1-14 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, June 8, 1S58. 
in pots, above a foot in diameter, and they had midden 
water regular, and they did na colour for aw that; 
and folks said they were na well fed,—the pots were 
na big enough.” 
Mr. Bolton.—“ Hold fast, Wigan, there ’s a bit of 
gammon here : if thee’i wait a bit, till the crowd 
lias got by, we’ll ha’ a peep, mon, and I think I can 
show thee summut.” 
So, the coast being tolerably clear, Mr. B. nudged 
his friend W.; and in the twinkling of an eye Air. B. 
had lifted the pot up the pillar to which it was at¬ 
tached, and, being clear of the bench below, he de¬ 
sired Air. AY. to thrust his finger in the hole of the 
pot and report.—“ VYhat is there i’ the bottom, AVig. ?” 
“ AVliy, nowt, mon, but a stump.” “ AYhat, no crocks, 
AYig. ?” “ Nowt o’ sort, Bolt.” “ AYhat then?” 
“ AYky, a ruck o’ moss, mon, and a stump-end.” 
“ But what about this stump-end, Bolt.?” “ VYhoy, 
I’ll tell thee, lad ; but I mon clap the pot down; 
there’s a power of folks coming this way. I’ll tell thee 
how ’tis. They select a shoot in spring from a strong 
Vine, before they force,—one they’re sartain about 
fruiting : they prune him, and then drag him through 
the hole, leaving several strong eyes above the pot: 
then they clap a ruck of moss in the bottom, and fill 
up with rich soil, and tether the pot safely: when 
t’exhibition day comes, they ‘ cut his cable ’ and 
launch him ; and he is taken by the majority for a 
fast sailer, although nothing but a cock boat.” “ By 
gum, Bolt.,” cried Wig., “there’s tricks i’ all trades, 
and no mistake.” 
And, indeed, as far as appearances went, Bolton 
might be right, although I cannot vouch for the accu¬ 
racy of the opinion: however, the Grapes were very 
fine. There was a dish of nice early DuJce Cherries ; 
and, strange enough, a dish of Tomatoes, quite ripe. 
The usual amount of Gooseberries, Currants, &c., were 
dished, and lots of huge bundles of Rhubarb, which 
would serve for police truncheons. The Alushrooms 
were in quantity, and very fine for the period. Aspa¬ 
ragus fine ; some Kidney Beans, with lots of specimen 
Onions, Parsley, and other things. Several dishes of 
Peas were outlie table, but whether forced or imported 
I know not; I suspect the latter. Lettuce pretty 
good; Kidney Potatoes very good. Cucumbers seve¬ 
ral dishes : the Favourite, by David Auchterlony, 
appeared the best. There were also vegetables in col¬ 
lections. 
On the whole, the benches here reported, although 
respectable, were not particularly striking ; but one 
must take into consideration the character of the 
past winter and spring in judging these things, as 
also the keen climate the neighbourhood is notorious 
for. In superior forced vegetables, they certainly do 
not cut an extraordinary figure for so wealthy a 
neighbourhood; here is room for much improvement. 
Fruits, also, as they are almost everywhere, are not 
so much looked after as flowers ; and this is somewhat 
strange amongst such an utilitarian class as the Liver¬ 
pool gentry. * In taking a rough glance at the exhibi¬ 
tion tables in the lump, it may be readily seen, that 
not a tithe of the appliances are awarded to fruits that 
are given to flowers. However, these remarks are 
suggestive rather than complaining, for, after all, 
people will have their hobby. Besides, there is one 
reason which of itself may in great part account for 
this preference. When we get nice ripe fruit we eat 
them ; whereas, fine Azaleas, Ericas, Roses, &c., con¬ 
tinue to gratify the mental palate days and weeks after 
they are ripe, to use a fruit term. 
One thing I would here remark on, a fact that must 
have attracted the attention of many : it is the sad con¬ 
fusion that occurs through a want of method in the 
visitors traversing the tents. Many hundreds in a 
tent at the same moment, in fact a crowd, passing to 
and fro in all directions,—as far as squeezing and tread¬ 
ing on the ladies dresses could accomplish it,—is by no 
means a seemly affair, or convenient to those who love 
order and decency, to say nothing of politeness. I was 
remarking on this to some most respectable persons, 
who live in or near Liverpool, and they assured me 
that the worthy Secretary had done what lay in his 
power to establish a better order of things, but found 
it extremely difficult to carry out. Now, these things 
are far better managed in London, as our readers very 
well know : the arrows indicating, with the aid of a 
few well-informed police, the course most desirable for 
the common-weal. I do think that the gentry of so 
polished a town as Liverpool, would appreciate most j 
fully a change of the kind, and also believe, that, if j 
they would take up the matter and exert their in¬ 
fluence, the regulation would be accomplished. If such 
should appear to them desirable, and these remarks 
should meet the eye of every well-wisher to the Society, 
I live in hopes of seeing amendment in this respect; 
and no one w r ould rejoice more, I am assured, than the 
Secretary himself. 
I cannot close these observations without bearing 
testimony to the care of Mr. Leatherbarrow over the 
Society, as far as he is connected with it; but he is a 
lover of good gardening for its own sake, a very neces¬ 
sary qualification lor the Secretary of an Horticultural 
Society. Long may the Liverpool Shows prosper, and 
make progress as they have hitherto done. 
R. Errington. 
SUITABILITY" OF NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR 
PARTICULAR CROPS. 
The most careless observer, travelling northward 
from London, in the dry months of June, July, or 
August, cannot miss observing the gradual transition 
from sun-burnt meadows and pasture fields to moderate 
freshness, and eventually profuse luxuriance. This 
change is certainly more perceptible than that of a 
similar kind, observed in the return' journey, when 
taken in early spring, and where the southern district 
only has made any progress in growing. These natural 
conditions of things have their due influence on garden 
products ; and, in some cases, the advantage is on the 
side of the situation not so well favoured by nature. 
A northern climate, or cool, stiff bottom, is the most 
useful in summer, and some of the most important 
fruits and vegetables like a soil of this description 
better than an opposite one. Alost stoned fruits like 
a stiff soil ; an exception is Morelia Cherries, which 
like a dry strong one. Peas, Beans, all the Cabbage 
and Broccoli tribe, as w r ell as Celery, Lettuce, and 
many other vegetables, like a loamy soil,—one w hich 
will retain part of the juices of manure, or other fluid, 
which may be given to it. AYhereas a dry gravelly 
one greedily devours as much as ever is given to it, 
and its porous subsoil allows of its being made the 
medium of a more efficient drainage than is beneficial 
for the welfare of things growing there, especially in 
dry, hot seasons. 
Now, the general inference to be drawn from thi 
is, to plant in each district the things most suitable to 
it. This is advice easily given, but the most unlikely 
of any to be carried out in private gardening matters ; 
for the w r ants of a family in Sussex are much the same 
as that of one in Cumberland, w hile the natural con¬ 
dition of the two counties are widely different. But a 
very important difference is often perceptible in places 
only a few miles apart,—soil and situation making so 
much difference, that it is plain to every one the same 
productions cannot thrive alike at each place. Hence 
