1 
1877.] GARDEN GOSSIP. 71 
the insect-pcsts which from time to time iufest them. Amongst other things, the story is 
told of the monster Cactus at Kew, Echinocactus Visnaga, which weighed 713 lb., and 
measured 4^ ft. high and 8|- ft. in circumference. 
- ®HE proposal to hold a Carnation and Picotee Show in London 
during the ensuing season has met with a liberal response, as did that of holding 
a Metropolitan Auricula Show. A preliminary meeting was held on January 31, 
at which G. F. Wilson, Esq., consented to act as president, and Mr. E. S. Dodwell as Hon. 
Secretary. At a subsequent meeting a schedule of prizes, prepared by Messrs. Turner, Dod¬ 
well, and Douglas, was adopted, and this has now been printed, and may be had of the Hon. 
Secretary, 11 Chatham Terrace, Larkhall Rise, Clapham. There was a fair prospect of success 
in this enterprise, as no other opportunity seemed likely to be afforded for such a meeting. 
The schedule extends to some 10 classes, embracing ninety-one prizes, the money value being 
something over £54. The contributions amount to some 50 guineas, so that a further sum of 
from £18 to £20 is needed to meet the prize list, and necessary expenses, which it is hoped 
may be forthcoming shortly, so as to place the committee on safe ground. 
- teE accompanying figures represent West^s Patent Adjustalle Trellis^ 
an invention of Mr. J. F. West, of Eeigate. It is a contrivance likely to be use¬ 
ful to amateurs, since it does away with the, to them, often inconvenient use of 
ladders and steps in the manipu¬ 
lation of their Vines, whether it 
be the tying-in or adjustment 
of the shoots, or the tedious 
work of thinning the berries, by 
admitting of the Vines being 
lowered to any convenient 
height. The lowering of the 
trellis cannot in any way in¬ 
jure the stem of the Vine,, if 
trained as in the drawing, -ftie 
deflection being very slight. 
The trellis may be constructed 
of either iron or wood; the 
former is preferable in many 
respects, as it combines light¬ 
ness of appearance with strength 
and durability; it can, more¬ 
over, bo fitted to any shaped 
house. In the figure, AA shows 
the trellis in position and 
lowered; BB the chains for 
lowering and raising; and CC the drums and pulleys round which the chains work. DD 
shows the fonn and construction of the trellis itself.” 
- ®HE Schedule of Prizes for the Auricula Show^ to be beld on April 24 
at tlie Crystal Palace^ as a Southern offshoot of the National Auricula Society, 
is now ready, and may be obtained from the Secretary, Mr. E. S. Dodwell, 
11 Chatham Tenrace, Larkhall Rise, Clapham, S.W. The classes have been framed to suit 
growers of every grade, so that if the competition is at all what may be expected, the show 
will be a most interesting one for the lovers of the Auricula, much more so than any which 
has taken place in the South of England during the present generation at least. It has been 
decided to adopt as few restrictions and limitations as possible, in order to secure greater 
breadth of and variety in the several classes. The chief of those adopted are :—To require 
dissimilar varieties in classes containing two or more plants; to permit only one truss in 
Auriculas, but not to limit the trusses in the classes of Alpines; to admit shaded and unshaded 
varieties amongst these latter, and not to confine Polyanthuses to the gold-laced types. lu 
every class it is desired that the best should win, and so that the leading properties are not / 
violated, no rigid or fast rules beyond those indicated above will be observed; The premier 
class will be that for twelve dissimilar varieties. As regards dissimilarity, it may be men¬ 
tioned that although the committee does not in this case bind the exhibitors to show an equal * 
ii 
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