349 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUI 
to somebody for a capital idea moderately carried out. 
A basket of ten kinds of fruit, arranged for effect in tbe 
shape of a cone, rising from the rim of the basket to the 
centre, from which a glass funnel for a nosegay rises, 
nine to ten inches above the cone of fruit. From the 
edges of the funnel hung down, all round, over the fruit, 
sprigs of Jasmine, then a mixed lot of flowers for the 
nosegay, and a centre of Tritoma uvaria. Now, the green 
glass in the frosted-silver stand, in my “ keeping-room,” 
is the same as that funnel. My fringe to the glass nose¬ 
gay is side-sprig3 of Humect elegans, and was so last 
season. My centre-piece is also Tritoma, and the body 
of the nosegay is altered every week. Such devices are 
not out of place on dessert-tables ; but there were two 
fundamental errors in this fruit-device which would keep 
it out of company who appreciate what is appropriate— 
Grapes, Melons, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Nectarines, 
Currants, and Tomatoes ! Who could conceive the idea 
of putting raw Tomatoes in a dessert before a civilised 
being ? The next fault was in principle, Melon was 
higher up in the cone than small fruit, indicating that a 
false cone of stuffing was inside, which is never done in 
actual desserts. A vast deal of nicety, good taste, and 
skill may be shown in the dishing and placing of col¬ 
lections of fruit; and young gardeners are less knowing 
in that than in any other branch of their profession. 
For the best Figs. Mr. Bust, gardener to the Fight 
Hon. L. Sulivah, of Fulham, was first, w r ith Brunswick 
and Brown Turkey. Second, to Mr. Goldsmith, gardener 
to Sir W. Farquhar, Bart., Dorking. They were Bee’s 
Perpetual and White Ischia. 
Cherries, which were all very fine. First prize to Mr. 
It. H. Betteridge, Steventon, Berks. They were Morellos. 
Second, to Mr. Wortley ; and third, to Mr. Babbitt. 
Melons were an enormous trial for the Judges; every 
Melon was cut and tasted ; and if some of the tasters do 
not get the cholera through it, it wfill be a mercy. There 
were scores of them, but I only took a few notes of the 
smaller kinds. If I were a duke, or a marquis, or even a 
baron, I would not tolerate a Melon in my dining-room 
that was over 2 lbs. weight. There is nothing so 
thoroughly vulgar as putting a large Melon before gen¬ 
tility. But as long as vulgar people are happy, societies 
must encourage fruit to their taste. Tomatoes and large 
Melons to wit ! 
The best Melon there was from Mr. Bailey, of Shar- 
deloes. It was a scarlet-flesh, green-looking fruit, about 
lb. in weight. The next best was from Mr. Kaile, 
gardener to Lord Lovelace, also a small green-looking 
Melon, with firm scarlet flesh. The small Egyptian 
Green-fleshed breed were also very good, but the smell 
from so many large Melons obliged me to leave and go to 
The Plums. The first prize for them went to Mr. 
Hutchison, gardener to H. J. Cotton, Esq., Margate; 
they were Jefferson, Victoria, and Washington. Second 
to Mr. H. Block, Broadstairs, for Green Gage, Magnum 
Bonum, and Incomparable —a large blue Plum ; and the 
third to Mr. Nicholson, gardener to S. Majoribanks, Esq., 
Bushy— Green Gage, Magnum Bonum, and Jefferson. I 
was told by a good judge that, for all purposes, the 
Jefferson Plum is the best of them all, but that it is a bad 
. setter. 
Apples were very numerous aud good-looking. Mr. 
Whiting, of the Deepdene, had the first prize for dessert 
Apples— Adams' Pearmain, Fearn's Pippin, Bibston, 
Franklins Golden Pippin, Sweeny Nonpareil, and Yellow 
Ingestrie. Second to Mr. Mortimer, gardener to Miss 
Browne, Carshalton— Celini Pippin, Claygate Pearmain, 
Bownton Pippin, Bibston, Nonsuch, and Nonpareil. 
Third to Mr. James Holder, Beading—two King of the 
Pippins, Golden Pippin, two dishes Bibston, and Beam's 
Pippin. 
Kitchen Apples. First, Mr. Mortimer again— Gulden 
Noble, Flower of Kent, Celini, Gloria Mundi, Hoary 
Morning, and a large Codlin. Second to Mr. Frost— 
TRY GENTLEMAN, September 13, 1859. 
