June 2. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
101 
“ And thus, Sir, have I given you as good an account as 
I could concerning the raising of liquorice at Pomfrct, at 
least, as good a one as the time you gave me would allow ; 
though 1 am, I think, pretty sure that there is little or 
nothing omitted that is material, and absolutely necessary 
to be known in this affair. I wish you success in all your 
undertakings. And am, yours, &c., J. P.” 
“ P.S.— Our liquorice earths take up so many hands at 
the time ol year, that there are scarce any labourers to be 
got, at any rate, for other works.” 
| - 
COVENT GARDEN. 
The weather continuing fine, the supplies of garden 
produce is very much increased, and the quality is con¬ 
siderably improved. The display of flowers and plants 
is also greatly increased, particularly of the commoner 
garden description. Rhubarb is very plentiful; large 
waggon loads are pouring in from all quarters. As¬ 
paragus is also very plentiful, and very fine; so also is 
Sea-kalr. Radishes now form one of the staple articles 
of the market. New Potatoes may be obtained, at from 
Is. to 1 s. fid. per pound, but they are far from general. 
Qabbayes make from Is. to 2s. per dozen. Greens 2s. to 
3s. fid. per dozen bunches. Brocoli 2s. to ds. per dozen. 
Turnips 3s. to 4s. per dozen bunches. Carrots 6s. to 
8s. diito. Onions Cs. to 10s. per bushel. Celery 9d. to 
Is. fid per bundle. French Beans is. to 2s. per 100. 
Radishes Is. to 2s. per dozen bunches. 
Cut-flowers are very plentiful, the generality consist 
of II allflowers, Narcissus, Anemones, Pimroses, Heaths, 
Geraniums, Fuchsias, Roses, Cinerarias, Camellias. Miy- 
nonette, and Epacris. H. 
TH E LIVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL SHOW, 
May 10th. 
This wondrous hive of some of the busiest bees the 
! world ever saw, boasts, in common with most of our 
high commercial emporiums, a really first-rate class of 
horticulturists ; and it is a most pleasing task to record 
not merely the matters exhibited, but their rate of 
progress. L feel that I am a tolerably important witness 
in the affair, having bad the honour of being annually 
selected as a judge there of general horticultural 
matters for some seven years consecutively. To me it 
is indeed a pleasure, for several reasons. I there meet 
a class of distinguished practical gardeners, with whom 
1 c:ui compare notes, and whom I should probably not 
see without such an occasion. Gardeners are known to 
be a social class of men, and, to the praise of the gar- 
; deuers of our day, 1 may observe, they are not men of 
mysteries. Gardening now has no secrets; every prin¬ 
ciple on which success must be based has been reduced 
to the utmost simplicity; consequently, the mystery- 
men have passed away never more to return. 
The morning of the 19th was, indeed, the first day of 
summer. In this respect the Liverpool show people 
are particularly fortunate : I can scarcely call to mind a 
bad show day for several years. What between Grib- 
bin's band, the well-dressed company, the beauteous 
Uoial gems, &c., with every summer association, there 
i was almost too much for the mind to endure. I may 
just point now to the chief features, and show where 
real advance has been made, and, perhaps, point to 
tilings of a suggestive character as to future progress. 
I n Azaleas there was a most marked progress. These, 
although inferior to their metropolitan congeners in 
regard of size, were quite as well bloomed; in some, 
indeed, you could scarcely discern a leaf. Mr. Hadwen 
sent some good Orchids; six of his collection took the 
first prize. Roses were far superior to any 1 have ever 
seen at this exhibition; and the very indefatigable 
secretary, Mr. Lcatherbarron, who seems very fond of 
gardening matters, took the first and second prizes. 
The Heaths were not extraordinary ; nevertheless, there j 
was some advance—J. Bibby, Esq., carrying the best ! 
prize. Pelargoniums were pretty good for so late a I 
spring we northerns have experienced; the “fancies,” as 
usual, attracting much attention. Of course Cinerarias, 
Calceolarias, &c , were in quantity, and many pretty ; 
Gloxinias, the Secretary gaining the first prize here. ! 
Fuchsias were very good for early work—most of them 
grown in the pyramidal form, which is certainly very 
elegant, and well adapted for the exhibition table. One 
of the most interesting groups was from the collection 
of — Fairrie, Esq., a well-known encourager of horti¬ 
culture in Liverpool: it was a group of striped marbled¬ 
leaved exotics. Here was Cissus discolor, Anam to chillis, 
&c. The judges put a pointed mark on these things, as 
wishing to bring them out for the gratification of the j 
public. Tropical Ferns and Lycopods —the latter would 
have satisfied friend Appleby—were in profusion; they 
seem quite at home in Liverpool. In wax flowers I was 
glad to see two classes of prizes—one professionals, the 
other simply amateurs. In the professionals, Miss New¬ 
ton again distinguished herself, by taking first, second, 
and an extra prize; and in amateurs’ class the worthy 
secretary’s daughter, Miss Leatberbarrow, equally 
triumphed. Miss Powell, however, carried off an extra 
prize here. 
The Fruit and Vegetable tables were pretty good, but not 
extraordinary. Capital black Hambro’ Grapes were from 
Mr. Jennings, gardener to Earl Derby, as also excellent 
forced Cherries. Mr. Jennings is well known as one of 
our best English gardeners. In Strawberries, Mr. Cut- 
hill will he glad to hear that his Dlack Prince produced 
the best dish at this show. I verily had a prejudice 
against this otherwise useful Strawberry, as to flavour, 
until I tasted these “ Black Princes; ” they were quite 
as good as the best lveen’s Seedling. 
Before I conclude this hasty sketch, I must beg to 
advert to a forced and artificial growth in some of the 
exhibition plants, perhaps the consequence of previous 
neglect, as evinced in the huge number of stakes and 
supporters to plants not by any means naturally re¬ 
quiring such assistance. I do not say that Liverpool is 
famous for it, hut I do say that, if the practice is a fault, 
the people here have fallen into that fault. I should 
fear the labour standard must be low where such is the 
case; yet one can hardly fancy such harsh economy in 
days of high commercial prosperity. Certainly, nobody j 
would exhibit flower-stakes except as such, and guaran¬ 
teed by the exhibition schedule. These things must 
shortly give way to a better practice. As cultivation i 
mounts in the ascending scale, extraneous props will 
descend, and the evil will cure itself. Somehow, nobody 
likes all these stakes, except the man who uses them, 
and who, according to the common bias of human 
nature, tries to-feel justified in resorting to what is at 
the moment considered a “ necessary evil.” 
On the whole, the show went off well—worthy of one 
of England’s greatest gathering points; but such is the 
character of the advance, that tents will have to be : 
multiplied speedily. The judges were Messrs. Staunton, 
Wilcox, Chambers, and Erriugton; and the awards, it 
would seem, were generally satisfactory. 
R. Eruinqton. 
