146 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOOIST. 
[OcTOBEIt, 
them put in tubs or boxes twice or three 
times the size there is any necessity for, and 
which, where the atmosphere is kept at all in 
an over-humid condition as already spoken of, 
further aggravates their too rampant growdh. 
Tree Ferns can be kept for years in a 
thriving condition wuth less root room than 
most things, providing they are well supplied 
through the growing season with manure water, 
of which they are remarkably fond. Efficient 
drainage as a matter of course is an essential 
to their continuing in health, and the soil 
should always have a liberal amount of broken 
crocks, charcoal, or cinders added to it. As to 
soil they are not particular ; good fresh turfy 
loam moderately open in texture, or peat, will 
answer, with sand in proportion to its nature. 
—T. Baines. 
THE GRAND NATIONAL DAHLIA 
SHOW. 
sir CCORDING to the concurrent testimony 
of eye-witnesses, this was decidedly the 
best of the three shows held in con- 
junction with the authorities of the 
Crystal Palace in 1882, 1883, and 1884. The 
entries were more numerous, and there were 
fewer defaulters, notwithstanding that the hot 
weather and the attendant thrips had been very 
trying to exhibitors in the Southern districts. 
In most cases these obstacles had been met and 
conquered, and the consequence w'as that first- 
class flowers were plentiful—so plentiful in¬ 
deed that for want of tent space, as some of 
the principal growers averred, the show was 
not so effective in the setting up as it might 
have been. 
In the Nurserymen’s classes there were 3 
exhibitors of 48 blooms, 8 of 24 blooms, and 6 
of 12 blooms in the section of show flowers ; 
and 3 of 24 blooms, and 11 of 12 blooms of 
fancy flowers. The Amateurs mustered 8 
stands of 24 blooms, 15 stands of 12 blooms, 
and 8 stands of 6 blooms in the show flowers; 
and 9 of 12 blooms, 15 of G blooms in the 
fancy class. These of course formed the 
backbone of the show, and it will be seen there 
was no lack of material, the quality of w’hich 
was fully above the average. In the Open 
classes there were .3 lots of 24 Pompons, G 
lots of 12, and 6 lots of 6. The single varieties 
brought a contingent of 5 lots of 12 blooms, 
and 8 lots of G blooms. 
The Veitch Memorial Trustees offered on 
this occasion a Veitch Memorial Medal, with 
its £5 prize, for the best collection of 12 show 
and 6 fancy Dahlias. This was w^ell w’on by 
Mr. H. Glasscock, of Bishop’s Stortford, with a 
splendid collection, the sorts being of show 
sorts. Imperial, Hon. Mrs. Percy Wyndham, 
Rev. J. Goodday, Miss Cannell, Shirley Hib- 
berd, Countess of Ravensw^orth, Sir G. Wol- 
seley, Prince of Denmark, Harrison Weir, 
Black Knight, Flag of Truce ; and of fancies, 
Barnaby Rudge, Chorister, Professor Fawcett, 
Mrs. Saunders, Miss Lily Large, and Wizard. 
We congratulate Mr. Glasscock on his success, 
which indeed w^as conspicuous in other parts of 
the show. 
The contest for the best bloom in the ex¬ 
hibition—Show and Fancy—is usually exciting, 
but on this occasion seems to have been almost 
a foregone conclusion. A splendid bloom of 
Mrs. Gladstone in Mr. Glasscock’s collection 
had been noticed from the first, and was ulti¬ 
mately selected as the queen amongst the show 
varieties ; while General Gordon, a new variety, 
shown for the first time by Messrs. Keynes, of 
Salisbury, was chosen as the best fancy. . Both 
were new sorts, the one of last year, the other 
of this season. After this let the cavillers say 
there is no improvement going on in the Dahlia. 
Who will heed them ? 
Our space will not permit us to give the 
whole prize list, but we must find room for the 
principal collections shown by amateurs and 
nurserymen. 
Class A. 48 show varieties (Nurserymen).—Mr. C. 
Turner, Slough, was 1st with a very -even lut of 
blooms of large size, and in fine condition ; they were 
the Rev. J. Goodday, Mrs. Gladstone, Lord Chelms¬ 
ford, Constancy, Burgundy, Lady Wimborne, Her¬ 
bert Turner, John IW^att, Ethel Britton, TVIlliam 
Rawlings, Mrs. Harris, Ruby Gem, Mrs. Torman, 
James Stevens, Acme of Perfection, Alex. Cramond, 
Goldfinder, Michael Saunders, Mrs. G. R. Jeffery, 
Rosetta, Condor, Imperial, Hope, Flag of Truce, 
Seraph, Lady Gladys Herbert, James Vick, John 
Standish, Julia IVyatt, George Rawlings, Joseph 
Ashby, Muriel, Henry Bond, James Service, States¬ 
man, Hon. Mrs. P. Wyndham, Champion Rollo, 
Henry IValton, Prince of Denmark, Mrs. Shirley 
Hibberd, Jas. Cocker, J. N. Keynes, Cardinal, Royal 
Queen, Sir G. "VVolseley, Clara, Sunbeam, and J. B. 
Service. Messrs. Keynes, Salisbury, were placed 2nd 
with a really good collection, comprising some 
good new and distinct varieties, prominent among 
them being Mrs. P. "Wyndham, Mrs. Dodds, Clara, 
Joseph Ashby, Mrs. Stancombe, James O’Brien, 
"Wm. Rawlings, lion. Sydney Herbert, Mrs. Glad¬ 
stone, &c. 3rd, Mr. AV. Boston, Bedale. 
Class B. 24 shoiv varieties (Nurserymen).—1st, 
Me.ssrs. Saltmarsh, Chelmsford, who had fine blooms 
of James Cocker, Henry AValton, Rosy Morn, Mrs. 
