THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 22 . 
47G 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. LIVERPOOL— 
MANCHESTER. 
On the 31st of August came off the last Manchester 
exhibition; and, on the following day, the last Liverpool. 
As I had the honour of officiating as judge on both occa¬ 
sions, I may be permitted to offer a few remarks on these 
societies. The Liverpool was held, as usual, at the 
| Botanic Gardens, Edge Hill; the delightful grounds 
and capacious promenades of which offer every facility 
and advantage for carrying out such an object in a 
style worthy of so influential and important a town as 
Liverpool. 
The day was most inauspicious from its commence¬ 
ment, which was gloomy and foreboding; and the huge 
cumulous clouds which had bedimmed the horizon soon 
began to discharge their contents over these previously 
interesting gardens. It rained, indeed, incessantly most 
of the day, and at last, certain portions of the tents were 
complete pools ; the ladies requiring to pay more atten¬ 
tion by far to the selection of their route, than to the fine 
flowers, fruits, and vegetables by which they were 
surrounded. 
Of course the company was scant, and what ladies came 
might be seen scampering away in about ten minutes after 
their arrival. This society, however, lmsno reason to com¬ 
plain of this untoward circumstance ; for during the last 
few years the number of fine days for their show have 
greatly preponderated; so much so, indeed, as to be 
matter of common remark. These shows have pro¬ 
gressed very considerably of late years, but one thing 
will strike an observer who is acquainted with the 
locality, scarcely second to any other but the Metropolis 
itself, and that is the absence of exhibition matters from 
many of the best gardens in that district; for, notwith¬ 
standing the present imposing and attractive appear¬ 
ance of the exhibitions, it is obvious that with a “ long 
pull,” and “ a pull altogether,” their character might 
be augmented very considerably. How is it that such 
high gardening, as is carried out at such places as Mr. 
Fairrie’s, Mr. Littledale's, and several other places, does 
not appear for honourable competition? When people 
live some two or three score miles from a great exhibition 
one may readily excuse the absence of the valuable stock 
of high cultivators, who, very naturally, dread having a 
ten guinea plant injured for the sake of a twenty-shilling 
prize. But in the immediate suburbs of our great 
towns, there needs but a handbarrow and a couple of 
men, and thus transferred, no damage can possibly 
occur, with ordinary care. 
This last show of the season was not, as might be 
expected, so attractive as the May and June shows, for 
many reasons. In the first place, Liverpool is like the 
great Metropolis, “ out of town,” in some degree; and, 
secondly, we have had one of the most trying summers 
on record, if summer we must call it; as an instance 
of its extreme lateness, only fancy a score dishes, or 
nearly so, of Jargonelles, and not one ripe enough for 
table; a Pear that is generally to be had in the be¬ 
ginning of August, only half-ripe on the 1st of Sep¬ 
tember; there is, indeed, scarcely a reason why our 
Jargonelles should not this year continue up to the 
Marie Louise season. 
As matters of ordinary exhibition, the Fuchsias may 
be pointed to as good for the season. Some of the 
plants, however, bore the appearance of having been 
“drawn,” probably through the heavy shade of a 
vinery. There were some respectable Geraniums for the 
season, a few nice sets of Verbenas, and, indeed, sundry 
other groups of things, which, although somewhat hard 
worn, nevertheless bore the appearance of care and high 
culture. 
Collections of Slove-plants, in eights, were remarkable 
for good culture, although not up to the London mark ; 
some of the specimens exhibited well deserve special I 
notice, but I would rather point to the general features 
and impress of the shows of the season. It is some¬ 
what remarkable that such a neighbourhood as Liver¬ 
pool, the merchants of which have been long notorious 
for importing Orchids, through the medium of the cap¬ 
tains of their vessels, which are found in all climes, 
should not produce a liberal amount of these interest¬ 
ing plants at their shows; but the Orchids placed 1 
on the tables are few indeed, and by no means remark- ! 
able for high character. The greatest advance lias, 
perhaps, been in pot Roses, Geraniums, Fuchsias, and 
Azaleas : the latter are grown quite in the London style I 
at our last May show. Another group may be adverted I 
to as not perfectly satisfactory ; that is the Gesnerace- 
ous plants. Every body will admit that a choice selec¬ 
tion from the genera Gloxinia, Sinningia, Gesnera, Achi- 
menes, &c., forms a group by no means unimportant on 
the exhibition table; but it would appear these things 
do not take well here, for it is rare to see such a lot of 
specimens as one might fairly expect. 
As extra features of this exhibition, I would point to 
the very laudable encouragement given to Ferns, Lyco- 
pods, British plants, &c. Doctor Dickinson, a medical 
gentleman of high repute in Liverpool, is very partial 
to indigenous plants, and annually offers a prize for the 
best collection. Mosses, too, the Doctor has endeavoured 
to bring out, but hitherto with small success; the 
public, however, may rest assured that such will one 
day be the case; as those who can appreciate mere 
form, unconnected with floral beauty, in a Fern, are at 
any time in a position to appreciate similar qualities 
in Mosses, which, however, in addition, possess much 
eccentricity of character. In Lycopods, the exhibition 
has been of late tolerably rich; this is a charming 
section of the Fern tribe. There is, generally, a good 
display of Tropical Ferns too; and, although the 
ordinary observer passes by them, being decoyed by the 
gaudy colour of flowers, or the rich aroma of fruits, yet 
it is easy to see that the public mind is expanding in 
this respect. 
In Fruits, the Liverpool men have been noted as 
Grape-growers for many years; consequently, very fine 
black Hambros, and some good Muscats, may be met 
with here, which w'ould not disgrace the Chiswick table. 
Whether true or no, an impression has long existed 
amongst certain practicals in this quarter, that the 
London Grape-growers, in their improved practice dur¬ 
ing the last twenty years, have stolen a leaf out of the 
Liverpool men’s hook. Some good specimens of Melon 
culture may here be seen; and speaking of these, re¬ 
minds me that a kind of reaction has come over these 
good people; for, some four or five years since, we 
might see abundance of hybrid Persians in their vari¬ 
ous grades, plainly manifesting the Trentham strain ; 
but these, it would appear, have by no means in¬ 
creased; the old Egyptian Green-flesh, with more or 
less of purity, is again in the ascendant, and no marvel, 
either. Without seeking to disparage the Persian sec¬ 
tion, we have nothing finer than the true Egyptian when 
well grown ; that is to say, grown, as Mr. Barns used to 
observe as to his Pines, with live roots, to which I will 
add, and with foliage free from insects and green when the 
fruit is ripe. In Pines we had two monstrous specimens of 
the Black Prince, which originated in this quarter, and 
appears as though a cross between the Enville and 
Black Jamaica. This Pine has been of late becoming 
a favourite, but I cannot think it is long destined to 
continue so, as it has faults which outweigh any merits 
it may possess; the latter consisting chiefly in size. 
These Tines might be some nine pounds in weight, and 
on examination the prevailing fault of the kind might 
be readily seen; the upper portion was not thoroughly 