Celini, Hawthorndean, Northern Greening, Wellington, 
Alfriston and Gloria Mundi. Third to Mr. Newton, 
gardener to G. J. Graham, Esq., Enfield Chase— Holland- 
bury, Alexander, Brabant Bellefleur, Butch Codlin, Kent¬ 
ish Fillbasket, and Gravenstein; and an extra prize to 
Mr. Turner, gai’dener to J. Hill, Esq., Streatham. 
Dessert Pears in six dishes. First, Mr. Harrison, 
Oatlands— Bon Chretien, Duchesse d’Angouleme, Chau- 
inontel, Beurre Biel, Marie Ionise, and Passe Colmar . 
Second, Mr. Holder, Beading — Brown Beurre, Marie 
Ionise, Beurri Bance, Williams Bon Cliritien, Buchesse 
d ’ AngouUme, Ionise Bonne of Jersey. And third to Mr. 
Park with similar kinds. 
Dishes of three kinds of Pears were also awarded; and 
the heaviest dish of Pears, the first for which was to Mr. 
Hai’rison for six Buchesse d’Angouleme, which weighed 
5 lbs. 2 ozs. Second to Mr. Hally, Blackheath, for twelve 
ditto, weighing 8 lbs. 8| ozs. 
For single kinds of best-flavoured Pears. First to Mr. 
Elliott, gardener to C. Davidson, Esq., Sydenham Hill, 
for Williams’ Bon ChrStien. Second to Mr. Hutcheson 
for Beurre d ’Amanlis. Third to Mr. Harrison for Wil¬ 
liams' Bon Chretien. 
Amateurs keeping two gardeners, fruits, flowers, and 
vegetables, were really splendid, and very suggestive. 
They occupied the old end of the great transept, in very 
deep stalls, the flowers and plants at the back, then vege¬ 
tables, then Pines, Melons, Grapes, and all manner of fruit, 
just as fine as the best of them, with flower designs, 
nosegays, and fancy arrangements. Altogether, this was 
the best telling part of the Show. The first prize went 
to Mr. James Ellis, PymmesPark, Edmonton ; second to 
Mr. J. W. Nicholson, Stamford Hill; third to Mr. Thos. 
Lee, Eltham, Kent; and an extra prize to Mr. Norman, 
Sydenham. 
Then amateurs “ having the assistance of a gardener 
one day in the week.” Here Mr. Jno. J. Bennett, Upper 
Tulse Hill, was first; also Mr. J. Smith, Basingstoke; 
second Mr. Sweetlove, Marstone, who had splendid 
Parsnips, Carrots, and Celery ; third, Mr. Henry Moses, 
Point House, Blackheath; and an extra prize to Mr. 
C. K. Fry, Haye’s Common, Bromley. Another second 
prize to Mr. James August, Beddington, Surrey, who 
had the finest standard lantana that has yet been ex¬ 
hibited. Mr. D. Davies, of Hammersmith, also had a 
prize here. 
Then real cottagers, and Mr. J. E. Downing, Merton, 
Surrey, was first; Mr. George Howse, jun., Chalvey, near 
Slough, second; and Mr. Jas. Jones, Eltham, Kent, third, 
with lots of extra prizes. One of which, for the finest 
lapstone KidneyV oteXo, went to Mr.W. Molyneux, Newn- 
ham Park, Oxford. Best Onions to Mr. James Hughes, 
Cuddesden, Oxon; but the very sight of so many and 
such large Onions affected my eyesight, and I had to drop 
it here and go to the plants. 
The Scarlet Geraniums, a good force, five or six in one 
pot, and some only with one plant in a pot! How they 
could judge them I know not. There were seven or 
eight collections of them, and all old sorts. Mr. Beid, 
first; Mr. Tennant, second ; and Mr. Windsor, third. 
Ferns and Lycopods remarkably fine. First for Lyco- 
pods to Mr. Higgs, gardener to Mrs. Barchard; second, 
Mr. Bunney; and third, Mr. Wooley, nurseryman, Ches- 
hunt. Is he the Orchid gladiator that was P 
Then the Fuchsias—a goodly lot, well done and re¬ 
markably well set this time; but with the exception of 
Princess William of Prussia there is nothing to say. 
First prize to Mr. Cannell, gardener to E. Groves, Esq., 
Tulse Hill, in three pairs, thus set—Bo Peep, red, and 
Fairest of the Fair, white, in front; Venus de Medici and 
Souvenir de Chistvick next: or white aud red in contrast 
to red and white—the back parr red. Second prize to 
Mr. Elliot aforesaid. Two reds in front; then two red 
and two white, cross-cornerwise. These two gardeners 
must have arranged to reverse each other’s placing, and 
