July 28. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
rather a dismal sight for July to see grain fields com¬ 
pletely laid, rivulets turned into rivers, hay, and new-cut 
grass carried away by the current, and rich pasture 
meadows transformed, for a time, into respectable sized 
lakes. On gaining Blisworth matters were far from 
mending; the pelting rain invoked no visions of sylph¬ 
like forms, without whose presence even floral fetes 
would lose their charms Sturdy Knights of the Blue 
Apron, drenched, soused, and drenched again, since 
three o’clock that morning, were cogitating whether 
they should take their van loads of plants and garden 
produce home; and the first sight we saw, of others, 
was carrying some splendid plants from the tents, the 
low ground around, which, having been turned into a 
pool, made all hope of showing the plants there an 
impossibility. Meanwhile, the indefatigable secretary— 
honorary is attached to the title—and, so far as honour 
is concerned, he richly deserves it, as he has no notion 
of being a secretary in name—convened a committee 
meeting; a new, low, unfinished building, intended as 
a dancing room, was taken possession of; there most of 
the plants, flowers, and fruit, found cramming room; 
messages were sent along the wires to stop the bands of 
music, and to postpone the exhibition, and thus, after 
much energy and exertion, Mr. Appleby, with whom I 
had previously had some hours chat, and your humble 
servant, were invited, just about the time the company 
otherwise would have come, to pass a hasty decision 
upon the subjects exhibited. I understood that Tues¬ 
day, the 19th., was the day agreed on for the exhibition 
—the hardier plants being kept in the room, and the 
tender ones in the greenhouse, cut flowers, &c., to be 
replaced; and now, writing on the previous evening, the 
18th., I cannot help wishing that the sun may shine 
bright to-morrow. Most of the ladies and gentlemen 
who patronise the Society made a point of calling in 
the afternoon, and expressed their approval of these 
arrangements. A few other visitors came in the after¬ 
noon, and it was quite as well that the rain deterred 
others, for want of room would have prevented all 
opportunity of inspection. 
Now, the circumstances could scarcely have been 
more unfavourable—seldom have we a night and a day, 
not dropping , but pouring rain from the clouds in July. 
Other societies may take notes of warning, caution, and 
encouragement. The “ well alones ” may crow ; but I 
have formed a wrong estimate of the men of North¬ 
ampton, of the gentry who surround it, and the 
gardeners who send such admirable productions, if the 
disappointment of Thursday should necessarily deter the 
committee of management from making renewed efforts 
to bring the refining and humanising influence of 
flowers to bear upon larger numbers of their neighbours, 
confident that their own pleasures will be enhanced in 
the very attempt to place rational happiness within the 
reach of others. To deserve success is ultimately to 
command it. 
The exhibition, under even these unfavourable cir¬ 
cumstances, was allowed to be superior to all its pre- 
j decessors, and yet several large exhibitors had not 
appeared, and many present, owing to the morning, 
had been unable to bring what they intended. Instead 
: of describing what generally appears in the local papers, 
I will merely glance at a few of the prominent points. 
Vegetables. —These are always in first-rate condition 
here, and were nothing behind upon the present occa¬ 
sion. The morning had merely lessened the quantity. 
: The spring and autumn shows are always the most 
| striking in this division, and the cottagers, as a class, 
i do strive worthily for the honours. The Strap-leavecl 
\ Turnip is much cultivated, having upright, narrow 
leaves, instead of the broad, recumbent ones of the 
White Dutch. A first-rate Pea is always in great force, 
sent out by Mr. Jeyet, named, I think, the Conqueror. 
317 
Fruit. —Owing to the reasons specified, there was 
less variety, and much less quantity, than usual; but 
what was there was good. Some Melons would have 
led some of our friends to admit that that fruit is worth 
something more than looking at. The Raspberries, 
the Falstoff kind, were splendid; and Strawberries were 
good and plentiful, though only one prize was offered. 
I noticed two kinds new to me, the Sliaredeloos Pine, a 
middle-sized English fruit, with a superior flavour, and 
the Courteenhall, a fine-looking fruit, with an appear¬ 
ance and flavour something midway, to our taste, between 
a British Queen and an Eleanor. We know it to be 
hardy, a strong grower, and a fertile producer, and 
Mr. Gardiner says it forces well. 
Wild Flowers. —Of these there were a number of 
collections. Two most interesting ones from one person 
were overlooked—one representing the principal orders 
in the Natural system, the other the classes in the 
Linnsean system. The Committee will see that they are 
duly noticed I have, at provincial shows, sometimes 
seen peepings of dissatisfaction about the wild flowers. 
To prevent this, several suggestions present themselves. 
The terms for showing should be clearly defined—such 
as the naming the plants correctly; collecting them in 
a wild state; gathering within a specified distance of a 
given centre, and thus giving an idea of the wild flora 
of that district; giving a preference to the rare and 
pretty, over the merely beautiful but common; and, 
finally, if possible, getting a young botanist of the dis¬ 
trict, who has ranged the meadows, hills, and glens, to 
assist, in this department, the regular judges. I have 
known instances of forty and sixty varieties being re¬ 
gularly collected with as little trouble as it would take 
to get half-a-dozen of good Heartsease, because the exhi¬ 
bitor had a “see-me-not” corner of his own, where the 
most of them were grown. I rather like the idea of a 
garden composed solely of British plants; but then it is 
doubtful if the term "wild” could then be properly 
applied to them. 
Cut Flowers. —These, in the shape of bouquets and 
baskets of a defined size, were shown in great force, and 
always present a fine feature at an exhibition, especially \ 
if tastefully arranged. Considering the quantity of j 
flowers required, and the time necessary for the work, ; 
extras should be given here whenever the funds of the 
society will admit of it. I think that disappointments 
would be avoided, and the number of exhibitors greatly 
increased, if the premiums were divided into two classes: 
first, the best and rarest flowers ; and, secondly, the best 
arranged to show the shading or the contrasting of 
colour. The first may be arranged as the second, but 
then the aim of the exhibitor would be different. Until 
a revolution in taste and feeling take place, rare plants 
will too often be judged as the best. The possessor of 
a greenhouse will, therefore, have but little chance with 
the possessor of a plant stove. What is there in the 
former to contend with bunches of Passifiora alata, 
Allamandas, Dipladenias, Combretum, and Hoya, &c., 
brought from the latter? Make two classes, and every 
one having a flower-garden may exhibit. In the one j 
case, we would reward skill and a generous outlay, in \ 
the other, we would reward skill and refined taste. 
Florists’ Flowers. — Pinks, and Carnations, and 
Picotees, were scarce, principally owing to the lateness 
of the season. We gardeners should keep in mind that 
fine, bold, sweet-scented flowers in this family, that 
would delight ninety-nine out of every hundred of our 
employers, are of no use for exhibition purposes, if 
destitute of florist properties. 
Roses, however, made ample amends by their number 
and magnificence. There was one fine collection from 
a local nurseryman. With the private growers, it was 
a thorough neck-and-neck race; not one group was 
inferior. Though many were gathered in the wet that 
