple may, and 
often do, require well thought out answers, and, as in the case of the 
Society’s examinations, that which to an outsider appears perfectly 
simple and elementary is actually a test of an examinee’s powers of 
observation and experience, not limited to one year’s practice, and most 
certainly not confined to the lecture room or to book lore. Questions 
1, 2, 3, 4, 11, and 16 are instances of this, while 5, 9, 10, and 12 would 
probably present some difficulties to many of your readers if they tried 
to answer them off-hand in such style as would satisfy the examiners. 
To those persons who have been labouring to raise the status of 
horticulturists for many years the examinations and their results are full 
of promise, and seem certain to bring good results, not to be measured 
only by the number of papers sent in. All new movements affecting 
practical men of business require time to establish. Prejudice in many 
cases, diffidence in most, have to be overcome, and a class of busy men 
who have not yet had the opportunity of submitting themselves to a 
public test, in many cases discover individual difficulties which only 
those who have had a long and intimate acquaintance with gardeners 
can fully appreciate and make allowances for. Before long we may 
expect employers to recognise the benefits of the Society’s work, and 
when they do so there will be no lack of candidates for examination, 
and doubtless the standard will, if necessary, be raised. 
Special reference to the students of the Horticultural College having 
been made in your columns, I beg permission to add t’nat the College 
authorities most assuredly do fully appreciate the value of a public test 
such as the Society has established. This test has long been wanted, 
and no person of experience can doubt that as time goes on the Society’s 
work in this direction will prove as valuable to the community as its 
efforts in very many other directions have been. Your correspondent 
“ A. D.,” in the Journal of Horticulture for June 21st of this year, in his 
efforts to be impartial, has done a slight injustice to the students by 
writing that he found only three or four at work. His visit evidently 
was made during the time when the examinations were in full swing, 
and the previous twelvemonth’s work was being tested. Some of your 
readers may like to know that our students are examined by the 
Department of Science and Art in theoretical and practical chemistry, 
botany and principles of agriculture, as well as by the College examiners 
in all our subjects. An old student who left last year is one of the four 
gardeners in the Society’s first class list. 
In justice to this Institution I may perhaps be allowed to state that 
“ instruction in the art of using flowers in floral decoration ” had been 
given to the students for some months by one of the staff before June 
21st, and that on the 16th of the month a floral competition was held 
to test them both in the term’s work and also in the knowledge imparted 
by a special lady expert in this subject. Table decorations, wreaths, 
show bouquets, arrangements of wild flowers, and vase decorations were 
all exhibited. This term we have begun with bouquet making and 
buttonhole and spray mounting. 
The endeavour of the College authorities has been to combine sound 
practice with theoretical instruction, and at the same time to recognise 
that sound old maxim, mens sana in corpore sano, by encouraging out¬ 
door sports on Saturday afternoons. Very few persons will be found to 
object to this on the principle that all work and no play makes Jack a 
dull boy. The examination lists encourage the authorities to persevere 
in this direction as tending to promote a good healthy tone in the College. 
—COLViLE Beowne, Principal of the Horticultural College, 
